Retail World Team Valley Specsavers is making a name for itself for its community spirit as much as its expert eye and ear care.
Since the store opened less than two years ago in the heart of Gateshead’s Team Valley industrial estate, Katie Blakely has worked tirelessly to bring people together, support local causes and help staff achieve new qualifications.
Earlier this year, Katie completed the Kendal to Ambleside marathon hike – one of the toughest courses of its kind. She battled rough terrain and torrential rain for more than 10 hours and 29 minutes, raising more than £2,000 for mental health charities.
Katie says: ‘It’s without a doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But it’s about pushing yourself and becoming mentally and physically stronger when you are able to do so.’
Closer to home, Katie launched a new ‘Walk and Talk’ initiative to bring staff together from businesses around Team Valley. The event takes place on the first Thursday of each month, with a 30-minute walk starting from the Specsavers store to promote wellbeing and business networking.
The store is now also a sponsor of Low Fell Running Club, supporting events including the famous Angel of the North run. A printing error on the club’s kit recently led to plenty of laughter and a wave of ‘Should’ve Gone to Specsavers’ jokes among staff and runners alike.
Inside the store, Katie has put a huge amount of resource into championing staff development. Currently, three apprentices are in training, while other team members are working towards professional qualifications to become dispensers and clinical technicians.
One example is Alison McDonald, now 55 years old, who joined Specsavers in 2017 and specifically the Team Valley store in September 2023. She has recently become a Senior Dispenser, proving it’s never too late to take on new challenges.
Katie herself is also studying on Specsavers’ internal Pathway programme, which supports team members to progress to store directors, qualifying them to own their own store.
‘I’ve loved becoming a part of the Team Valley community,’ says Katie. ‘It’s been amazing to connect and learn from other local businesses and be able to see our own team grow and develop. There’s so much more we want to achieve. We’re just getting started.’