Waste management may still be a male dominated industry, but Peggy, Anna and Dawn are proof that there’s no such thing as jobs for the boys at Yorwaste.
The trio all work as drivers at our waste transfer station in Thirsk.
Dawn Boldison-France’s vehicle of choice is a curtainsider, Peggy Frankland favours an articulated lorry and Anna Guziak is at home in a skip lorry.
All three, though, do an amazing job ensuring waste and recycling is picked up from our customers on time and taken for disposal.
Dawn, 47, is the ‘newbie’ of the three, having recently passed her HGV Class 2 driving exam. Previously she worked for us as a waste collection operative on one of our commercial rounds.
She says: “I was known as the Queen of the Bins, which always made me laugh.
“It was a great job but I drove for the RSPCA for ten years before I joined Yorwaste and so I always wanted to get behind the wheel again.”
When she is not picking up waste, Dawn enjoys spending time with her partner and her two children.
Despite being the youngest of our three female drivers, 25-year-old Peggy is the most experienced, having been driving for us for over two years.
She jokes it was only supposed to be a job during her gap year, but as that was two and a half years ago, we think we may have persuaded her that we are the company for her.
Peggy says: “I do enjoy it. When you are on the road you feel like you are in your own bubble and your own boss.
“Yorwaste is a good company to work for and everyone is accepted.”
In her spare time, Peggy enjoys horse riding.
She adds: “I used to drive horse boxes around the country for eventing competitions, but I prefer carrying waste around now.
“My ambition is to go into heavy haulage and drive vehicles that are so big, they need a personal escort. That would be amazing.”
For Anna, lorry driving is definitely in her blood.
The 32-year-old mum is originally from Poland where her dad is a lorry driver.
She says: “When I was young I always preferred playing with boy’s toys and when I was ten I had my heart set on becoming a mechanic.
“That didn’t happen, but I did follow in my dad’s footsteps, which is probably what I was always destined to do.”
In her spare time, Anna enjoys watching football (she is a Newcastle United supporter) and speedway and is a keen runner.
