Estates Staff Newsletter

Summer 2015

Contents

Graduation Week:

The Role of Estates 1-2

Interview with Gail Ruddle:

Project Manager-Interiors

Interview with Sharon Bassett:

Portering Supervisor

The Role of Horticultural Services

The Project to Re-Glaze the

Engineering Building 3

A Day in the Life of a

Quantity Surveyor 4

An Exciting New Facility

in Engineering 4

Estates Staff News 5-7

Security a Professionally Trained

Team

Estates Staff “Compete” on

Sydney Assault Course

Work Placement Scheme:

An Opportunity for Andrew Sibanda

Awards and Achievements

Fond Farewells

Bereavements

New Members of Staff

Brookfield Staff Raise £126 for

Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital

Competition - 8

British Football Quiz

An Opportunity to Give Back

and Help Others with

Leicestershire Care 8

Interview with Sharon Bassett: Portering SupervisorThis is the first time I have been given the role of organising the portering teams for graduation and it went really well, it was a privilege to be part of it. It is great example of team working with estates staff from portering and cleaning, fleet, horticulture, maintenance and security working together.

Six weeks before the ceremonies I prepare an “Event Administration Instruction” this is a detailed 6 page document listing exactly what my teams have to do and when they have to do it. The Monday of degree week is the all-important set up day when we make sure that everything is delivered to De Montfort Hall (DMH) and that all public areas in the hall are cleaned and tidied. Our estates maintenance team (Mark Fairbrother, Robin Holder and Chris Dunsmore) set up the stage, lecterns, backdrop and carpets and tell us when everything is ready. The porters will then steam clean and press the stage pelmet and the back drop, vacuum the carpet and put out the chairs. One of our team goes to the Botanic Garden to collect both the plants and the gardener, who comes to DMH to show us how the plants should be arranged. We work with Gail Ruddle to set up the VIP area and put up the directional signage.

Graduation Week: The Role of Estates

On each ceremony day we collect the official University robes, hats, wands and the University Mace from the strong room in the Fielding Johnson Building returning them each evening. We also re-clean the carpets, polish the brass rails, liaise with DMH staff to manage front of house and work with the Security teams to manage the VIP parking. We make sure that there is fresh water in the VIP suite and even help with the robing, a new job this year for Megan McMullen. Several of our porters are trained to carry the University Mace and this year we ‘blooded’ a new mace carrier, Tony White who watched one ceremony before having the honour of carrying the mace himself. This year one of our porters Andy Hardy who had taken an advanced driving course worked as a driver for the first time, helping the University chauffeur, Malcolm Cowan, to help collect the honorary graduands and their guests.

Graduation is the University’s official celebration of the achievement of the success of the University students. It is also a very busy, but exhilarating and rewarding time for those Estates staff who work as a team to make sure that the graduation ceremonies run as smoothly as possible.

Continued overleaf

Sharon Bassett Setting up de Montfort Hall

2 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER

Continued from overleaf

Interview with Gail Ruddle: Project Manager-InteriorsI have been managing the operational side of graduation ceremonies for several years, working closely with Kathy Williams who is responsible for the overall management of the event. Kathy’s experience, organisational skills and calmness under pressure make my job much easier. My role is to make sure that everything is in place and everyone is ready to start on time.

A month before graduation I meet with the DMH staff to agree stewarding, seating plans, lighting and sound. We also discuss the honorary graduands and any special security arrangements.

This year I took over the extra duties of ordering and checking the official University robes, hats and bonnets worn by the Chancellor, President and Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice Chancellors and distinguished Honorary Fellows. For each day of the ceremonies I make sure that all

the robes have been brought back to the hall and that they are in order. Members of the Estates Administration Team, Tara Tate and Heena Prajapati assisted with the robes and robing as did Megan McMullen from our portering team.

