Liz Deery, 39, is PA to the Governor at Wormwood Scrubs prison in London
‘I was anxious on my first day here back in 2007, not just because I came from a small company in the soft toy industry, but because I’d never been in a prison except, of course, for the interview.
‘The security is, as you would expect, strict. When you go through the gates, you’re not allowed to carry a mobile phone or a whole host of other things including cameras and perfume. At first I found not having a mobile phone strange because we’re so dependent on them in our society, but I soon got used to it. I have also got used to regular staff searches.
‘One of the things I love about working here is that it often requires skills and attributes I haven’t been used to needing at work. For example, I handle all telephone enquiries for the Governor’s office and many of these can be difficult – often someone worrying about a family member. I have to be very sensitive and conscious of how stressful it is for them. I also like the more traditional tasks of diary management for the Governor, minute taking, arranging conferences and travel, managing emails, and internal and external communication. This side of the job is far more structured than in my last job, largely because there are more channels to go through, so my organisational skills have improved no end.
‘I’m from Ireland originally and moved over to London in 1989, where I found a job as a Girl Friday in the soft toy industry. I ended up being office manager and PA to the MD for 18 years. By then, the industry was becoming very competitive and price driven and I didn’t like it. It also meant an uncertain future.
‘I knew Wormwood Scrubs because I’d passed it numerous times. I liked the idea of doing something completely different and helping to provide a service. So I decided to browse the website and found my current post advertised. I applied, never expecting in my wildest dreams to get it, on account of having no public sector experience.
‘People are often intrigued when I say where I work. The first question they ask is, “Do you have to go into the wings?” Occasionally I do – maybe to deliver something to an officer – but it always feels safe. There are uniformed staff around and we were all offered personal safety training when we joined.
‘Probably the thing I like most about working here is that when you enter the gate in the morning, it’s like entering a small community. It’s hard to explain, but because it’s enclosed and because people stay in their jobs, there’s a certain sense of camaraderie.’
Christine Vousden, 61, is PA to the MD of conservation charity The Aspinall Foundation, which manages Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks in Kent
‘People always say “Wow” when I tell them where I work, and it’s true that this place is unique. One minute I can be making coffee, the next I can be dealing with an escaped wild animal. The latter doesn’t happen very often, but part of my job is organising the procedure that needs to be in place when it does – as well as actually helping find the animal in question. The animal park is also unique because the entire staff works more closely together than anything I’ve ever experienced elsewhere. There’s absolutely no sense of competition. Everyone appreciates each other’s role and works as a team. That’s definitely to do with the kind of environment it is – that is, not some corporate office.
‘I worked as an HR manager for a hotel group for many years and then they decided to change my job description. It would have meant going back on the road to cover other hotels. I decided to take voluntary redundancy.
‘My plan was to have six months off, but I was reading the paper one day and there was an advert for my job. I thought it wouldn’t be a million miles from what I’d been doing, but with the added bonus of a new challenge. I’d worked in banking and retail in the past and quite liked changing sectors.
‘I have a very hands-on MD, so a lot of the stuff I do for him involves projects and people – whether it’s staff, councils, police or others. We recently had a problem with brown signs, in that they needed updating, and my boss passed that on to me. I get involved in animal projects, too – for example, when the animals are moved I liaise with all the different people involved to make sure everything is in place. This happens quite a bit, as we have animals born here and some reach an age where they need to breed, so they’re moved onto different zoos or elsewhere. Some animals are sent back to the wild, too. We have projects in places as far afield as the Congo, where we have sent gorillas and rhinos.
'I also get involved in giving presentations to staff, dealing with complaints and general admin across both our parks, where there are a couple of hundred staff altogether. More recently, I’ve also been dealing with health and safety.
‘I’m sure some people think I sit with monkeys on my desk all day, or stand around watching animals give birth. It’s not like that – I do lots of the usual PA duties, but working in such an unusual place does make my job amazing.’
Heidi Box, 44, has an admin role at Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey, which includes being conference co-ordinator
‘The joy of working in a vineyard all starts with my drive into work in the mornings. When you approach it, you could literally be anywhere in the world. I’ve just come back from the South of France and this place could easily be there, or in South Africa or America. It’s absolutely beautiful – so much so that I got married here!
‘In fact, that’s when I first discovered Denbies. I was so impressed that I decided to send them my CV. They said they’d keep it on file until a vacancy arose. I couldn’t believe my luck when I got an interview.
‘Initially, I studied beauty therapy and then I worked as cabin crew for various airlines for eight years. After that, I was a sales consultant for a big Haute Couture House at Gatwick Airport for four years. I then joined a major oil company as a receptionist before moving here.
‘Now my job involves all the admin for the conference department. I also meet with clients, take bookings and am responsible for the running of the events. Although I’m not called a PA, the duties I carry out are at the same level and overlap a lot. I also work with lots of other PAs because they’re often the ones arranging the events on behalf of their businesses.
‘No two days are the same. I work with a terrific team, and the work itself is refreshing and ever-changing, so it’s never a chore for me to do my 40 minute drive to work in the mornings. In fact, I often notice it’s 6pm – half an hour past my contracted leaving time – and think “OK, I suppose I ought to go home”.
‘People are surprised when I say I work in a vineyard. People don’t expect there to be vineyards in England, especially ones as beautiful as this. The question they always ask is, “Do you get free wine?” Sadly, I don’t, but I do get to try each vintage, which is great.
‘My office overlooks many of the vineyards. It’s very light and even in the pouring rain, it looks amazing. In the snow, the view is astounding. That definitely helps keep me motivated. I particularly like going up to the restaurant on the top floor, where you can see all the way round the estate.’
Val Miller, 57, is assistant to the general manager at Cragside, a National Trust property in Northumberland
‘Cragside is known as a wonder of its age. It was the home of Lord Armstrong, Victorian inventor and landscape genius, and it’s famous not only for being surrounded by one of the largest rock gardens in Europe, but also for being the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity.