February 2021 Archives - Facilities Directorate

Facilities Directorate Support Services Update, February 2021

FD Bulletin, February 2021. Foreword by Dennis Hopper

mobile phone showing webpage with reopening communications

Facilities Directorate Support Services Update, February 2021

16th February 2021/by Matt Hamnett

Marketing, Sales and Communications

The team remain pivotal to providing marketing, and communications support and innovative solutions to all service areas within the FD. Planning for re-opening communications and related campaigns are progressing at pace to ensure that when facilities can reopen again business areas are ready to welcome back students and staff.

Throughout the pandemic, the team has quickly adapted to developing innovative marketing and communications to support FD services. Maintaining brand awareness and ongoing customer engagement with the University community is vital to ensuring we can maintain a loyal customer base who will return to our business areas once we reopen fully. The team have been continually fine-tuning social media content across all FD channels to reflect this sentiment.

The team are leading the communications for two significant capital investment projects, the Sir William Henry Bragg Building and the Faculty of Biological Sciences refurbishment, both reaching key milestones this month. Work is underway to bring these projects to life and showcase to the University community and future students how these facilities will enable world-leading research opportunities to take place as well as enabling new ways of working, teaching, and learning at the University.

Work is gathering pace to create the new name and brand identity for the GFAL café in the Esther Simpson building. The team will be leading workshops with key stakeholders from the Business School, School of Law and the LUU representatives to generate ideas for the naming of the café.

Following the successful Virtual Open Day last year, the team are once again working in collaboration with wider University colleagues to support the Virtual University Open days. Building on the good work last year, the team are fine-tuning digital assets and content to further enhance the experience for prospective students.

In April, the team will bid a fond farewell to Tilly Hall. Tilly has been at the University since 2011 and in this time has been a valued colleague, delivering excellent marketing and communications support for GFAL, SPA and more recently Sustainability. Sue Pimblett, Senior Marketing, Sales and Communications Manager said, “Tilly has been a brilliant member of the team for 10 years. Her knowledge, skills and her support of the wider team will be very much missed. I wish Tilly all the very best in her new career as a firefighter. The safety of North Yorkshire is in good hands!” Good Luck Tilly!

Print and Copy Bureau

As we entered the third national lockdown PCB (Print and Copy Bureau) re-opened the Goods Inwards Hub for the University. Once again, the team swiftly put the necessary processes in place to ensure delivered items are goods receipted and reach their recipient.

The team also extended its print services to Leeds Beckett University. PCB successfully won the contract last year to partner with Leeds Beckett and provide them with a full print service following the closure of their own internal service. Over the last few months, PCB implemented the necessary procedures and processes to ensure Leeds Beckett receive a high-quality service which meets their required standards. As part of this, they invested in a new online print solution last month and developed a new online service which enables Leeds Beckett staff to order print easily. Congratulations go to the team on achieving this contract and delivering a high standard of professional service.

Health and Safety

Staff are reminded that there is a Health and Safety team presence every day on campus. If there any safety issues you would like to raise or any unusual tasks that you need advice on, please contact the team. Any colleagues who are on campus regularly are eligible to take a lateral flow test twice a week. There is no need to prove evidence of testing to access University facilities.

First aid refreshers are being arranged for staff working on campus whose training is expiring. All first aiders should have received advice on how to keep themselves safe whilst treating people and have the enhanced PPE available to them.

Finance

£255,000 additional one-off funding has been successfully secured to support essential teaching capital equipment required to teach the higher numbers of students at intake in September 2020. The funding was successfully granted by the Office for Students this month. This money will allow the University to purchase equipment that will enable courses to be delivered more effectively through digital education. Areas which will benefit from this funding are Dentistry, the Faculty of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Midwifery and Healthcare. Some of the equipment to be purchased includes a digital simulation of a human skull which dentists can be trained on along with high performance computing power to support teaching capacity or digital enablement to allow broadcast of the simulation.