The ceremonies are scheduled to start at 11:00am and 3:00pm and the musicians conducted by Kieron O’Riordan play introductory music for the waiting graduands and their guests, timed to finish for the official start time. I need to make sure that all the graduands are seated and that the University Officials are robed and ready before I signal to Kieran to start the music for the processions.

Graduation week is a high pressure adrenalin rush from start to finish, there is so much to look for and check. It is also one of the most rewarding and thrilling parts of my job and I still get goose bumps every time each ceremony starts.

The Role of Horticultural Services Horticultural Services team have been busy getting the campus looking attractive and welcoming for the graduation ceremonies.

As part of the works we have also been undertaking some planting works between the boundary of Attenborough Tower and Victoria Park, especially as it is where graduates and their parents make their way to DMH.

We also grow and arrange all the plants which help to make DMH look so splendid for graduation week.

Contributed by Jamie Whitehouse (Gardens Manager)

Before

After

Tony White with the Mace

Pete Bale from our Development Team is currently managing a new £19.5million project to replace the roof and glazed facades of its world-famous Engineering Building to secure its use well into the 21st century. Designed by architects Stirling and Gowan, the Grade II* listed building is recognised nationally as one of the most important and iconic buildings of the 20th century and considered an architectural icon. The building, constructed in the 1960s, has a unique glass roof and vertical glazed panels system which has now reached the end of its useful life.

The building is protected by its statutory listing so Pete and other members of the Estates Team have been working closely with representatives from Leicester City Council, English Heritage, the Twentieth Century Society and other stakeholders to make sure that this building which is famous across the world is still here for future generations to enjoy.

Such is the building’s historic and iconic status that the University has developed a Project Charter with its management contractor Lendlease and the other trade packages and the key stakeholders. All parties are being asked to sign a pledge

showing their commitment to working in partnership on this significant development and to maintaining the historic building’s status as a national icon.

The work will involve replacing each of the 2,500 glass panels of the unique 45-degree, patent-glazed, diamond-shaped roof, designed to provide north light to the Engineering research laboratories and workshops.

This complex project requires unique solutions to overcome the challenges of enhancing an historic building with demanding technical requirements.

The Project to Re-Glaze the Engineering Building

This article is an adaptation of a University Press Release written by Peter Thorley in

the Press Office.

The glazing system for the roof is a bespoke installation where no current industry standards can be applied. A fabric envelope around the building will be mounted on a bespoke scaffold to protect against the weather and to ensure work can continue throughout the year. It will also allow the building to remain occupied at all times during construction.

Our Director Trevor Humphreys gave a statement to the University Press Office saying that “The University takes very seriously its responsibility to care for this world famous and truly iconic building. This highly complex, sensitive and logistically challenging project has been meticulously planned over several years. We have engaged a highly competent consulting team and our partnership with Lendlease to replace the roof will ensure this building is available for our Engineering students to study and learn in, as well as preserving the building for future generations.”

Pete Bale was also asked for a quote and said “This is a ‘once in a lifetime’ project with multiple stakeholders both within the University, the City of Leicester and nationally all of whom have aspirations that rightly need to be satisfied. It is very exciting that we are travelling the road that Stirling & Gowan trod all those years ago, in that we are producing the solution to an inspirational concept design, to modern performance and health & safety requirements, that has never been done before. I am confident that the replacement roof will be the best solution available, true to and as inspirational as the original.”

The engineering roof - you can just see the scaffolding

The engineering workshop with netting installed. It’s strong enough to hold a car.

Pete Bale (left) and Professor Helen Atkinson (Head of Engineering Department) with representatives from

Lendlease and members of the Getty Foundations during a recent visit.

ESTATES STAFF NEWSLETTER ·SUMMER 2015 3

“You’ll never stretch that to five hundred words” was one of the more charitable comments when I asked my colleagues for their description of a quantity surveyor’s role. Once the laughter and mild derision had passed comments such as “boring”, “brick counter”, “anorak” and “mundane” were offered, but the more articulate and perceptive among them suggested “diligent” and “an essential, integral part of the team”. While it is true that a quantity surveyor may lack some of the charisma or flamboyance often associated with an architect, the role is perhaps less well understood by those who do not work in the construction sector.

