A Cwmbran woman has been appointed as director at the town’s Specsavers store.
Rachel Hunter, 42, joins current joint owners Mark Edwards, Rhys Williams and Gareth Ward as a director at the store, which is based in Cwmbran Shopping Centre.
Ms Hunter joined the store 17 years ago as a part-time optical assistant. Since then, she worked her way up to manager, and qualified as a dispensing optician in 2014, and again as a contact lens optician four years later.
More recently, she decided to enrol on Specsavers’ ‘Pathway’ programme, which prepares experienced optometrists, optical dispensers and retail managers for practice ownership.
She says:
‘It’s an honour to take on this new role at a store that I’ve spent the majority of my career at.
‘When I joined in a part-time role 17 years ago, I never would have dreamed I’d one day become a joint owner of the store. But the team helped me settle in and there was a clear culture of supporting one another – a culture that is just as strong today.
‘I’m looking forward to working alongside the team to ensure we continue to provide the very best service for our customers, old and new.’
The appointment follows on from the store, which employs 42 people, celebrating its 30th anniversary at the end of 2021.
Mark Edwards, retail director, adds:
‘As we recently reflected on 30 years of providing affordable eye care for Cwmbran residents, it was a perfect time to look ahead to the future and who can drive the store forward in a post-COVID world.
‘Rachel is the perfect person to do just that. A familiar face for many of our longstanding customers, she epitomises our customer-focused ethos and will no doubt be a great addition to our leadership team.’
To request an appointment or browse the online store, visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/cwmbran.
