Sunderland water worker has tanker named in his honour to mark 50 years of service

Steve Forster, who lives in Seaburn, joined the Newcastle and Gateshead Water Company as a junior clerk back in July 1973. The following year the company became part of Northumbrian Water when the industry was nationalised.

On a wage of just £630 a year, the then 17-year-old Steve was given a range of tasks, including the opening all the incoming envelopes, one by one.

He also had to lick all the stamps for every letter that went out.

But over the years Steve successfully worked his way up to become customer care manager, supporting some of the company’s 2.7 million customers in the North East with some very complex enquiries.

He has also worked on liaising with communities to offer support while work is taking place in their area.

Now aged 67 and with his retirement looming, Northumbrian Water wanted to do something in honour of Steve and the decades worth “exemplary and dedicated service he has provided for the organisation and its customers”.

The “Steve Forster” tanker dedicated to him will now proudly display his name as it travels around the region.

Steve said: “After 50 very enjoyable years, it’s come to the time where I’m finally handing in my pen and pencil – and seeing that this lovely, shiny truck has been given my name is just fantastic.

“It will have many, many miles in the future and I hope to see it myself out on the roads.”

Dawn Creighton, Northumbrian Water’s head of customer strategy and experience, said: “Steve will be a huge miss to many people, for the encyclopaedic knowledge he’s built up working for the company for so long, for his passion for looking after our customers and for his brilliant humour and banter.

“We’re so very grateful for Steve’s outstanding service over the years and wanted to make a tribute to him in a way that was visible.

"The tanker looks fantastic and I hope that he will see it on the region’s roads, knowing how proud we are of him.”