A Career Defined by Service and Support
Leaving school at age 14 in 1945, Trudy Thomas started work at a lawyer’s office and then at the post office, which she held until she married, before picking up a job in the Civil Service. She entered the Civil Service as a clerical officer for the Ministry of Labour in Glasgow, then later became an executive officer before finishing up as a staff welfare officer for the Department of Employment.
Trudy was able to slip into her job rather quickly within the Civil Service, especially since a lot of the people she worked with at the post office were part of the Civil Service too. She proved herself adaptable very quickly, especially since the nature of her role changed dramatically as those returning from the forces went back to their old jobs. Trudy specifically loved her time at the Department of Employment, especially since she did not have to work on the front counter, instead focusing on dealing with other personnel and staff. Part of the highlights of the job for Trudy were the people she worked with, especially her bosses as clerical officer as they were very supportive of her, as well as very helpful with her work. Much later, as a staff welfare officer, Trudy found great value in being able to help the people around her.
Trudy eventually retired in 1990, and immediately joined a fellowship group nearby. She was strongly encouraged by a former colleague, Harry Hawthorne, who was heavily involved in the local group to come along and join. Subsequently, she joined and ended up running her local fellowship group for 18 years, later stepping down from the committee, but still turning up to meetings. She has also spent her retirement exploring Scotland and Northern England, with activities that included a lot of walking.
The advice Trudy has for retirement is to get involved in groups like the CSRF, as it is a worthwhile endeavour for your well-being and to keep in contact with those who are like minded. She particularly enjoyed going on walks with these groups and encourages others to do the same to enjoy the company of the world and others around her.