Chris Wyeth – Driver, Microsearch Laboratories, Mytholmroyd

“I work as a driver for Microsearch Laboratories who provide a food testing laboratory service to people like Tesco, Marks and Spencer and other supermarkets and I’m one of 30 drivers travelling around picking up the samples from the clients. That takes me on certain days down to Leicester, other days to Shrewsbury and on Friday my favourite run is over to Anglesey and that is a really lovely run. There are 30 of us drivers doing that. The samples come back to the laboratories for whatever testing needs to be done, nutritional or allergens or whatever.
During the pandemic it’s changed in that some of the customers have dropped off but obviously being a food industry everyone needs food so the testing still needs to happen. Luckily we’ve kept enough customers on to keep enough drivers although some staff have been furloughed – I think just 5 drivers have been furloughed - but we looking to be ready when all it picks up again.
There is not a lot different to how we work. We’ve been given PPE – hand sanitiser, gloves but we don’t have personal contact so that side has not really changed. Roads have been really quiet, at the start, and its getting busier now as people are going to their normal lives. But its good and I love my job."

6.6.20