Christine Baines heads off into well-earned retirement

Christine Baines and Lorenzo O’Reilly, Rochdale Exchange Centre Manager

Christine Baines has retired as an Office Administrator at Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre after a 24-year career in which she met soapstars, a TV Gladiator and even Dr Who.

Christine will fondly remember her time at the busy shopping hub which saw her rub shoulders with some famous shoppers.

Christine, 64,  who started work at the shopping centre in December 1990, said: “I trained as a shorthand typist and had done a number of secretarial jobs in and around Oldham before I became Secretary to the Centre Manager.

“In those days the Centre Manager was Ken Hunter and he wasn’t just in charge of Rochdale Exchange but a number of other shopping centres right across the North West, so dealing with all those places kept me very busy.

“Over the years the ownership and management of the Exchange has changed a few times, so I’ve worked with quite a few different teams but they’ve all been very good people.

“My own job has changed quite a bit over the years, too. When I started it was all about conventional secretarial work, taking dictation from the Centre Manager and then putting letters together on an old-fashioned typewriter.

“But I got rid of my typewriter years ago and after that everything was done by computers. In fact, in the end I didn’t have to do many letters at all as people now write their own on a computer.

“The nature of the job also changed quite a lot from pure secretarial jobs to being much more of an administrator in the office, doing everything from invoicing on the financial side to arranging buffets for events. 

“Over the years I’ve met a number of famous people. We used to get lots of stars visiting the centre to do things like switching on the Christmas lights, and when they came in they always came up to the office first, which is where I’d have a quick chat with them.

“I remember meeting Sam Aston, the young actor who plays Chesney Brown in Coronation Street and the big muscleman who was Hunter in the TV series Gladiators. They were both pleasant to talk to.

“Another famous person I recall meeting quite a few years ago was Jon Pertwee, the actor who had been one of the early ones to play Dr Who. I had a few words with him when he came into the office for an event and he was very pleasant.

“Although I never actually met her, I often saw Julie Goodyear, who used to play Bet Lynch in Coronation Street, coming into the centre to do her shopping because I think she lived nearby.

“Later on in my time in the office I was responsible for working behind the window in reception. That was very interesting because I met all sorts of people coming in for help and advice.”

Explaining her decision to retire, Christine said: “When I reached my 64th birthday I thought it was time to go and hand over the job to somebody else.

“But I really enjoyed my time at Rochdale Exchange and worked with some very nice people.

“I had a lovely retirement party. I went for a meal with all my colleagues then I was presented with lots of gifts including a watch, jewellery, wine, plants and flowers.

“Now I’m retired I can spend more time with my partner Ian, who I’ve been with for the past 16 years, and my two dogs, a 12-year-old Border Collie called Red and a mongrel named Dingo who is 13. I also have two female cats called Purdy and Millie.

“I’m hoping to spend more time in my garden, which I enjoy working on, and meeting up with friends who I used to work with.

“Now I’ve gone my boss, the Centre Manager Lorenzo O’Reilly, will have a bit more peace because I used to love moving the furniture around in the office.”

Lorenzo O’Reilly, Rochdale Exchange Centre Manager, said: “We were all very sorry to say goodbye to Christine but we wish her lots of happiness for her retirement.

“She was a very valued member of our team and it is lovely to hear her recount some of the stories and people she has met over her time with the shopping centre.”