Carmel stacks up 40 years service

While most people are sleeping, 75-year-old Carmel Anderson has already started unloading orders at Coles at Eaton, clocking in at 4am on most days.

Mrs Anderson celebrates 40 years of service at the supermarket this year, making the mother-of-four one of the longest serving team members in the State.

“The job was recommended to me by one of my friends, who was also a mum,” Mrs Anderson said.

“After working on a farm each day, the two of us would go home to our children and husbands, before heading to Coles to stack shelves to earn some extra income.”

Mrs Anderson started her career with the night fill team in Manjimup in 1977, followed by a stint in Albany and the Bunbury Forum before transferring to the Eaton store when it opened.

The loyal worker said technological advances over the years had made her job quicker and more efficient.

“Back in the day, we used to stamp the prices on the tinned goods at the end of shifts – now items all have barcodes that are scanned at the checkout,” she said.

“When I was night fill manager, we would telephone through the orders we had completed for stock replenishment – now it's all updated with a computer.”

Mrs Anderson says she enjoys working in a team and meeting the young people at Coles from whom she “learns a lot”

“So much of what I love about working here is the people you get to work with and the friendships you make.”

Mrs Anderson said some of her closest friendships had been made while working at Coles.

“I go into Bunbury most weeks to catch up with friends who I met while working at Coles – from the years of working together, I've created meaningful and ongoing friendships,” she said.

“I have no plans to stop working anytime soon – I love my job.”