The FD continues to manage its finances in a sound way in response to Covid as planning begins for the next 5-year business cycle following the launch of the University Strategy which will set a clear future direction. Alongside this work, the Finance Team’s focus remains on supporting colleagues to get through the pandemic challenges, this has included working with colleagues across all services providing the financial frameworks that supports the safe reopening of campus and helping colleagues in the commercial areas with business planning work during and post-Covid.

Project Management Office

Covid-19 has taught us some valuable lessons in the key role that processes play in keeping the Facilities Directorate functioning, no matter what is going on around us. To help teams clarify their processes, the Project Management Office (PMO) have been providing support to review their existing processes, with the aim of working towards implementing a quality management system. Capturing our processes and making them available to all employees has been identified as a critical requirement within the FD, and the Quality Management section of the PMO are going to be focusing particularly on writing and improving processes over the coming months. Starting with Estates and Facilities, work is underway with several teams to map activities, capture processes, and create or refresh the supporting documentation of those processes. By doing this, it will help to clarify processes that are currently unclear and help other stakeholders better understand your team’s ways of working.

The Business Support team are also working on an improvement portfolio across the FD and as part of this work have agreed a range of projects including introducing information management systems, making improvements to building locking and access arrangements for Estates and implementing an inspections system. It is anticipated that there will be an increase in the scale and number of projects delivered in the upcoming year and plans are currently being developed.

The team continue to support the FD by providing performance data reports to key service areas as well as progress reports for capital and revenue projects (mainly capital investments on campus and smaller maintenance and minor works schemes). Recently they supported the work to run asymptomatic test centres at the University providing management reports on the number of bookings and other statistics.

Read February updates from across the Facilities Directorate:

Facilities Directorate Support Services Update, February 2021

FD Bulletin, February 2021. Foreword by Dennis Hopper

Campus Support Services Update, February 2021

16th February 2021/by Matt Hamnett

Cleaning Services

Cleaning Services are continuing to support ongoing activities in the University under the recent restrictions. The focus has been on supporting those students who are on campus through enhanced cleaning in teaching spaces, study spaces and libraries – as well as ensuring Covid compliance cleaning is being maintained in research and staff areas.

The introduction of the Lateral Flow Test Centre on campus has offered new challenges as the service has needed to provide government compliant clinical standard cleaning within the test centres. The team members who have volunteered to work in this challenging environment should be commended for their commitment, hard work and dedication which has enabled the University to deliver this important service.

The Waste and Environmental team within Cleaning Services have been on campus continuously since the beginning of the pandemic. Their role is focused on providing essential waste collections, and they have seen an increased workload collecting clinical waste from the test centres as well as delivering sanitising and cleaning supplies to the whole of the campus. Their hard work and commitment is exemplary! The nature of their role means that what they do often goes unnoticed, however, their work is vital in ensuring the campus continues to function.

Cleaning Services continues to strive to use the most effective cleaning methods, including spray sanitising machines, for additional reassurance of covid compliance across campus.

Everyone in Cleaning Services would also like to wish the best of luck to Ruth Hindmarsh, who has decided to retire from the University at the end of February after almost 40 years of exemplary service. Ruth started work at Bretton College as Housekeeper and later transferred to the University of Leeds as Senior Supervisor in Cleaning Services.

Ruth has taken a lead role in training the team with a great deal of patience, delivering a high standard of focus and consistent training across the service. Ruth has always been a driving force in Cleaning Services, her attention to detail and passion for the delivery of excellent standards mean she leads by example and has a truly committed work ethic. This has gained her a great deal of respect from her team, everyone in the service and in fact all those who know her across the University community.

Jill Roberts, Facilities Manager – Cleaning Services, said, “I would like to thank Ruth for her support, wisdom and guidance which has been very much appreciated over the last two years where change has been a constant in the service. I refer to her as my ‘Oracle’; her wealth of knowledge and experience will leave a huge gap in the Cleaning Services team. I wish Ruth very best wishes for a long, healthy and happy retirement spending time with her family and especially her twin girls.”

