put a face to a name - meet our amazing team

Alan Gray

I was born in Maple Cross, near Rickmansworth & attended Maple Cross JMI (in shorts even on very cold days). My secondary school days are not remembered particularly fondly as it was a rough place bringing together kids from three or four neighbouring towns/villages. I studied less than perhaps I should have. I did however pass a few exams including Geography which has proved to be most useful. I played in a band from about 14 years old playing clubs, pubs, wedding receptions etc. We ‘turned pro’ in 1980 & toured the coast of the former Yugoslavia for tour operator Yugotours. The producer of Top of the Pops never came calling although I did appear on the show once but that is not something that I’m prepared to share here, thank you very much!

I started a ‘proper’ job at a company that carried out office refurbishment. I was the buyer & I really loved the people & the job. One or two similar jobs later & the venture into office supplies was born. The recession in the early nineties was really tough but I wanted to do something on my own & things fell in to place quite easily. Why ‘Sarratt‘? It’s the village where I lived, the garage was the office or ‘ice station zero’ as we called it at the time so, it was an obvious & quite unique name.

I have supported Manchester City since I was about ten years old. An amazing team at the end of the Sixties into the Seventies but oh how I have suffered through the years….. People don’t feel sorry anymore, they instead get quite cross about all the money flowing into the club from Abu Dhabi. Shame. I say happy days!!

I finally took the plunge in 1996 when Sam & I married in Jamaica. In 1998 & 1999 we produced two lovely girls who are now in their teens. Life is never dull at home living with three women!!

Samantha Gray

I was born in East Grinstead, Sussex but grew up in Hertfordshire going to Watford Girls’ Grammar School. I am married to Alan and yes, I am often referred to as “the bosses wife”!

Alan & I met just before he started Sarratt Office Supplies while I was a Customer Services Rep for Kodak. In the early days back in 1993 I juggled working for Kodak and helping Alan, we even used my company car for one or two deliveries! After a couple of months doing 2 jobs the business had taken off enough to allow me to leave Kodak and join the business full time.

My role has changed and evolved since 1994. We had our two lovely daughters, Jordan & Lauren, in 1998 & 1999 respectively. Since then I have always been part-time and even though they are both now going to University I am keeping to my Fridays off!

I look after HR, our internet ordering system, credit control, oversee Customer Services and when I can, go out to see clients. I feel privileged to work with great staff (thanks to them I can stay part-time) who work really hard and are very loyal to Alan & myself. Although our working environment is relaxed and good fun they are always extremely professional.

Over the years we have supplied some fantastic customers who are also incredibly loyal – a number of them have been with us right from the beginning.

In my spare time I go horse-riding, something I have done since I was 8 years old. As I never could get Alan to agree to buy me a dog I now have a part-time French Bulldog called Willow who comes into the office 4 times a week. She is much loved by all who work here, even Alan! Now the girls’ are away Alan & I hope to travel and see a bit more of the world.

Dave Upton

I was born in London but have spent most of my life living in Watford. I am married to Paula and we have four daughters and three grandchildren..so far..!!

Family life is important & I enjoy watching and supporting my local team, Watford FC. I come from a musical family and enjoy singing and playing piano. I also enjoy being ‘the embarrassing Dad’, my Elvis impersonation proves this. Just ask my daughters!

It is nearly 14 years since I joined Sarratt Office Supplies. I had met Alan & Sam during my time at a stationery wholesale company. In October 2000 I was working as an Operations Manager for an Import/Export company when Alan called me in for an interview. I wanted a new challenge & started with Sarratt the following Monday 13th November. Having worked for large companies in the past, coming to a small family business took me a while to get used to. It’s great to see all the people interacting to get the job done & the best part of my job is the variety with the need to be versatile. The key to why I enjoy my job is no day is ever the same.

The culture here is that ‘the customer always comes first.’ Whatever they need we will try and find it for them. All the staff at Sarratt have that common goal. Our reputation comes from the edict above. We have customers who have been with us since I joined the company. Our high levels of service and our ability to adapt to each individual customer is crucial.

The way we do business has changed over the years & the internet has made sourcing products & suppliers easier. I used to spend hours on the phone trying to source products. The use of e-mails makes communication easier and quicker too. We have always adapted to advances in technology and make good use of internet banking, invoicing, ordering etc. I really like the buying part of my job and I make sure I get on with all the sales reps – it helps me obtain the best prices & resolve all kinds of problems.

Dave Pooley

I originally hail from Harrow but I have lived in the Watford area nearly all my working life. I currently live in Abbots Langley with my wife, Becky and my 15 year old daughter Jennifer.

I have worked in the office supplies industry for 35 years since I began as a part timer in the college holidays and was swept up in the then mainly stationery supplies industry..carbon paper, duplicating and bank paper, gummed envelopes!! It was VERY different then. I moved on to a couple of smaller businesses to bring office supplies in to their print based companies and eventually started my own business in the early 2000’s.

Having met up with Alan it became obvious it would make perfect sense for me to bring our fantastic customers over to Sarratt Office Supplies, where I knew they would be looked after brilliantly with the care and detail they apply to all their customers. I have been delighted to join a great team of people who are a pleasure to work with.

I love cricket, both watching and playing. I am also a lifelong fan of the Hornets. I enjoy getting out to walk with our dog as often as possible and spending as much time as I can with my family, especially as my daughter is growing up and time becomes more precious.

Clare Elsworth

I was born in Hemel Hempstead and still live here now with my Husband Nick, our two lovely children Libby & Thomas, and our cats Misty & Freddie.

