23/04/2026
Happy retirement Gaz ! ๐
So its a celebration today for our longest standing employee as he retires after over 38 years of outstanding service ! ๐ซก
Its also a very sad day for David and myself as a brother in-law and uncle & friend to me he has given the majority of his working life to better our company with his dedication and commitment to the business. ๐ช๐ผ
Gary started with our company in 1988 after a career in motor vehicle repair.... building himself up from an apprentice to workshop manager at the Ford dealership he worked at .
After many years hearing the tales from David of life on the road driving trucks all over Europe ๐ช๐บ....the itch had to be scratched .
He left the dealership and started full time in 1988 with us and began driving one of our 7.5t trucks .
Within the year he proved to be hugely competent and had passed his HGV 1 and began driving our larger vehicles undertaking more complex moves . ๐ช
These moves took him all over Europe undertaking customs clearances at multiple borders on route to various destinations.๐ฎโโ๏ธ
He spent life on the road for many years driving various Roadtrains traveling to Belgium ๐ง๐ช Netherlands ๐ณ๐ฑ
Germany ๐ฉ๐ช Denmark ๐ฉ๐ฐ Sweden ๐ธ๐ช Austria ๐ฆ๐น & Switzerland ๐จ๐ญ
But mainly covering our weekly service throughout
UK ๐ฌ๐ง France ๐ซ๐ท Spain ๐ช๐ธ & Portugal ๐ต๐น .
He is a very mechanically minded guy and soon took over the maintenance of all our fleet within our own workshop facilities ...doing everything from vehicle inspections , servicing and general repairs ...managing a fleet at times of 12-15 vehicles .
But this isn't just where the talent ends ...he has built refurbished and re-sprayed multiple ,vans, trucks, trailers and bodys for them that have entered the fleet over the 38 years hes been here.
Given me the skills I have today , a mentor ...who taught me everything from changing wheel Bearings and basic mechanics to how to weld , fiberglass, paint , ect .
Many talents that I would never have known if not working alongside him regularly.
Along side doing everything to maintain our fleet & going out on moves on a regular basis ....he also was warehouse manager got vehicles ready morning and evening ....dealing with our 450 storage containers that move around the building daily with clients goods coming in and out of storage....while keeping our warehouse ship shape and everything neat & tidy .
I must also mention the time keeping ....for someone who commuted each day further than most and was never late & attendance he has given.... with not having 1 day off sick in the time of employment . โ
๏ธ
After he fell on ice and broke 3 ribs ...still continued to undertake the days move he was doing and came into work the following day . ๐ฆด
An achievement that is just not something you see any more in the world we live in today .๐ฅ
So here's a few pictures of some of the vehicles Gaz has built , painted and driven over the years...and a couple of him from past n present .
You will leave a big hole in the company and anyone who could try to replace you would have some big boots ๐ข to fill .
So from David, Nigel and all the staff at David Dale Removals ....we will miss you big time !
We hope you enjoy your retirement and spend some quality time with family ... do everything you never made time for and live life to the fullest .
Stay in touch mate . ๐
The kettles always on โ๏ธ