Unlike an architect, a quantity surveyor’s role doesn’t simply involve keeping the switchgear dry! In broad terms a quantity surveyor is responsible for costs and contracts on construction projects. It is to the quantity surveyor that clients turn to establish whether a proposed design is affordable. Through an iterative process designs are progressively refined until the size and form of the building are considered to fulfil the client’s brief and be affordable. Once the client decides to proceed with

Our professional teams enjoy many different challenges including that of working with technical and research staff in academic departments to support research

Contributed by Nick Emmett

A Day in the Life of a Quantity Surveyorconstruction the quantity surveyor will advise on the most suitable procurement route and form of contract, prepare tender documents with the design team’s help and will normally invite competitive tenders from suitable building contractors. Upon receipt of these tenders the quantity surveyor will evaluate each one and prepare a report and a recommendation for the client’s consideration. The next stage is to collate contract documents and with work underway the quantity surveyor will value the amount of work completed at regular intervals and report on the construction costs. On completion of the work the quantity surveyor will agree the value of the final account with the building contractor and ensure all warranties are in place.

My role as the university’s quantity surveyor includes the tasks listed above on a variety of projects large and small, simple and unusual. In addition, I’m also responsible for collating cashflow forecasts for my colleagues’ projects and analysing trends, and I’m currently helping a colleague in the Procurement team set up a framework for architects, surveyors and engineers who want to work on the university’s projects.

My move to Leicester last summer has been a good one. I’m fortunate to work with a number of talented and professional people, the demands placed on me are demanding but achievable, and the commitment to training and development is commendable. All I have to do now is find a house I like in the right area for the right price!!

Nick Emmett (Quantity Surveyor)

An Exciting New Facility for Engineeringprojects. A recent example was the work to support an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and University of Leicester joint funded project, principle investigator Professor Hongbiao Dong, Professor of Materials Engineering, by installing a casting facility in the Department of Engineering. The facility was designed and built to cast industrial scale high temperature single-crystal turbine blades and has the potential to melt and cast ultra-high temperature materials. Our teams were asked to work to very tight EPSRC funding deadlines to install the furnace which was built in China and flown in with three specialist Chinese Engineers (Wenshan Li, Baoyu Liang and Dianhua Deng) who helped with the installation. The project managed by Matt Flint from our Development Team was completed inside two weeks. The works involved knocking down and rebuilding a wall in order to get the equipment inside the workshop and installing a 200Amp sub-main feed from the Engineering

Electrical sub-Station. The fitting of what was, according to the specification, a 5 meter high furnace into the available space required some ‘thinking out of the box’ creative engineering. The picture shows Chris Souter our Electrical Asset Maintenance Manager, Wenshan Li, Baoyu Liang and Marcus Wareham from our Electrical Contractor F B Ross. The teams managed to overcome the language barrier using the interpretation skills of Engineering Research Student Xingzhong Liang , a few rough sketches and some “Give us a Clue” style mimes and hand signals.

The furnace will be used for important research into super alloy development, processing a new family of materials that have a high melting point, low density, and good oxidation resistance at temperatures above 1300 °C. The alloys will be used in the developing performance improvements, including reduced carbon use, of aircraft engines and land-based gas turbines.

The Team next to the Installed Completed Furnace

Contributed by Chris Souter

4 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER

A homage to the city of Sydney

Contributed by Michelle Munday

Andrew Sibanda (left) with his mentor Sonny Gonsalves

ESTATES STAFF NEWSLETTER ·SUMMER 2015 5

Security a Professionally Trained TeamThe security department have been carrying out a large amount of training in order to equip themselves with all of the skills required in order to carry out their roles effectively. A training matrix was created for 2014-2016 for all staff in the security department to include Patrol staff, Control Room Operators and Team Leaders.

