A Taste of Quality
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FACILITIES DIRECTORATE ISSUE 24 SUMMER 2003 Welcome A Taste of Quality Well summer is officially here and so far Conference 21 and Catering Services at Sheffield Hallam saw the it’s not been too bad. Coming up soon we have National Bike Week, a great hard work of many years rewarded when they won the TUCO opportunity to take advantage of the hot award for Quality 2003. Sheffield Hallam beat off stiff competition weather by cycling to work or in your leisure time. from Central Lancashire and Nottingham, the other two finalists, In fact it’s turned out to be quite a sporty to emerge victorious. issue this time with a new feature answering all your health and fitness TUCO stands for The University Caterers’ Richard McGloin, Head of Catering questions, a special Sport Hallam staff Organisation and the quality award went to Services and Grace Roberts, Head of membership offer and a personal account the organisation which the judges felt Conference 21, were both delighted. provided the best service in terms of of the recent Race for Life in which many ‘It’s a real tribute to our staff in catering hospitality and catering. Sheffield Hallam University staff took who have worked so hard over the last few part. The award was open to all Universities and years to really develop higher standards’ Travellers’ tales come from two members entrants had to include information about said Richard. ‘It hopefully rewards the of staff with very different stories to tell everything from standards of professionalism and recognises the value of and the Spotlight is on Norfolk Park, accommodation and catering through to both teams and everyone should be proud which meant a nostalgic step back in time marketing and grounds. Three finalists of the achievement’ added Grace. were chosen and a mystery shopper visited for placement student Sally Swales. Mark Swales, Head of Business and each organisation to experience the service Facilities Operations said ‘The great thing Hope you enjoy this copy of FD News first hand. The winner was announced at about this award is not just that it shows and don’t forget to have a go at the new the annual TUCO awards ceremony held we are the best in the country, but that quiz – Me and My Pet! in Blackpool and the trophy and framed different teams within FD, in this case award were presented to the team who put Editors Conference 21, Catering and Marketing, the bid in. Claire Hamilton are working together to deliver quality As well as a general high level of quality across the board. It’s also brilliant because Georgina Kersey the judges revealed that they were on a wider scale FD is fully committed to Gill Redfearn impressed with the approach to partnering quality and awards like this show that the that Sheffield Hallam adopted, particularly approach is paying off.’ their relationships with hotels. However, it was the commitment to students which Stop Press! swung it for Hallam. Football players required Staff members of a reasonable playing standard are required to join the University football team to play in the BML Sunday Football League for season 2003/04. Home matches will be played at Bawtry Road Sports Ground and players are needed for every position. It is hoped the team will also have a good social side. Training starts on Wednesday 2 July at Bawtry Road, so if you're a footballer, why not come along and give it a go? For further details please call Tony Hardwick, Team Manager on 2713 or Frazer Johnson, Sports Development Manager on 4394. Members of the catering, conferencing and marketing teams alongside those who put the bid together. Copy deadline for next issue is 31 July 2003 My experience at Hallam Dates for your Diary June - August 2003 By Katie Baker Date Event For those of you who have noticed me wandering around, but 14 – 22 June National Bike Week were never introduced, I am Katie Baker. I attend Chaucer Week of 16 June Teamtalk Community School and for the past two weeks I have been completing my Y10 Work Experience course. After having such a Mon 30 June Standard Teaching Year ends fantastic time, I have been offered the chance to share my Fri 11 July FD Golf Day experience with you. So I will! Week of 21 July Teamtalk My first day was daunting. At fifteen I have no experience of Week of 18 August Teamtalk working life, so this was completely new to me. I was picturing all the ‘What if?’ situations in my head – What if I get on someone’s 25 – 26 August Autumn Bank Holiday nerves? What if they don’t like me? What if I have an accident and staple myself to the wall? And then I walked through the door to start my week in the School of Environment and Development. It University’s Corporate Plan Review Timetable was great! My first job was reception duties with Carolyn Fearn and Alison Date Action Buck. I answered the phone a few times, went to the mail room, May 2003 Appoint Executive Deans of Faculties and wrote in the diary. Everybody was so friendly and Alison also made me a cup of tea! ‘Here, Katie hasn’t had a cuppa all day!’ Determine internal Faculty structures sufficient to determine she told another colleague. ‘Crikey’ was the reply, ‘Poor love!’ executive posts First impressions were extremely high! Start appointment of new Faculty Executives With Maths being my ultimate worst subject, I was very nervous on Tuesday about spending the morning in Finance! However Appoint and mobilise a dedicated Implementation Team Denise was very nice and I learned a lot from her. I spent the afternoon with Lynne and Faye, and took a tour round the June 2003 Detailed plan for the implementation of changes in structures Adsetts centre. and processes Next day I shadowed Naeem Mohammed. Literally. He was a July 2003 Select the key support processes for standardisation and great laugh, and in between working extremely hard, (honestly!) redesign in Phase 1 we had a sneaky look at the school’s internet message board! Oct 2003 New Academic Board and Faculty Executives established Later in the week I spent time with Jan Davies, Alice and Stuart in Marketing, Helen Wedgewood, Jo Stafford and Rosemary Nov 2003 Faculty support structures determined Cartledge. I would just like to thank the School for a fantastic Dec 2003 Review of key support processes identified in Phase 1 first week of Work Experience. I didn’t leave empty handed either complete – they gave me a brilliant Hallam University Parker pen, a huge pen named Goliath (thanks Naeem!) and the legendary Flat Bob! Budgets and student records reassigned from Schools to Faculties The second week started in Facilities Directorate. Well, what a laugh! In between filing, updating accommodation books and Jan 2004 New Faculty structures become operational filling boxes with forms I was in tears with laughter! I worked upstairs with the Housing and Accommodation team, and I had April 2004 Strategic and business plans submitted for new planning units an equally great time as I did in the first week. I was first Implementation of standard processes begins introduced to Karen Burke, and soon after was warmly welcomed by the rest of the team, including Lee, Charlotte, Louise, Linda June 2004 Phase 2 of process improvement work begins and Wendy. Later in the week Lee organised a trip to see the student accommodation at Leadmill Point. It was great to see the informal side of student life. My final day proved to be one of the best. I was invited to an Editorial meeting for FD News, and after having my photo taken with the Housing and Accommodation team, I have been offered the permanent job of writing a series of articles, informing you all of my whereabouts and achievements. To finish the first edition of what may hopefully be many more articles by myself, I would like to thank everyone I have worked with throughout my Work Experience. Everybody has been so friendly, helpful and kind, and you have all provided me with a fantastic memory of working life! Thanks. If you’re interested in offering a work experience placement then contact Denise Nelson on 2066. Come back and help us in clearing, Katie! 2 Travellers’ tales A tale of two travellers - Gemma Skelton and Craig Jeffries By Georgina Kersey Just before Christmas last year, two you have great landscapes, and beautiful colleagues from the same office set out on beaches down the Great Ocean Road.’ separate travelling experiences. Although In Franz Josef, New Zealand, Gemma and the places they visited were nearly the Steve took part in a ‘Heli-hike’ which was same, they came back with two very a trip in a helicopter to the top of Glacier different tales! and then a hike around the top of it. In Craig Jeffries (Finance Assistant) had a Rotorua they visited bubbling thermal rocky start to his trip, when he nearly pools, and experienced a couple of wasn’t able to go. Initially trying to book earthquake tremors. the holiday for four weeks, he found that Gemma adds to the spectacular view at Hong ‘The best thing we did in NZ was swimming all the Travel Agent could offer him was an Kong harbour with Dolphins. It's one of the most fantastic eight week trip. Fortunately, after much things I have ever done! New Zealand is a worrying, Craig’s application for unpaid and his pals moved on to Australia, where great place, fab people, very action packed.