Supervisor Vic retiring after 50 years service
Vic Atkins has been responsible for planting well over a hundred trees in New Earswick during his fifty year career with the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT). And on Monday 8th December he will be planting one more - this time outside the Trust’s offices at The Garth to commemorate his long service. Colleagues and New Earswick residents will be joining him for the ceremony.
Vic, a supervisor gardener based in New Earswick, began work for the Trust (known then as the Joseph Rowntree Village Trust) at the age of 15, on 29th December 1953. As well as his work with trees and in helping to maintain New Earswick’s green spaces, there have been many occasions in winter when he has worked through the night to clear snow and grit paths and roads in the village. He has also been a familiar face on park keeping duty at weekends at The Homestead in York, which is also maintained by the JRHT.
Vic’s wife Margaret also works for JRHT/JRF and is due to retire at the end of December after 23 years with the organisation. A joint retirement party for more than 180 friends and colleagues was held on the evening of Saturday 6th December at The Folk Hall in New Earswick.
Lord Best, Director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation which administers JRHT, said: “As we reach our 100th year - from our foundation by Joseph Rowntree in 1904 - we celebrate Vic Atkins working for us for a full half century. His work, in creating green and pleasant environments, has made life better for thousands of people. Vic and Margaret have also been perfect neighbours generating a sense of community which makes New Earswick special.”