All of the Security Team Leaders have been successful in gaining the Institute of Leadership (ILM) level two award, they have also attended all of the available Human Resources workshops. Well done to Holly Sargent, Mick Phillips, Fran Beever, Shane Shuttlewood and Alan Bettoney.

All our security staff have been trained to the best available security standard through Security Industry Authority (SIA licensing) and all have obtained a door supervisor SIA licence. All our Team Leaders & Control Room Operators have also obtained a CCTV SIA license.

Other training that has been undertaken also includes IOSH Health & Safety training for Team Leaders, Computer courses for all staff including Microsoft Word, Excel & Outlook & First Aid training for all staff.

It has been a busy time for training and we congratulate the team on all their hard work put into achieving these qualifications.

Estates Staff “Compete” on Sydney Assault CourseEarly this May the Students Union provided a number of fun and ‘calming’ things for students to take part in as part of their ‘exam de-stress’ week. A few intrepid members of the Estates Team had a go on the giant inflatable assault course built in homage to the Australian City of Sydney which occupied the lawn in front of the Fielding Johnson Building. Of the 3000 odd competitors, Matt Boylan from Estates Reactive Maintenance held the record fastest time for much of the week, easily beating members of the Leicester Tigers Rugby Team. The other three staff pictured, Karen Bignold, Sarah Roberts and Tara Tate also managed to complete the course.

Karen Bignold, Sarah Roberts, Tara TateMatt Boylan

Contributed by Laurence Perkins (Security Operations Manager)

In Estates we offer a work placement scheme to members of staff who would like to develop their skills in other areas, the scheme is run by our Training Officer Michelle Munday. Recently Martin Earp, our Electrical Assistant Maintenance Manager offered a 3 month voluntary work placement opportunity within his electrical team to Andrew Sibanda who works as a part time cleaner in the Charles Wilson building. Andrew’s work placement started on Wednesday 12 August and will be monitored and reviewed by Martin and Michelle. It will not affect his current role in PACS which he will continue to do.

Andrew is shadow (in his own time and on a voluntary basis) 10:30am-4:30pm with electrician Sonny Gonsalves under the management of Martin to gain some valuable work experience. Andrew self-

Work Placement Scheme: An Opportunity for Andrew Sibanda

funded an electrical course in the past but has not managed to gain any work experience to date.

This is a great opportunity for Andrew and he is very grateful to both Sonny and

Martin for supporting his development request. Michelle would like to thank both Sonny and Martin for working with her to achieve this outcome for Andrew.

Estates Staff News

Rose Maunder and Friend

6 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER

Les Renahan and Derek Smith This May saw the retirement of two long serving members of our Reactive Maintenance Team. Les Renahan, our early morning shift fitter and Derek Smith from the mechanical team, who was based in the Robert Kilpatrick Clinical Sciences Building at Leicester Royal Infirmary. We wish them long and happy retirements.

Fond Farewells

BereavementsThe Estates Division were saddened to hear of the deaths of several of our former colleagues. We offer our condolences to their families and to those of their colleagues who remember them with fondness.

Dean BuswellDean worked as a porter for our PACS Team from 1993 until 2007 in a number of buildings including the Fielding Johnson Building and the Maurice Shock Building.

Jim KellyJim worked as a fitter and plumber with our Reactive Maintenance Team.

Mario LiszczykMario joined us in 1994 and worked as Part-time Cleaner in a number of buildings including the Adrian Building, Charles Wilson Building and David Wilson Library.

John MorrisJohn worked in our Security Team for 12 years from the 1960s onwards.

Awards and Achievements

Congratulations to Rose MaunderCongratulations to Rose Maunder on graduating in July with a BA History of Art. Rose works with us part time as a member of the Charles Wilson cleaning team and is shown pictured with one of her colleagues.

