Andy Nicholas, Operations Team Manager
The Operations team is the backbone of the Machinery Auctions department, responsible for the logistics of each machinery sale whether that’s modern machinery, vintage or an on site sale for a client at a location anywhere in the UK or Ireland. No two days are the same and every sale is unique. There’s nothing better than working as a team to put a sale together and achieving a good result for our client. We work hard but we also have a great laugh! We get to work with some of the most amazing kit and marvel at some of the incredible machines that head into our auctions.
Ian Kitson, Director, Property Auctions
I’m the Director in charge of Cheffins Property Auctions and, with four auctions a year and looking to add a fifth to the calendar, I’m certainly kept busy. No two days are the same and my role takes me all over the region with a view to valuing some wonderful and often curious properties. Recently we’ve sold a former County Jail and a Methodist Chapel! I love uncovering the more unusual styles of properties typically in far flung corners of the countryside and to then meet up with prospective buyers and hear their plans for conversion or development. Auction day itself is always adrenalin-fuelled with plenty of last-minute bidding to keep the team on their toes!
Patricia Cross, Fine Art
Head of the Paintings Department for Cheffins, I’m constantly surprised by the quality of artwork that our clients have either hanging on their walls at home. Working at Cheffins often takes me to valuations at some of England’s finest country houses. We often uncover previously unrecorded masterpieces by rare artists which fetch six figure sums at our auctions. A lot of research goes into some of the pictures we sell so you will quite often find me knee-deep in historical documents at the library or in consultation with a revered Art Consultant.
Charles Wadsley, Associate, Machinery On Site
I work with the Cheffins onsite auction team, hosting machinery sales of modern vintage machinery nationally. Clients come to us when they want to sell their machinery because they’re retiring or having a change within their business. This has taken me from Devon to Cumbria, West Wales to Kent and even Northern Ireland, dealing and meeting with the most incredible people who’ve dedicated their lives to farming and have built up the most wonderful collections of modern and vintage tractors.
My job, along with the team, is to consign, value and catalogue machinery prior to then selling it. It’s exciting as you never really know what you will find. From time to time, we will uncover a hidden gem, either tractor, implement or item which we know is going to blow the mind of avid collectors when we sell it at auction. We’re often the ones to find the keys to the proverbial Aladdin’s cave!
Sharon Hamilton, Head of Marketing
As Head of Marketing for Cheffins I can safely say that no two days are ever the same! There’s certainly plenty of variety working across the six divisions of the business. We might be managing a photoshoot with a social media influencer or setting up at one of the national agricultural or machinery events that we attend across the UK. We might be pitching a story to a national newspaper or dealing with a last-minute request from a luxury magazine while keeping a watchful eye on our branding, PR reach and google rankings to ensure we are constantly at the top of our game!