Christine Pritchard celebrated her 60th birthday this year – the same year as her employer McColl’s Transport. 88824 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By ALESHA CAPONE
WORKERS at McColl’s Transport in Altona have two reasons to celebrate this year.
In addition to the trucking company commemorating its 60 anniversary, employee Christine Pritchard celebrated her 60th birthday in July.
The St Albans resident has worked at the company as an administration clerk for more than a decade.
“I enjoy coming to work every day,” Ms Pritchard said.
“I enjoy the friendship of the others in the office, we have become very close as there are six of us in a small office.
“We deal with head office every day and they are also very nice up there.”
McColl’s Transport was founded by Stuart McColl in 1952 when he would drive his single tray truck, delivering milk between the western district and Geelong.
Nowadays, the company is Australia’s largest independent carrier of milk and food, bulk chemicals and dangerous goods with more than 400 employees.
Ms Pritchard and her co-workers celebrated McColl’s Transport’s 60 years with a dinner at a Sydenham hotel recently.
Ms Pritchard said the business was “very family-oriented” and Stuart McColl, now aged 95, was always “popping in and out of the office” when she first started.
The doting grandmother has pictures of her granddaughter Sarah, 7, and grandson Luke, 9, on her office wall.
“Being a boy, he’s fascinated with trucks and my daughter also works in transport,” she said.
Ms Pritchard said she had no plans to retire just yet.
“I’ve been very happy here over the years, and I’ve been treated very well,” she said.
“I’d like to keep going the way I’m going and keep plodding along as long as I can.”
