The Greencroft Estate in Annfield Plain (DH9) is home to Lanchester Wines and Greencroft Bottling, sister businesses within the family-owned The Lanchester Group. Each is a leading business in its sector and together, they form one of the areas largest employers. Consett Magazine has been given exclusive access to meet the people behind the scenes whose expertise and commitment keep these businesses running every day.
If there’s one person guaranteed to welcome you to Greencroft Bottling with energy, enthusiasm and a smile, it’s HR and Training Administrator, Tracey Winn, proudly self-described as the company’s “bouncy puppy”.
Tracey joined Greencroft Bottling in 2023 as Projects Administrator for Greencroft Two, the state-of-the-art wine bottling facility at the company’s Annfield Plain headquarters. “I came in towards the end of the build project and became the go-to person on site,” she explained. “I made it my job to look after the contractors and keep everything running smoothly.”
Before stepping into the world of wine, Tracey spent years working in industrial cleaning, including six years in Hull and a year in Redcar as part of the huge refinery decommissioning project there.
“I was actually involved in helping blow up the last oil refinery in Redcar,” she laughed. “I was very used to decommissioning and blowing things up, so coming here to help build something brand new was a massive change!”
When the project ended and the company she worked for folded after the refinery was razed and the site cleaned, Tracey began looking for her next opportunity, and Greencroft Bottling caught her eye.
“I’d always wanted to get into wine – who wouldn’t? – and I thought this was the ideal place to start.”
Three years later, the enthusiasm hasn’t faded, “I’m still the ‘bouncy puppy’,” she says. “I absolutely love it here. The people are so nice and I’m still just as enthusiastic as the day I started.”
Once Greencroft Two was fully operational, Tracey explored different departments before finding what she calls her “true calling” in HR. Now, her role centres around employee training and development across the wider business.
“On a day-to-day basis, I make sure all training records are up to date for everybody working at Greencroft Bottling,” she explained. “I also support training across the Lanchester Group companies, including Full Circle, Bon Bons and Spicers of Hythe.”
The training ranges from mandatory online learning, including food safety and manual handling, through to staff inductions – something Tracey particularly enjoys.
“I’m often one of the first people new starters meet, which is where the ‘bouncy puppy’ really comes in handy,” she laughed. “I love being able to offload all my enthusiasm onto people.”
Her work also plays an important role behind the scenes, helping the business maintain high standards during internal and external audits such as BRC and SEDEX.
“It’s important for the business, but it’s also important for the development and safety of our colleagues and teams.”
Tracey moved Durham around 30 years ago. “After years of commuting to Teesside, this commute is bliss,” she said.
And how would Tracey describe Greencroft Bottling in five words?
“Friendly, welcoming, supportive, positive… family. Even though there are 350 to 400 people working here, it still feels like a family. Everybody’s so nice.”
If you would like to find out more about Greencroft Bottling and Lanchester Wines, visit our websites: www.greencroftbottling.com and www.lanchesterwines.co.uk
