Raeesah Ellis-Haque is Undergraduate Recruitment Manager in Home Recruitment and Conversion

What, in more ‘normal’ times, does your work involve?

I changed roles during lockdown so things feel very different from pre-pandemic! I used to work in Widening Participation, where I focused on the engagement and recruitment of Black and Asian students. We ran summer schools to facilitate this, including hosting over 200 students on site, karaoke in the JCR and of course academic sessions. Things have really changed since then: I’m now the Undergraduate Recruitment Manager. My team run open days and offer holder events and go into schools and colleges or attend higher education fairs to encourage students to apply and enroll at the University.

How did things change when the pandemic took hold – and how have they continued to change?

The very nature of our work has changed from physical event delivery to finding ways to connect with prospective students virtually. We have run several successful virtual events on a huge scale, and we continue to learn as we move to hybrid activity as restrictions ease.

What’s been your most important work this term?

Ensuring that we can still show our prospective students that they are highly valued, and engage with them in a way that works for them. While the move to virtual activity can be frustrating, it means there are, in some ways, fewer barriers to reaching a variety of people. It’s so important that students make informed decisions, and the work of my team has absolutely made this possible for them in very difficult circumstances.

What have been the biggest challenges for you and your team?

Working remotely can cause challenges for morale, and taking on a new role during this time means that it takes a bit longer to get to know everyone. We’ve tried to think outside of the box and have online informal catch-ups and socials and, when it’s been safe to do so, meet up for away afternoons or planning sessions.

What are you proudest of during this period?

I’m proudest of the way that my team has been so resilient to the always-changing context in which we have had to work over the last year-and-a-half.

Tell us about one thing that has made you happy in this challenging year.

During the first lockdown, I appreciated the (forced) need to slow down and spend more time with my family. We’re so used to running around from one thing to the next, that this really helped me realise that every minute of every weekend or evening doesn’t have to be packed and a slower pace can be really enjoyable.

 

The Reverend Ed Davis is Anglican and Co-ordinating Chaplain at the Multifaith Chaplaincy

What, in more ‘normal’ times, does your work involve?

The primary strands of chaplaincy work are offering individual support to students and staff, building community – particularly through hosting a vibrant and inclusive Multifaith Chaplaincy Centre, running various events, especially those that increase understanding between those from different religious and cultural backgrounds, and engaging at an institutional level to advise and advocate on faith-related and wider welfare matters. As Co-ordinating Chaplain, I also oversee the development and work of the Multifaith Chaplaincy team.

How did things change when the pandemic took hold – and how have they continued to change?

Initially we were unsure how effectively we would be able to replicate the very relational nature of our activities remotely, but over time I think we’ve managed to make the best of the available formats. Individual support has continued to be accessed over phone or video calls and we’ve taken many of our regular events online, such as our weekly ‘intercultural mingle’ and biannual tour of local faith communities. We’ve also been developing our online resources with a series of video interviews, a blog exploring religious festivals from the inside, and an archive of previous events on our YouTube channel. Where COVID restrictions (and the weather) have allowed it, in recent months we have begun taking opportunities to meet with people outdoors.

What have been the biggest challenges for you and your team?

The biggest challenge has been operating without a physical base. Pre-COVID, the Chaplaincy Centre has been a thriving community hub, valued by students for the space, ethos and connections it offers, and by chaplains for the contact it enables with hundreds of students each week, even if only in passing. In the move online we have lost much of this wider engagement, and although we are still in touch regularly with individuals and groups, contact now tends to be more intentional than incidental. We very much look forward to the time when we can reopen and build this kind of dynamic community once more.

What are you proudest of during this period?

I have been proud of the way in which the Chaplaincy team has held together and adapted to the current context. Many of the chaplains are part-time and combine their role with various other responsibilities in the community, yet they have remained committed to our shared work and innovated with forms of support and activities. One example would be this year’s University Carol Service, which migrated from the Great Hall to YouTube. We had no idea how well it would work, but we were very pleased with the way this format enabled us to include a much wider range of contributors, and that over 700 people tuned into it.

Tell us about one thing that has made you happy in this challenging year.

Can I have two? One would be more time spent with my teenage kids. In many ways it’s been a rotten time to be a teenager and feel the world shrinking when it should be expanding for them, not to mention the rigours of ever-changing GCSE assessments. But their loss of other options during lockdown has given me extra opportunities as a parent to make the most of their company. The other would be the satisfaction of growing vegetables, both at home and on my allotment. The immersive, elemental and future-oriented nature of it has felt really sustaining in challenging times – and it’s lovely to be able to eat the fruits of one’s labours!

Beckie Garland is Head of Campus IT Systems, Administration and Quality in Campus Business Management, Development and Systems, Campus Division.

