Sandbach teenager goes to her school prom in style - in a Waitrose delivery van!
A teenager arrived at her prom - in her dad's Waitrose delivery van.
Emily Bispham, 16, realised she wanted to do something "different" for her Year 11 bash.
Known as the 'Waitrose girl' at Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College - as both of her parents work for the supermarket chain - she decided a delivery van was the way to go.
Dad Shane, 55, asked for permission and said the company was "fully behind" the idea.
So on June 19th, Emily hopped into the passenger seat and hitched a ride to venue Nunsmere Hall.
She said: "All of my friends told me that they were going in flashed up cars and I felt left out that I wasn't going to be able to do that. I had dream cars, but I knew it wasn't realistic.
"Most of my close friends know me for Waitrose, whenever it is mentioned they turn to me. They joke that my whole life is Waitrose so it kind of felt fitting to be different and have the van.
"When I showed up, I got a lot of faces, people had their mouths wide open. They all looked so confused. Apparently, there was a cheer."
Shane and mum Mel Bispham, 49, both work at the Waitrose branch in Sandbach.
Emily also says that she had wanted to show her pride in her parents for what they do, and that she feels very happy with the decision.
She added: "Obviously a lot of kids who have parents that work in retail are not always the proudest about it. But I love my mum and dad, so why not show it off?
"I am very happy that I did it. It is definitely something I am going to remember. And anyway, limos are overrated.
"People should do it more often. I felt perfect. It was more personal this way."
Mel, who has worked at Waitrose for 28 years, says that the crowd erupted with cheers when the van turned the corner, in what was a very proud moment for the family.
She said: "Emily came up with this idea all on her own. It was like Cinderella going to the ball, but she didn't go in a glass carriage she went in a Waitrose van.
"The cheer she got was huge when she turned the corner. I think she is possibly the first one to arrive at prom in a food delivery truck.
"Emily is very individual, she is not one to follow the crowd. She likes to do things her way. So it was very fitting that she did something different."
Dad Shane says that when he first asked other staff if they were allowed to use the van for prom everyone was thrilled by the concept.
The employee of 26 years said: "When she told me that she wanted to do this I was like 'really?'. All the staff were fully behind it."
Mel added: "Me, her dad, her brother, and her cousin all work at the Sandbach Waitrose branch. It's a very family-orientated branch. We are part of the framework.
"It has had a fantastic response on Facebook. We are just pleased that it made people smile."
Sandbach branch manager, Marc De-Haviland, said: "When Mel and Shane told me Emily's idea I just knew we had to try and make it happen.
"Getting the opportunity to go above and beyond for our Partners is a great feeling, and there's no denying that arriving in a refrigerated van is the coolest way to make an entrance at prom."
by Isobel Williams
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