Abi Faima

Holiday Sales Adviser

I am a Holiday Sales Adviser at Pinewoods, and I have been I my current role since 2016 where I began as a trainee. After two years, I qualified in my current role.

Do you have a Holkham highlight?

The wonderful cafe team at Holkham treat all staff to ‘Soup Tuesdays’ over the quiet winter months. The team at Pinewoods really enjoy this and relish the opportunity to mix with the wider estate whilst enjoying some lovely, warming soup.

How would you spend a day out at Holkham?

If I was coming to Holkham as a visitor, I would spend the day enjoying a nice walk through the park, taking the kids into the Woodland Play Area and would end it with a delicious lunch in the Courtyard Café.

What does a typical day look like for you?

A typical day in Pinewoods reception begins with a variety of tasks, such as checking the arrival passes, replying to emails, and answering phone calls. Throughout the day, customers visit reception for information or assistance, which can range from booking a holiday, to site owners scheduling maintenance for their caravans. Starting around midday, the flow of bookings begins and continues steadily for the remainder of the day. On particularly busy days, I might lend a hand to the housekeeper out in the park, helping with check-ins. This involves inspecting the caravans and preparing welcome packs for our guests. No two days are alike, and that’s one of the aspects I love about my job.

Other team members

Vicki Uttridge

After attending the Recruitment Open Day in 2022, I secured a role in the Visitor Team where I have been for the past three years. No two days are ever the same in the Visitor Reception. The role is wonderfully varied and every day goes by in a happy blur.

As a member of the Visitor Experience Team, the number one priority is to look after our visitors. Our role involves meeting and greeting, dealing with phone and email enquiries, selling entry tickets and generally making sure everyone is having a great time whilst here. We are also on hand to support other teams where necessary.

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Curtis Austin

My day to day work in the forestry department can vary from carrying out thinning and clear-fell work with chainsaws, to using some of our machines to assist the others foresters with felling. During the winter we are focussing on planting which comprises many steps such as staking, making holes, tree selection, planting and tubing which you may have spotted throughout the estate.

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Jane Gooderham

I joined the Holkham team in March 2010, working in the Stables Cafe which is now the Courtyard Cafe.

I have worked in many of the Holkham cafes over the years, including the Rose Garden which is now Ancient House – accommodation at The Victoria.

Whilst the Stables Cafe was being refurbished, I worked in the pop up cafe which was situated by the front of the Hall in a marquee.

Now, I am mainly based at the Courtyard Cafe, but I do occasionally work at The Lookout and the Beach Cafe.

I started my job at Holkham as a general cafe assistant before being promoted to cafe supervisor in 2012.

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