Madeline celebrates 50 years and banks on many more to come

Madeline McAlpine, started work at NatWest Corby - when it was Westminster Bank - in 1961 the year that the Beatles played their first gig at the Cavern Club and the Berlin Wall was built. In the last 50 years, Madeline - who lives in Corby - has worked for the bank throughout Northamptonshire, has taken leave to have three children, and returned to work in Corby.

To mark Madeline's half century with NatWest in style, Branch Manager Ken Nicoll and Local CEO Dipesh Mistry bought her a bunch of flowers to say thank you.

Dipesh Mistry, Local CEO for NatWest in Northamptonshire, said: "Madeline really is an asset to NatWest Corby and we can't believe she has clocked up 50 years with us. I think it is really important to celebrate the long service of members of my team, as they are the key to the outstanding service NatWest delivers to its customers. The loyalty and hard work of people like Madeline really does make a difference to customers and helps us deliver helpful banking to heart of the local community. "

Madeline McAlpine said: "It was really a surprise when Ken and Dipesh presented me with the flowers to mark my 50th year at NatWest. Over the last 50 years I have seen how important the bank is to the local community and I am so pleased to have played a part in delivering the service our customers want, need and deserve. It was great to think about the past 50 years today, but also to look towards the future."

In addition to Madeline joining NatWest, the following events also happened in 1961:

• The Beatles perform for the first time at the Cavern Club
• The Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba begins and fails
• Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space
• Diana Princess of Wales is born
• U.S. President John F Kennedy gives a widely watched TV speech on the Berlin crisis, warning "we will not be driven out of Berlin."
• Construction of the Berlin Wall begins
• The film West Side Story is released
• "Barbie" gets a boyfriend when the "Ken" doll is introduced
• The book Catch 22 by Joseph Heller is published
• The Vietnam War officially begins