The whole of the Cleaning Services team is sad to see Ruth retire, however wish her all the best for the future.

Security Services

Malcolm Dawson has decided to retire from the University in March after 29 years of excellent service. Malcolm has been employed by the University of Leeds in a number of roles in Security since 1991. His service was recognised in the Queens 2015 Birthday Honours when he received the British Empire Medal (BEM) for Services to Higher Education and Students.

Malcolm has previously led the Security Services over varying periods for a total of 9 years, initially as the Acting Head of Security, and for the last four as the Head of Security. Malcolm has always been passionate in his service, particularly with regards to student wellbeing and has been responsible for the service’s successful Customer Service Excellence accreditations and receiving the Secured Environment award in 2020.

Not only active at the University, Malcolm has also played active roles in AUCSO (Association of University Chief Security Officers) and was appointed the IACLEA Regional Director in the USA and was responsible for all member countries across the globe with the exception of Canada and the USA. Malcolm held this international role with distinction for over two years, representing the University of Leeds globally.

During the last 3 years, Malcolm has re-shaped the service bringing in new colleagues, structures and working arrangements and leaves the Security Service in robust health.

Dennis Hopper said “Thank you for your huge contributions to the University for the past 29 years during which you have been a wonderful ambassador for Leeds. I wish you all the very best for retirement.”

Mark Bownass, Deputy Head of Security, who joined the service from West Yorkshire Police in 2019 said, “I would like to thank Malcolm for his support, help and guidance, which has been priceless and allowed me to develop in my role as Deputy Head of Security. I wish him all the best and hope he has a long and happy retirement, enjoying his family time, especially with his grandchildren.”

Jo Hynes, Deputy Director of Estates & Facilities Services, said, “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Malcolm, his knowledge and commitment to the Security Services and the University has been second to none and I would like to thank him personally for the support, knowledge and expertise he has shared with me over the last 4 years. I would like to send our very best wishes for a thoroughly enjoyable retirement.”

Read February updates from across the Facilities Directorate:

Facilities Directorate Support Services Update, February 2021

FD Bulletin, February 2021. Foreword by Dennis Hopper

Estate Services Update, February 2021

16th February 2021/by Matt Hamnett

Capital Development campus projects continue to make timely progress. Construction of the Sir William Henry Bragg Building will complete at the end of February. Over the following six months the building will be fully fitted out with furniture and research equipment with the intention to open to students and staff in the autumn. As part of the same project, the Design Office are also working on additional smaller projects including the Helium Recovery Suite and Integrated Workshops. The Estates Maintenance Team are also involved in building handover support and are currently checking building support activities.

Work continues on the Esther Simpson Building, Faculty of Biological Sciences, and the proposed development of Boddington Playing Fields. Work has also begun on the construction of an accessible ramp at the back of Leeds University Union to Cromer Terrace. A redesign of the top floor at the Charles Thackrah Building has begun along with a scheme of work to upgrade central teaching space in the Roger Steven Building.

Estates Maintenance

During the recent inclement weather, the Grounds and Gardens Team have been keeping campus free of ice and snow, but they will soon be turning their attention to planting schemes which, year-on-year, not only brighten up campus but help boost the spirit of all the campus community with their captivating colours and subtle scents. With the spring bedding order placed and due to arrive in May, the team are currently focusing on a planting scheme at Clothworkers Court and are supporting the planting of over 3000 trees at the Brownlee Centre and Cycle Circuit.

Whilst we remain in a national lockdown the Estates Maintenance Team are ensuring the buildings remain safe and secure until re-occupation. This ongoing maintenance will ensure a smooth and quick re-opening of buildings once we come out of lockdown. Colleagues in the Engineering Team have done some excellent work to ensure all buildings are ventilated as best as possible to prevent transmission of Covid-19.

