Banbury pub manager fast tracked to success

Hannah Griffin, holding manager of the Cherwell, on Broad Street, graduated from the Stonegate Pub Company fast track programme earlier this month and represented the culmination of her work over the last four months.

Hannah was presented her graduation documents by members of the Stonegate Learning and Development Team and HR director, Tim Painter, before being presented with a certificate.

The programme included a practical component, organising and producing a fundraiser for a chosen charity, for which Hannah chose the Katharine House Hospice. The evening raised nearly £350 for charity, which will go towards helping people with life limiting conditions, both within the hospice and in their own homes in the surrounding area.

Hannah said: “I was so touched by the generosity of both our customers and the local businesses that kindly donated prizes for our raffle.

"We raised a significant amount of money that I hope that can go towards helping to relieve some of the pain and sadness the comes with going through such a difficult time.

"Katharine House Hospice is only a few miles away from the pub, so it really serves the local community in a very direct way – I hope we can continue to support its work in the future.

“Being able to host an event like this was what made the Accelerator programme even more engaging for me. I really enjoyed the course and it has helped me to look at things differently, especially as I have just returned from maternity leave.

"Graduation means I will officially take over the management of the Cherwell and I couldn’t be more proud of accomplishing so much right after welcoming my baby into the world.”

The Accelerator Programme is designed to give employees the tools to bridge the gap between deputy manager and general manager, through education and dynamic group learning. The course aims to build the participant's confidence, encourage continued independent learning and help them to work together effectively as team.

HR Director, Tim Painter, said, “A massive congratulations to Hannah and everyone who graduated from the Accelerator Programme this week.

"We are immensely proud of our graduates, whose drive and commitment over the last four months has really shown them to be exceptional employees. We look forward to seeing them thrive in our business and wish them every success in the future.”

The Accelerator Programme in now in its 24th graduation cycle and has seen more than 300 Deputy Managers progress to mangerial positions, while raising over £350,000 for UK Charities between them.