Ray Shreeve retires after 43 years at F+M

Ray joined F+M at 71A The Close on 7th February 1966 as assistant to the office manager Squadron-Leader Paver. For those interested in musical trivia The Overlanders (who ?) were topping the pop charts with ‘Michelle’ at the time. I don’t think that we heard any more from The Overlanders but Ray was to stay around or another 43 years. He was already an old hand when I arrived in 1972.

Since then he has always been there. Taking over as office manager shortly after ‘Paves’ retired he has been working out salaries, pension contributions, dealing with expenses, invoices, annual leave and all the other duties that fall to an office manager to carry out. In addition Ray gradually took on the facilities management of Ferry Road, handling lighting, heating, security, office cleaning, service engineer’s visits and everything else that keeps the building ticking over. All these tasks carried out efficiently and with a sense of humour by a genuinely kind, caring and honest workmate.

In the early days salaries were worked out manually and hand written salary statements in Ray’s neat handwriting were distributed personally to 70+ staff. When computers were introduced to the office Ray dealt calmly with this dramatic change and soon the salaries, invoicing, expenses etc. were safely transferred to the new technology.

Ray has always joined in the varied social activities of the office and there is plenty of photographic evidence of his involvement in wine tasting, fancy dress parties, football, cricket, office outings, quiz nights and more wine tasting. In 2004 he joined the F+M team who climbed Snowdon to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Relief and he put some of the younger climbers to shame with his stamina and enthusiasm.

Away from the office Ray’s loves include walking and birdwatching and his home in Blofield is ideally placed for him to make use of his bus pass to take advantage of the beautiful countryside of The Broads and the north Norfolk coast where he can indulge in these interests. He will also have plenty of time to improve his golf.

I will miss him enormously as I know will staff in all 4 offices (I have worked with him for nearly 37 years so it is almost like a marriage break-up).

I’m sure that you will join me in thanking Ray for all that he has done for F+M over the years and wishing him and Moira a long and happy retirement.

Retrospective by friend and colleague Steve Restorick.