SALIX Recognition of Achievement 2014:15 for the University of LeicesterIn early 2009 the University was awarded a £1million Revolving Green Fund managed by SALIX Finance Limited an independent social enterprise and not for profit company. This money is earmarked to spend on energy efficiency projects in existing buildings, and as long as we can demonstrate efficiency savings we can continue to reinvest the money. For the third year in a row the University has been recognised by SALIX as “continuing to perform excellently in implementing energy and carbon savings projects” and they wrote to acknowledge our “great performance” in achieving 108% of fund delivery in new projects for 2014/2015. Many congratulations to Chrispal Anand our Energy Manager who is responsible for managing the fund.

Residential and Creative Services Partnership Award for Our Development TeamOn Thursday 26 June 2015 the Estates Team were delighted to be recognised by Residential and Commercial Services (RACS) 2015 Excellence Awards as their Partner of the Year. The award is recognition of the work that the Estates Development Team had done in partnership with RACS to help made a significant contribution towards them achieving their mission. The picture shows Mike Queally and John Mason (holding the award) from our Development Team with Frances Stone (the former Director of RACS) centre.

Security Team C nominated for The Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO) Security Team of the Year AwardThis nomination was due to Team C demonstrating that they had performed their role in an outstanding and exemplary manner over the course of the last year. The picture shows Team C being presented with a certificate by Laurence Perkins on behalf of AUCSO. Pictured Left to right are Ian Yates-Laughton, Simon Audley, Laurence Perkins, Fran Beever (Team Leader), Dave Frith. Paul Wright and Will Lip were unavailable for the picture but played an integral part in receiving the certification for Team C.

Contributed by Laurence Perkins (Security Operations Manager)

Les Renahan celebrates his retirement with his wife at the Universiyt event in the Charles Wilson Building

ESTATES STAFF NEWSLETTER ·SUMMER 2015 7

Mike Haynes-Coote, Director of Safety ServicesMike’s experience in health and safety comprises over 20 years, from a HM Inspector of Factories with the Health and Safety Executive, to an Environment, Health and Safety Manager in a company manufacturing and installing education equipment and as a Safety Advisor in the Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing team at De Montfort University, the last 5 years as Head. Mike has been a chartered member of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health [IOSH] for 22 years and acted as a university representative at the Universities Safety and Health Association

[USHA] and the Higher Education Business Continuity Network [HEBCon].

One of many highlights of Mike’s life was during the summer of 2012 when he was a ‘Games-maker’, working in the Risk Control team and based at the Olympic Park, Stratford.

As Director of Safety Services Mike is responsible for the development of the University’s strategic approach to health and safety and the promotion of best practice in health and safety across the institution. Mike is an advocate of sensible risk management and very much looks forward to leading the Safety Services team and working with colleagues across the institution.

Brookfield Staff Raise £126 for Leicestershire Wildlife HospitalOn Thursday 4 June 2015 Brookfield hosted a joint university and student union Sustainability Festival to reward environmental volunteers for their hard work throughout the year. To show their support for this event, staff did their bit brilliantly by donating money via a raffle for the chosen charity – the Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital. Winners Amy Walker and Alison Bluff took home a hamper full of goodies from Green and Pleasant (funded by the Environment Team), whilst the team at the Hospital were thrilled to receive a cheque for £126 to help with caring for their injured animal patients. They send out an invitation for staff and students to visit or contact them any time should they need assistant or would just like to know more about the centre.

New Members of Staff

Barrie Ellis, Estates Heath, Safety and Compliance OfficerBarrie is a fully qualified health and safety professional who has worked in the Health, Safety and Compliance Industry for 15 years, he joins us from the University of Bradford where he worked for 7 years. Barrie will be responsible for supervising the safe management of all estates works including those works conducted by external contractors.

Barrie moved to Leicester to be nearer his wife’s family, he has a daughter who is just under a year old. Barrie’s hobbies include snow-boarding and Taekwondo which he has studied for more than 25 years.