As a result of the pandemic, the Energy Team have been focusing on revising the original work scheduled as part of the University’s net-zero commitment. This is a large piece of work which the team will share with colleagues in the near future.

Read February updates from across the Facilities Directorate:

Facilities Directorate Support Services Update, February 2021

FD Bulletin, February 2021. Foreword by Dennis Hopper

Sustainability Services Update, February 2021

16th February 2021/by Matt Hamnett

The Sustainability Service has been very busy over the January period and there are lots of exciting things coming up.

The Service has just launched their Sustainability Report which celebrates the huge number of achievements in sustainability at the University over the past two years. Some of the biggest accomplishments have been the recognition the University has received globally for its holistic approach to Sustainability. These include achieving joint third in the UK and joint 11^th globally in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for its contribution towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. As well as being awarded the globally recognised International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) Award for its collaborative approach to embedding sustainability across all aspects of the University curriculum.

These are just a couple of the fantastic things that have been achieved, you can read the full sustainability report and watch the video on the Sustainability website.

The Sustainability team are busy finalising the University Climate Plan this month, which will articulate how the Seven Principles for tackling the climate crisis are being implemented. This has been in development, in collaboration with colleagues from across the institution, over the last year and the team are excited to soon share this with colleagues across the University. To find out about this first sign up to the Sustainability newsletter.

The team are also busy redeveloping the Management Essentials sustainability course. This is aimed at managers who want to find out more about sustainability at Leeds and how to apply this to their role. The next course will be running on the 25^th of March and can be booked through the ODPL website here.

If you are commuting by bike to campus or would like to try it, the Bike Hub is still open for all staff and students. You can hire a bike or get help with any bike maintenance needs on a Tuesday or Wednesday from 10am-3pm. Simply book an appointment on the Bike Hub webpage.

This year’s audit of the University Environmental Management System (EMS) took place on 8th-10th February. The EMS is a set of standards and procedures which enable us to understand our environmental impacts, control and improve our performance and ensure we comply with legislation. The audit is to check that our EMS still meets the requirements of the ISO 14001:2015 standard. This year the audit was a little different as it had to take place virtually, a big thank you to colleagues in Residential Services who made a video tour to use. The provisional result is that we have retained our ISO 14001 certification.

Read February updates from across the Facilities Directorate:

Facilities Directorate Support Services Update, February 2021

FD Bulletin, February 2021. Foreword by Dennis Hopper

Residential Services Update, February 2021

16th February 2021/by Matt Hamnett

With around 3,000 students remaining in halls, nearly 50% occupancy, the Residence Life team is very busy making sure that they, and those students still at home, are fully supported and can still have an enjoyable experience. To do this the team have organised a hugely varied programme of virtual events on offer to students from all residences which includes around 35 events from cooking demonstrations, life drawing classes, wellbeing workshops and craft sessions. They are continuing to support the development of the student Hall Exec in running and organising events at each residence as well.

The team have also started hosting Residence Life Social Time, a bi-weekly drop-in hour where students can come and speak to Residence Life staff as well as meet other students living in accommodation. A new “virtual space” called Wonder is being used to host these events, which enables students to mingle and chat amongst themselves in a more informal way to on Teams or Zoom. This demonstrates the Residence Life team’s commitment to finding new and innovative ways to give support to students and to help them enjoy their time in halls during this challenging time.

Residence Life are also continuing to provide support to the thankfully far fewer numbers of students that are self-isolating. Mostly this has been for students who have recently arrived at accommodation and needed to self-isolate due to the government’s travel rules. Site teams have also been busy dealing with the added complications of managing residences that are mostly half full – making sure that essential maintenance such as flushing is completed whilst also supporting those students who are still in halls.

