HOUSING UNITS’ EMPLOYEE OF A LIFETIME

HOUSING UNITS

PRESS RELEASE

July 27, 2011.

HOUSING UNITS’ EMPLOYEE OF A LIFETIME.

Marcus Huntington may have been awarded Employee of the Month for sales support at home furnishings store Housing Units, but for one man he was the employee of a lifetime – literally.

For Marcus is a qualified First Aider at Housing Units, but it was those skills – gained under training with the north Manchester-based store – that helped save the life of a man who collapsed in a shopping centre near his home in Middleton.

“I was out shopping, saw and heard a commotion, saw a little old lady trying to carry out CPR, so just stepped in and, assisted by a security guard, did what I’ve been trained to do,” said Marcus, who is a member of St John’s Ambulance.

“The shopping centre had a defibrillator – which I’m trained to use – and I managed to keep the man going until the paramedics arrived. It was a surreal experience, but it just demonstrates that not only have you only a few minutes to save somebody’s life, but the benefit of First Aid training can make a massive difference.”

Nick Fox, director of Housing Units, said: “While his support for colleagues and customers alike meant he received a lot of nominations from colleagues for the Employee of the Month award, it’s his quiet calm and life-saving skills that make Marcus truly exceptional as a person, not just an employee.”

Marcus has been with Housing Units for seven years. His St John Ambulance duties include everything from tending to injuries amongst the crowd at Premier League football matches, through to being on watch at local events such as fetes and parades.

Marcus was awarded store vouchers as part of his Employee of the Month recognition, but he has passed them on to his wife, Carol, who he considers much better able to make the best of them.

Housing Units – known for its top-hatted doormen - was established in 1947. It is a family-owned furnishings retailer based in Wickentree Lane, Failsworth, Manchester M35 9BA, next to Junction 22 of the M60. It stocks 30,000 high-quality lines across a range of departments in two buildings and a crescent of specialist shops, and prides itself on its unique style of customer service, the value of its goods and the shopping experience it provides.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

0161 929 0446/07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.housingunits.co.uk