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In an era where long-term careers are increasingly rare, Windermere Lake Cruises is proudly celebrating a remarkable milestone as four dedicated team members mark significant service anniversaries, together contributing over 130 years of experience to the company.
These long-serving individuals represent the heart of the organisation, demonstrating commitment, adaptability, and a deep connection to both the business and the thousands of passengers who cruise each year with one of the UK’s most popular paid for attractions.
John Woodburn’s career spans an extraordinary five decades, beginning in 1976 when he joined as a pier person at Lakeside. At this point the business was operated by Sealink, British Railways. It wasn’t until the mid 1990s that the company became officially known as Windermere Lake Cruises.
After early seasonal work combined with a career as a vehicle technician, John transitioned through a variety of roles from crew member and barman to engineer, mate, and eventually ship’s master.
His technical expertise and leadership saw him progress into senior management roles, becoming operations manager and later operations director in 2013, a role he is currently responsible for.
Karen Taylor began her journey in 1993 in a seasonal ticket office role at Lakeside. What started as temporary work soon became a lifelong career following her transition to a permanent position in 1996.
Over the years, Karen has played a vital role in customer engagement, handling bookings for individuals, groups, and private charters across multiple channels. Her career has spanned significant life milestones, from raising a young family to now becoming a grandmother.
Russ Tuck joined as a seasonal employee in 1994, balancing work with international travel before progressing to a full-time maritime career. After gaining his skipper’s licence, Russ has gone on to captain every passenger vessel in the fleet.
Known for his enthusiasm and connection with passengers from around the world, Russ values the unique opportunity to share his workplace with family, who have frequently sailed on board one of the vessels. Russ’s daughter, Avalon, even has a self-drive boat named in her honour – a tradition that sees all of Windermere Lake Cruises self-drive boats named after staff or their family members.
Louise Hudson’s story began at just 13 years old, working weekends and school holidays selling ice creams and gifts at Lakeside. Inspired by her father, a long-serving skipper, Louise developed a strong work ethic early on.
She continued working through school and college before moving into a full-time role. Over the years, she has worked across multiple locations and roles, including Bowness and the ticket office, where she remains a key member of the team today.
These milestones highlight more than just years of service, they reflect a workplace culture that values loyalty, growth, and community. Windermere Lake Cruises continues to thrive thanks to the dedication of its people, whose collective experience helps create memorable experiences for visitors from around the globe. Across the team Windermere Lake Cruises has many staff with decades of service, many of which have climbed the ranks from seasonal roles through to management.
Each year the company recruits new seasonal employees, providing a strong benefit to the local community and economy.
For more information about Windermere Lake Cruises and job opportunities visit https://www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk/about-us/working-for-us