The Accommodation Office have been busy working to process the rent rebates for those students who have not returned to their halls between 11 January and 19 February, whilst also working extremely hard to speak with those students who have raised concerns or complaints around this. In order to offer as much support as possible to students, the team are working with IT to deploy the ‘Miss Moneypenny’ live chat service on the accommodation website to offer live chat assistance to prospective and current students. There has also been a focus on taking the usual Accommodation Viewing Day online with the help of the FD Marketing, Sales and Communications team. A new Virtual Viewing Hub launched on accommodation website to promote our halls and there will be a series of live talks happening virtually throughout this semester.

Read February updates from across the Facilities Directorate:

Facilities Directorate Support Services Update, February 2021

FD Bulletin, February 2021. Foreword by Dennis Hopper

University of Leeds campus on a snowy day

Conferencing Update, February 2021

16th February 2021/by Matt Hamnett

The Conference team have been running the international welcome services successfully since the beginning of September 2020, with over 3000 students supported to date. Services continued throughout December including providing an out-of-hours International Arrivals service and self-isolation and social support during the University closure. It is anticipated that up to 850 further students will need to be supported in the coming months based on the results of the pre-arrival survey at the end of November. Working in partnership with Leeds University Union, GFAL Deli(very) provided over 2000 self-isolation food boxes for new and returning students in University and Private accommodation, as well as providing 90 emergency food boxes for students who needed to self-isolate.

MEETinLEEDS are supporting several schools and faculties to deliver virtual conference activity during Easter and into Summer 2021. These include:

Supporting Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine we will be hosting 71st Annual British Microcirculation and Vascular Biology Society Conference. Support will be offered through registration, abstract submission and providing a website.

Working with the Student Opportunity and Enhancement team MEETinLEEDS will support the British Conference of Undergraduate Research 2021 confirmed to be a fully virtual event, postponed from 2020, with expected numbers over 600. The event will utilise the online registration platform and the University of Leeds Event App.

Alongside the School of Psychology, we are hosting the British Food Group with their annual conference, pivoting from a face-to-face event in Easter 2020 to a virtual event in April 2021. We have relaunched the conference website and recently opened registration.

The Nightingale Court continues to operate on-site at Cloth Hall Court and this will remain for the spring and summer months.

Read February updates from across the Facilities Directorate:

Facilities Directorate Support Services Update, February 2021

FD Bulletin, February 2021. Foreword by Dennis Hopper

Great Food at Leeds Update, February 2021

16th February 2021/by Matt Hamnett

The Great Food at Leeds (GFaL) team is continuing to support staff and students on campus and those who live in University-managed accommodation.

Over the last couple of months, the Refectory has been busy not only providing food but also as a location for an asymptomatic testing centre on campus.

While many of us were quietening down to enjoy a well-deserved break over Christmas, the GFAL team were preparing for the arrival of international students on campus. The team not only delivered over 300 self-isolation food packs over the festive period but also ensured that the new students had the best possible experience, with pre-arranged socially distanced activities, including online food demonstrations and easy to follow cooking recipes.

As further lockdown restrictions came into place in early January, the GFAL team continue to provide a high level of service to staff and students with The Refectory, operating 7 days a week, (Mon – Fri: 8.00 am -6.00 pm, and Sat-Sun: 10.00 am – 2.00 pm) providing a wide selection of hot and cold meals to Meal Plan students, as well as staff and students that remain on campus.

Outlets such as The Edit Room (Edward Boyle Library) and Café 7 (Worsley Building) also remain open in key areas throughout the week, to support the work and study of essential staff and students.

Standing still is no option for Great Food at Leeds as the team continue to develop the café concepts for the new Sir William Henry Bragg and Esther Simpson buildings. Next month, Great Food at Leeds will be holding workshops with key stakeholders from the Business School, School of Law and the LUU representatives to consult on the naming of the café in the Esther Simpson building.

Read February updates from across the Facilities Directorate:

Facilities Directorate Support Services Update, February 2021