Amazon delivers trip of a lifetime for Charlie

Employee’s inspiring journey takes him Stateside

- MICHAEL PRINGLE

An Amazon employee from Motherwell who was told this year he might never walk again was part of a group of workers who enjoyed a trip to Seattle after answering one simple question.

Charlie Russell, 60, who works as a data specialist at the Amazon delivery station in his hometown, was one of over 2,000 employees who responded to the question for the company’s I Found the Right Place programme.

They were asked, “What makes Amazon the right place for you?” and Charlie's answer resulted in him being one of 18 people who flew to the United States on the trip of a lifetime.

The group enjoyed an action-packed week in Seattle, where they toured Amazon’s global headquarters and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the city's Pike Place Market, the world-famous Space Needle, the Museum of Pop Culture, and more.

Charlie said: “I joined Amazon at 52, and with every new opportunity, from yard-marshall to data specialist, I've grown, learned and thrived far beyond what I thought possible. At 60, I'm proud to support national teams and prove that it’s never too late to grow, succeed, and feel truly valued.”

Prior to life at Amazon, Charlie had spent two years in the British Army in the Royal Corps of Transport before his employer offered to pay him through university, where he studied psychology and business studies.