Sprache 
Please join Aviagen® Turkeys Ltd (ATL) in wishing Antony Walker (Cooch), Alan Gregory, Barry Welch & Steve Turner all the best and a happy retirement, as well as good luck wishes to Karen Plank who is leaving the company to move onto new adventures.
Cooch has been one of ATLs longest standing team members, joining the company just three days after leaving school. He started his career with ATL at Greenacres farm collecting eggs, before joining a team of builders and joiners building Birch Heath farm. Finding he had a knack for joinery, Cooch turned what was supposed to be a temporary position into a 15-year role. After 15 years, Cooch turned his hand to electrical maintenance. He attended college for 4 years, qualified and quickly took over all electrical maintenance for ATL facilities. 44 years after joining ATL, Cooch decided it was time to retire to spend time skydiving and bungee jumping. Failing that, he would like to spend time cycling, enjoying his garden, finishing off all the jobs he never had chance to and taking many well-deserved holidays once allowed to.
Alan Gregory has been with ATL for over 40 years. Known as ‘Big Al’ to many, Alan started with the company in 1978 on a laying farm in Spurstow, Cheshire. As this farm resulted in closing Alan was made redundant but then started at Calveley Laying farm, Cheshire in 2009 and has been there ever since. Alan has worked extremely hard and has still been AI-ing everyday showing the young ones how it is done. He has been a great asset to the company and has even helped with our selection team from time to time when needed. Alan looks forward to keeping up to date with many sports during his retirement as he loves to follow football being a big Manchester United fan and also enjoys playing darts.
Barry Welch started to work at Oaktree Pedigree Laying farm on the 30th May 1978, after his initial training period at Oaktree he was then promoted to Barrow Pedigree Farm Manger and latterly Broomhill and Kinnerton Pedigree Farm Manager. Barry has played a key role in running 3 of our Pedigree laying farms and has worked for us for over 43 year’s. Barry is looking forward to spending his retirement helping out in the local community, gardening and attending local shows with a particular interest in Rabbit breeding.
Steve Turner started with the company in 1990 and has exceptional expertise when it comes to selecting turkeys. His father had a turkey farm built on their farm when the company was B.U.T. and it is still used to this day. Steve started his career on the rearing sites at the age of 18, helping with 14 and 24 week selections. At the age of 30 Steve was travelling to France every 6 weeks to complete selections in 3 different regions. Steve was then promoted to his latest position with the company is Selection and FCR Manager, where he manages a large team of individuals selecting the birds for the breeding programme. Steve has had many hobbies previously including shooting but mainly motocross riding where he limped into the office on a few occasions black and blue from riding accidents over the weekends. Now Steve is looking forward to retirement and spending more time with his wife and dogs.
“On behalf of everyone at ATL, thank you all for your years’ service and dedication to the company and we wish you a very well deserved retirement.”.
We would also like to wish Karen Plank a farewell as she has decided to leave the company after 33 years. Starting in 1988, employed by B.U.T. at Warren Hall, Karen started the business as the company’s receptionist and then worked as a Sales secretary for the Sales and Marketing Director before taking the role of Export secretary, responsible for raising documentation for all our overseas deliveries by road and air. Karen’s role involved liaising with DEFRA, Chambers of commerce and Freight forwarding companies to ensure our turkeys reach the customers as quickly as possible. She is well known and liked by all our customers. Karen has been a great asset and conscientious worker for the ATL team and we will be very sad to see her go.
ATL wishes Karen all the best and good luck with her next venture.