Palethorpes' 50th birthday party is cherry on top of bakery cake - with pictures
One of Shropshire's longest running employers has marked its 50th birthday with a party for its 600 strong workforce.
Market Drayton's Palethorpes Bakery has been operating in the town since 1967 and Saturday saw the company offer its thanks to the workers for their efforts over the past half century.
To mark the occasion the company organised a birthday celebration at Market Drayton Football Club with live music, a food court, and children's entertainment.
Jason Page, human resources manager at Palethorpes said the company wanted to say its own thank you to all those who have contributed to its success.
He said: "The Palethorpe's brand has been going since the 1800s but Market Drayton started trading on the current site in 1967 so we are celebrating the 50th anniversary,
"It is about saying thank you to everyone past and present who has made it the success it is.
"50 years is a wonderful achievement but it is also a thank you to the community as well as the workers."
Mr Page said the company had been a fixture in the town and had seen generations of the same family coming through the doors.
He said: "The fact it is a local employer means we have had generations of employees, we have grandparents, there are their children and their children so it is that generational thing which links the workforce to the business. There is a real pride that runs through this place and that is a success for us."
Mr Page said that the planning for the day had involved a number of staff members and he thanked them for their efforts.
He said: "We put on a really big fun-filled event at significant cost but it is a real thank you from the business to the workforce saying "you guys do a great job".
"The people who have been involved, all of the team that have put it together, have been volunteers from the workforce and they have given up valuable time to make this happen."
