POPULAR receptionist Robina Burton – the smiling face of the SNJ – is celebrating 25 years of service in local newspapers.

Growing up in Dursley, Robina first joined the SNJ’s sister title the Gloucestershire Gazette as a fresh-faced 17-year-old after spotting a job advert in the newspaper.

Working as an invoice typist, she had to send invoices for adverts which appeared in the newspaper.

“Nobody had access to the internet when I started,” said Robina, who attended Rednock School.

“We had computers to link up with production but typing letters was done on an electric typewriter.”

After a couple of years, Robina, 59, moved to Nettleton, Wiltshire, where she found work as a secretary at the Bass Brewery.

“We were given beer as a perk,” she joked.

But after a couple of years, Robina made her return, this time joining the Gazette and the SNJ in 1991, splitting her time between Dursley and Stroud.

She soon moved on to her favourite job at the two papers, as a receptionist.

“I love being a receptionist, it is the best job in the company,” said Robina.

“I like meeting people, talking to them and pointing them in the right direction.

“We get a lot of quirky customers around here.

“It is also nice when you see a story come in and then get to see it in the paper.

“I also enjoy phoning people to let them know they have won our competitions.”

Always with her eyes open for a story, Robina has spotted several scoops out of the front office window, including seeing Brian May giving a talk and filming for The One Show in Lansdown, Stroud.

She has also picked up the phone to several celebrities including bestselling author Jilly Cooper.

The first face to meet readers, she has a knack of spotting the stories that make it into print.

“We had a man come in with some giant onions recently,” said Robina.

“After we had done the story he came back and brought us some delicious tomatoes to share.

“It is things like that which make the job worth it.”

There have been many changes since she first started but Robina says she cannot imagine doing anything else and loves working with her colleagues at the SNJ and the Gazette.