Former Wren joins Persimmon Homes

A former Royal Navy Wren has become the latest new recruit to jump on board with the region’s leading house builder.

Charlotte Donaldson, who spent four-and-a-half years in the Navy, has been appointed sales negotiator at Persimmon Homes South West and will be based at the builder’s Palmerston Heights development in Plymouth.

It’s a change of direction for Charlotte from Plymouth, who has spent most of her working life as an Air Survival Technician in the Navy.

Based mostly at the Navy’s Air Station in Yeovil, Charlotte instructed pilots and air crew on survival techniques at sea. She also looked after the crew’s protective gear, including immersion suits, flying helmets, oxygen masks, parachutes and emergency breathing equipment, as well as maintaining the aircraft’s survival packs, distress flares, life jackets and life rafts.

Most importantly, Charlotte delivered training on how to use the equipment and how to escape underwater from a ditched helicopter.

It might seem a world away from Charlotte’s new job of helping people secure their dream home – but the ambitious 24-year-old said some of the skills she learnt in the military had already come in useful.

Charlotte said: “I really enjoyed my time in the Navy. I joined at 17 at a time when I wanted to explore and gain life experiences.

“I learnt many transferable skills, such as being able to present myself clearly to other people. That has already helped in my new role with Persimmon, and I’ve also been a sales events manager for a renewable energy firm.

“It got to the stage where I fancied a new challenge. I saw the job advertised and two of my brothers work in the industry and encouraged me to apply.

“There is a lot to learn and I am enjoying every minute.”

Charlotte’s development Palmerston Heights is now open for visitors with an exclusive collection of two bedroom apartments and two, three and four bedroom homes available from £183,000.

Persimmon Homes recently announced plans to employ up to 500 former Armed Forces staff to capitalise on their vast range of transferable skills.

Persimmon Homes, which has developments across the South West including in Newquay, Plymouth, Exeter and Yeovil, is working with Nordic Focus Training, to retrain people from the Army, Royal Navy and RAF in construction roles.
Group CEO, Jeff Fairburn, said Persimmon Homes was on course to bring 500 new people into the business in 2015, with further expansion planned in 2016.

To find out more on this development visit www.persimmonhomes.com