Chloe Moore, Administration ApprenticeChloe is 19 and lives in Birstall. She started at the university on 18th May this year doing an apprenticeship - NVQ level 2 business administration with Leicester College. She enjoys cooking, fashion, shopping and going out with her friends. She previously worked at Rothley Time & Plaice restaurant for over 6 years, and still does a Saturday lunch time shift there.

Sean Moran, Assistant StoremanSean used to run the trade counter at Screwfix Market Harborough branch, this is where he acquired his understanding of a vast array of materials and products and his approach to customer care. Sean moved to Clarendon Park 18 months ago, where he currently lives with his girlfriend.

Sean enjoys music especially reggae and soul and has even worked as a DJ. He frequently goes to live gigs and likes general socialising.

Contributed by Sarah Roberts

Sarah Roberts presenting the cheque to members of the Leicester Wildlife Hospital

© University of Leicester

For more information

Karen Bignold Estates and Facilities Management Division, University RoadUniversity of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK @uniofleicester /uniofleicester

8 UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER

9117_09/15

t: +44 (0) 116 229 7904e: kab14@le.ac.ukw: www.le.ac.uk/estates

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Phil Rimmer and all the others who supplied the photographs.

An Opportunity to Give Back and Help Others with Leicestershire CareThis is a shortened version of a three page flier with further details of the work of Leicestershire Cares, please contact Karen Bignold in the Estates Office at Brookfield for a copy of the full flier.

When most people are asked if they would like to give back to the community, or help those in need, many people would say yes, but that they wouldn’t know where to start. The sad truth is that there are many people, just within Leicestershire itself, that need help in being given a second chance to turn their lives around. These people cannot do it on their own though, they need the help of caring people just like you in order to get that second chance, and now we at the University of Leicester are able to offer you the opportunity to do just that.

In a brilliant partnership with Leicestershire Cares we at the University of Leicester are able to help bring together our excellent establishment and those in real need in a

scheme that has been proven to change lives. Working together in partnerships with dozens of companies, including national corporations like Next and British Gas as well as local groups such as Leicester City Council, Leicestershire Cares gives the opportunity for those in employment to work alongside some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and give them the chance to get back into work.

Leicestershire Cares offers support to those within education, ex-offenders, the homeless and care leavers. By volunteering just a small fraction of your time you would be able to assist individuals in these situations and give them a chance at finding their feet within the world of work.

By giving up just a small piece of your time you can not only help others but can gain valuable experience in communication and problem solving skills working alongside people whose skills may be lacking in these areas can easily help you to develop

and hone the skills you already have. Not only that, but helping the people in the Leicestershire Cares programme can boost your confidence massively.

Competition

Because some of you might be tempted to look these up on the internet, we won’t be awarding a prize for this but I hope you can have a bit of fun in the office.

1. To which club did Manchester United loan David Beckham in the 1994/5 season?

2. What age was Jack Charlton when he won his first cap for England?

3. From which club did Leicester buy Robbie Savage?

4. How many caps did Peter Beardsley win for England?

5. From which club did Liverpool buy David James?

6. Which club did Jimmy Greaves join on leaving Spurs in 1970?

7. Who was Manchester City’s top league scorer in 1997/98?

8. Who was Tottenham Hotspur manager from 1987-91?

9. What is the name of Sunderland’s stadium?

10. From which club did Stuart Pearce join Nottingham Forest in 1985?

11. Against which team did Geoff Hurst make his international debut?

12. At which London club did Kevin Campbell begin his career?

13. In which year was Gary Lineker awarded the O.B.E.?

14. On which island was John Barnes born?

15. Which Yorkshire club is nicknamed ‘The Owls’?

British Football Quiz Contributed by Debbie Swatland

Name:

Department:

I am interested in the following project/projects:

Education Work Placements

Signed:

Date:

If you would like to express interest in joining this amazing scheme please fill in the below details and return to Lorraine Saddington, Head of Operations, Estates and Facilities Management Division.

Contributed by Lorraine Saddington (Head of Operations)