I previously worked at Ricoh for 14 years in various roles covering customer service, account management and sales team leader. Following redundancy and maternity leave I feel very lucky to have been offered a position here at Sarratt Office Supplies. I started in June 2016 and work part time which is great as it enables me to have a good balance between work and spending time with our children. I love working in a smaller office where the atmosphere is always friendly and customers are extremely well looked after. It’s also really nice talking to customers old & new.

I have built up a great knowledge of printer consumables over the past 15 years and still deal with some of the same customers from the early days at Ricoh. I am now building on my general knowledge of Business Supplies and enjoy working with local companies where we can offer exceptional, reliable service along with, more often than not, cost savings.

My life out of work is mainly spent with our children, they are very young & they certainly keep me busy! We enjoy days out at the park and the zoo and I am making the most of these precious times as they are growing up really fast.
My husband has a busy job and when time allows, we enjoy going out for a nice meal & of course the all important glass of wine!.

Martyn Payne

I was born in Ashford, Kent but have worked and lived in and around London for most of my working life. I now live in Stevenage and joined Sarratt Office Supplies at the start of February 2018.

I have worked in the Office Supplies Industry for just over 20 years now and my time has very much been divided between Customer Services and Purchasing. My first job in the industry was at Dudley Stationery which at the time was the third biggest stationery company in the UK. I have also worked for small and medium sized companies within the industry so have experience of dealing with a wide range of customers and suppliers. I am really enjoying my time here at Sarratt. It is good to speak to new people, helping them with their needs or finding a product which might not be in our catalogue or on our website.

Away from work, I like watching sport especially football and cricket. I am a Liverpool supporter which makes things interesting with my boss as he supports Man City who are of course the best team in the world!! (Edited by Alan Gray). I also play badminton once a week at a club in Stevenage.

Andy King

I was born in Bushey but have lived in London Colney for most of my life. I am married to Michelle and we have two boys, Ollie aged 10 and Owen aged 13.

I have worked in office supplies for over 25 years, originally starting as an 18 year old for a family run business in St Albans, where I eventually became the retail manager. I have also worked in other environments, including St Albans Job Centre, motor insurance and IT services. I have always worked in customer focused roles where I can use my experience to support and offer guidance to clients.

Since joining Sarratt, the fit has been seamless. The team here all share the same ethos that the customers’ needs always come first. There is a real commitment to provide a first class service regardless of whether it is for a small or multi-national business.

Outside of work, family life is very sport orientated. My youngest son is football mad and plays for a Sunday league team, he’s also recently been picked to play for the St Albans District team, which means we travel all over the country. My eldest son is a talented rugby player and plays for St Albans OA’s. We are all Tottenham Hotspurs supporters & we manage to get to a few games each season. Fishing is a passion of mine & I am lucky enough to travel to France once a year in the hope that I will one day catch the big one!

Catherine Hallsworth

I was born in the north in a little Village in the peaks, we moved down to Watford when I was around 2 years of age, I grew up living on a farm.

I started my working life as a nanny where I worked both in the UK and aboard. In my mid 20s I took some time away from work to travel the world. On my return, I worked for an health and safety company in customer services later moving on to other roles within the office environment.

I joined Sarratt Office Supplies in May 2019 working in the customer service department, which I love. Everyone here has been really welcoming. All my colleagues have many of years’ of experience in Stationery & Business Supplies which has been a great help learning about all the different products & services we offer.

I live in Hemel Hempstead with my partner Rob and my stepson Jamie (he is 10) along with our two lovely dogs. We spend a lot of time outside either taking Jamie to football or walking the dogs which usually includes a pub lunch!

Paul Hooper

I was born in London and moved to Harrow where I went to school.I started my working life at Bejam Frozen Foods and spent 5 years in retail management.

In 1984 I joined the family business, Hemel Office Supplies which offered predominantly typewriter and office machine repair and maintenance. We had a stationery retail shop based in Hemel Hempstead town centre. Having known Alan for many years, we merged Hemel Office Supplies with Sarratt Office Supplies in 2019. The customers are still loyal & I enjoy seeing them from time to time.

My main hobby is golf and I play to a single figure handicap.My other interests include DIY and gardening and I enjoy dining out with friends.I have 3 children and am expecting my first grandchild in early 2020.

Stuart Russell

I have worked here for 7 years and have always driven vans, liking the freedom on the road rather than being in one place. I know all our customers really well and they always recognise me as soon as I walk in the door. It is nice to be greeted with a smile and if I am really lucky the offer of a cup of tea but because we are so busy I mostly have to say no. The customers really like the fact Sarratt employ their own Van Drivers as it gives that extra bit of personal service.

Currently I am single but have 2 brothers that I see quite a lot of, even going on holiday with one to help look after my niece. I have always lived in Hemel Hempstead (although my Dad is Scottish) and went to JFK school. Being local means I can find new customers relatively easily unless they are in London!

I support Tottenham Hotspur (arm chair fan) who are doing quite well at the moment and can often be found playing the Xbox – my favourite game at the moment is “Call of Duty”.

Rob Pullen

I was born in Greenwich but have lived Hemel Hempstead for 10 years. I am married and have a girl of 7 and a boy of 6 who of course keep me really busy!

When I do get some spare time (and the wife lets me) I love to play golf. I support Manchester United and Monday mornings can sometimes be very interesting with my boss supporting Manchester City!

I have always been a Van Driver as I couldn’t be stuck in an office all day but I do enjoy the banter with Dave and Stuart in the mornings when picking and packing for the customers. I have worked for Sarratt Office Supplies for over 6 years and pride myself in knowing all our customers well making sure their goods are placed exactly where they want them. Stuart and I swap routes each week which means we cover all our customer base over a 2 week period