What, in more ‘normal’ times, does your work involve?

I was promoted into a different role during the pandemic, so my role has changed completely: I’m now part of the Extended Leadership Team within Campus Division, who are responsible for driving and delivering our Divisional Plan. I lead the teams which support Campus Division’s digital information services: the Systems team, the Quality team and the Central Administration team.

How did things change when the pandemic took hold – and how have they continued to change?

The nature of our work meant that we adapted very well to working from home, but we also experienced a huge increase in workload as we focused on supporting the Division and the organisation with anything that was required. One of our biggest contributions was creating the desk booking system for Old Park Hill, 31 Great George Street and Augustine’s Courtyard; that was completed in a matter of days and gave staff who needed to be on site an easy way to see desk availability and manage their bookings. We’re going to roll that out more widely for blended working.

What’s been your most important work this term?

The continual review and development of Campus Division’s systems. My team currently have over 60 projects (and growing) to manage and deliver: these are wide-ranging but all focused on improving our systems, collecting and reporting data and ensuring efficient, joined-up working. To name just a few: improving collection and review of Health and Safety information; tagging and effective management of our assets; apps and functionality to support desk or room bookings; better monitoring of space usage; alternative ways to pay in Source Cafés; and reviewing and removing legacy and duplicate systems in our Division.

What have been the biggest challenges for you and your team?

Honestly, it has been the increase in workload. We’ve always been very busy, but over the last year-and-a-half there seems to have been an explosion of work, with ever-shortening timeframes for delivery. We’re a very small team, particularly for the workload we manage, so trying to deliver and support everything, and everyone, has been really challenging. Thankfully, this has been recognised and we’ve been supported to expand the team; although this is work in progress, I hope that soon a little pressure may be lifted.

What are you proudest of during this period?

My teams. They were fairly newly formed in 2019, but they immediately pulled together, and regardless of the challenges, and the times that have felt difficult, they’ve worked so hard to deliver everything they possibly could to the best of their abilities, ensuring we retained our positive team spirit throughout. They have also fully supported me moving into the role of ‘Head of Team’, and that’s something I’m very grateful for. We collaborate, learn, support and grow together, and it’s truly fantastic.

Tell us about one thing that has made you happy in this challenging year.

My fiancé! We got engaged during lockdown, and despite all the uncertainty and challenging times, together we have laughed, supported each other and tried to make the best of every situation. He has definitely been my ‘happy’ throughout this challenging time.

Peter Scott is a Lecturer in the Department of Music 

What, in more ‘normal’ times, does your work involve?

Along with teaching (musical techniques as well as early music history), I also co-ordinate the University Concert Series in the Victoria Rooms. Normally we would have regular Friday lunchtime concerts, given by professional musicians and by our University ensembles, all free and open to all. We also have some evening concerts featuring our Symphony Orchestra, University Singers and BUMS groups (our student music society in case you’re wondering!).

How did things change when the pandemic took hold – and how have they continued to change?

The switch to remote teaching actually went reasonably smoothly for our department, despite the fact that we have a wide range of methods (as well as the obvious lectures via online portals, we have one-to-one instrumental/vocal teaching and music studio and sound-based outputs). The Concert Series was severely curtailed, although we did manage to produce a lot of socially distanced and edited music videos, mainly from our fab student ensembles.

What’s been your most important work this term?

The multiple hours of planning with colleagues for the fairest and most feasible teaching and assessment. From chatting to our students, the vast majority seem to have appreciated this. Personally, the highlight has been helping to organise live assessed recitals this May and June, and also the excellent compromise we gave to students in also allowing them to opt for a pre-recorded video (for some of which we asked our accompanists to provide backing tracks, with some stunning results).

What have been the biggest challenges for you and your team?

Adjusting our usual routine of making music in person, whether as extra-curricular ensembles after lectures or face-to-face instrumental/vocal lessons. Our instrumental and vocal teachers have been wonderfully supportive to our students in the past 15 months, often providing much more than musical expertise.

What are you proudest of during this period?

The small part I played in facilitating University Singers to perform a live streamed concert in the Auditorium on 16 June. It was fantastic to see this, socially distanced, and remarkable that they could produce such high-quality music with so few face-to-face rehearsals, thanks to MD Elinor Cooper. You can enjoy the concert here.

 

Conversely, our Symphony Orchestra was scheduled to perform the following evening live-streamed, and managed to have one rehearsal that week before we had to abandon, due to COVID-19 (and we hope the affected student is recovering). Fortunately, and due to our stringent distancing measures (thanks mainly to our Music Resources Manager), nobody else caught COVID in that rehearsal. We’re intending to hold this again in the autumn, but it was extremely disappointing for our leavers who won’t have an opportunity again to play in our Auditorium.

