Access Point – One Big Family

Sally Rooney

Shopping Centre Team

We have a fantastic incentive here called Access Point Stamps – 

We earn these buy achieving our targets, stepping above and beyond the call of the office duties. These allow us to do things like visit other departments, like a little work holiday!  We can purchase things like getting our line managers to make us a brew and we can buy vouchers to get clothes or gifts for others. 

These stamps are always being added up and the member of staff who receives the most stamps can win a holiday to the value of £1000! Witt woo!

From day one starting at Access Point it was clear to me that not only were Access Point keen on helping young families out, they were also very good at opening their arms and helping you become part of the bigger Access Point family. When it came to spending my stamps, Access Point showed that they yet again made every effort to include my little family in this scheme as much as they could! 

I initially wanted to use my stamps at Knowsley Safari Park, on an animal experience feeding animals. Ben and Lucy were too young to do this, for insurance purposes I assume. Jacquie (my Christmas angel) searched all the local zoos to see if there was anything any of them would allow all four of us to do, there was nothing. Jacquie then thought about a Christmas event at a zoo and found us an ultimate Santa Visit at south Lakes Zoo.

I would like to give you an insight into the memories that access point has given my family and I forever.

 

We didn’t tell Ben or Lucy about anything, we asked them if they thought it might be a nice idea to go and see what the animals were doing at the zoo, and can you guess their reply? When we got to the zoo we went for our Christmas Dinner. This was the very traditional turkey, spuds, sprouts, carrots and good old pigs-in-blankets! We then went on to our very own nativity; lots of children were dressed in little outfits and given roles to play. Ben chose to be a Sheppard, Lucy watched with wide eyes. 

When the nativity had finished the little elves called out Ben and Lucy’s names, their little faces were excited and slightly worried. They only got more concerned to hear that they had been called as Santa wanted to have a word. We were shown into Santa’s living room but Santa was nowhere to be found! We took a few pictures on Santa’s chair (although Ben was very worried Santa might have been cross!)

We were told by the Elves Santa must have gone to the workshop and there was a train waiting for us outside. We followed the directions to little train station where another little Elf stood. They had Ben and Lucy’s names written on a little list to get on the train. Ben and Lucy were amazed! We got on the little train that tooted a secret toot to get us through the secret passage into the workshop, where the main man himself was stood waiting for us! 

 He had a chat with Ben and Lucy, putting their mind to rest telling them they are indeed on the good list. He gave the two of them a gift to open now to help them with the excitement that is ever brewing! They gave Santa a star struck cuddle, and we left again on our little train back to the station where there was a hot Chocolate and a mince pie waiting for us. 

We then went to the kiosk to pick up our Reindeer food. Ben especially loved this and he told his mate Dasher “hey mate I’ve got some magic food at my house, I’ll put it all over the grass for you to help you get to all the other kids!”

We then got to look around the zoo which seemed a blur in all the magic we had just experienced. As it became dark the zoo became sparkly with lights and they played the sounds of the animals so you knew where you were and what animal you were near. This was all finished off with half an hour on the ice rink, they both loved it. They loved every second of everything that we did.

 

After an amazing magical day we set off for home, within seconds the kids were asleep. Any parent will tell you there is nothing more satisfying in the world! You know you did good, however, on this occasion it was not us that “did good” It was Access Point. These memories are ours to keep thanks to them. Things like this make everything worthwhile. The old Saying “you work to live” does not apply at Access Point, as they do everything to make life as good as it can be.

Thank you Access Point.