Receptionist Dawn Colliver, who has dedicated four decades of her working life to the same Bath law firm, has been honoured by the Mayor.
Since she walked through the doors of Titley Long on North Parade in 1977, Dawn has been something of a permanent fixture at the firm, now known as Thrings and based in Queen Square.
Her dedication to the firm through its various incarnations and locations around the city has earned her a Mayor of Bath Long Service Award, which she received from councillor Ian Gilchrist at a special ceremony.
Dawn remembers her early days at the firm, when much of the work was still hand-written.
“There was about 25 employees, roughly half of whom were support staff like me,” she said. “It’s fair to say the working environment was a bit different from how it is now. There were no computers or faxes – we used typewriters and Dictaphones – and we dealt with wills and deeds which were recorded on hand-written index cards.”
It was not, however, Dawn’s first job after leaving school. “I had two offers from companies in Midsomer Norton: one a printing company, the other a firm of solicitors. I chose the printing company, and it was seven years before I made it to Titley Long. Looking back it’s as if I was destined for a career in the law.”
In 1988 the firm became Thrings and Long, with Dawn joining her colleagues at the new offices on Midland Bridge. Fourteen years later, and now operating simply as Thrings, the firm moved across the city to take up residence in Queen Square.
Many of Dawn’s tasks haven’t changed a great deal over the 41 years, such as answering the phone, dealing with incoming and outgoing post and greeting and looking after clients.
“But advances in technology mean I’m now able to carry out many of my duties much more quickly and much more efficiently,” she added. “For someone like me who runs a tight ship, these progressions have been wonderful.
“The firm is barely recognisable from the one I joined all those years ago. We now have almost 350 commercial and private client lawyers and business support staff working across 16 practice areas in offices in Bath, Bristol, Swindon, London and Hampshire.”
Dawn says the secret of her success is “being able to read and understand people, be patient and a good listener”.
She added: “I’m fortunate enough to have got to know many clients over the course of the past four decades. To me that’s a reflection of how comfortable they are with Thrings and how well looked after they feel.
“We spend half our lives at work, and it’s important to feel wanted and valued. Whatever’s going on your life, there’s always someone in the office willing to talk to you, to listen to you, and, in times of difficulty, to offer you a kind word or give you a hug to make you feel better. The firm is my second family.
“My time at Thrings over the past 40 years has been wonderful. I’ve seen it change so much, but it has never lost any of its magic. And in my view, that is down to the fantastic people who work here.”
Following her audience with the Mayor at the Guildhall, Dawn enjoyed a celebratory lunch with Thrings managing partner Simon Holdsworth, consultant solicitor Jeremy Thring, and friend and former colleague Sylvia Nutt – herself a previous recipient of a Long Service Award.
Simon Holdsworth said: “On behalf of everyone at Thrings, and members of the Bath office in particular, we would like to congratulate Dawn on reaching this wonderful and remarkable milestone.
“She has shown great dedication and unerring professionalism to Thrings, and we couldn’t be more proud of her. Our Bath office simply wouldn’t be the same without Dawn.”
Pictured: Dawn receiving her Mayor of Bath Long Service Award from councillor Ian Gilchrist