Tell us about one thing that has made you happy in this challenging year.

I’m very fortunate in having a job that I absolutely love. The pandemic has made me realise that I’m also extremely fortunate to be working with great colleagues throughout the University – we have all been affected by the pandemic but have supported each other to the best of our ability, in a compassionate, practical and enthusiastic manner. It’s so reassuring to know that we look out for each other and actually show this in our words and actions!

 

Caroline Wynn is Head of Catering in Campus Business Management and Support

What, in more ‘normal’ times, does your work involve?

I head the University’s Catering Department, which operates our 14 in-house Source Café outlets (branded to promote the fact that the food is ethically and sustainably sourced​). We also operate four catered Halls of Residence serving two meals a day to 1,500 students; and we manage the contracts for seven third-party caterers plus two concession retail operators and over 70 vending machines.

How did things change when the pandemic took hold – and how have they continued to change?

My first day back to work from Maternity Leave was in March 2020, the day lockdown was announced, and we had to change overnight! We closed our Source Café outlets immediately and changed our style of service to students living in catered halls accommodation: we went from providing two seated meals a day in the dining hall to supplying students with three boxes of provisions per week. We ensured that operations were COVID-safe for student arrivals in September 2020 and have continued to adapt to each stage of the government changes.

Over 90% of the catering staff were furloughed, so those who continued to work had to adapt quickly to new roles and learn best practice on the job. All of our cafés closed across campus (with a few now opening back up for takeaway) and we ceased the Delivered and Event Catering provided by third-party suppliers.

We reacted immediately to the situation we were presented with, and we have continued to improve our services within the parameters of the government’s COVID-19 guidelines and University’s COVID Working Guide.

What have been the biggest challenges for you and your team?

The period after the return of students in 2020 when numbers of quarantining students was exponentially increasing every day was a real test for catering teams. We mobilised a rapid response team and launched a system for recording and delivering emergency food packs for all students living in the University’s Halls of Residence. This included managing special dietary requirements and co-ordinating mass isolation food deliveries.

What are you proudest of during this period?

During the lockdowns when we had excess food that would otherwise have gone to waste due to closures and restrictions, my catering teams worked with local food banks to donate unwanted food. I’m very proud of all the teams involved and their resilience and continued enthusiasm through the last year.

We’ve been actively involved with Going for Gold Bristol’s bid to be a Gold Level city for food in Bristol, which we’ve just heard has been successful! We were very proud to become the first ‘Champion’ in the city owing to the huge number of initiatives we have going on.​

I’m equally proud of our ‘isolation boxes’ that we distributed to thousands of students. Back in July 2020 we began working with our supplier to curate an emergency quarantine box that is nutritionally sustainable, has a long shelf life and is transportable. This supplier ended up using our ‘isolation box’ template as a package for all Universities nationwide.

Tell us about one thing that has made you happy in this challenging time.

My two-year-old boy!! He loves to cook and is definitely trying to follow in Mummy’s foodsteps!

 

Esther Perry is Occupational Health Manager in Safety and Health Services 

What, in more ‘normal’ times, does your work involve?

My role involves helping employees to stay healthy at work. This can mean advising Human Resources and managers about how best to support their staff by introducing workplace adjustments, and also protecting and monitoring staff (and some students) whose work exposes them to known health risks. I also manage a small team of Occupational Health Advisers/Nurses and the day-to-day service delivery of the Occupational Health department.

How did things change when the pandemic took hold – and how have they continued to change?

I came into post in October 2020, so things had already changed in Occupational Health. As the team were usually site-based, the greatest change – as for most people – was a move to more home working and adapting processes so that face-to-face consults and occupational health processes that were paper-based could be carried out remotely. We are fortunate in that much of our work can be completed remotely, and the team have had the opportunity to further develop their skills in telephone and virtual assessments so that we can continue to work flexibly to support staff and students as necessary.

What have been the biggest challenges for you and your team?

Although I’d previously worked as an adviser in the Occupational Health department, I returned in a management role in the middle of a pandemic year, so I had to quickly ‘get up to speed’ with University processes and how the team were working in the altered environment. As face-to-face clinic interactions have been limited, we’ve had to adapt to homeworking; this has not been easy for some, as nurses by nature tend to thrive on live, interpersonal interactions with those they are supporting and with each other. We have also been challenged by working on site for some of the time during a pandemic to carry out essential services, which has required us to regularly assess the COVID risk in relation to our working practices and environment.

What are you proudest of during this period?

I hope that in my role I’ve been able to support my team to help others and play a part in keeping them together in circumstances which have been difficult for all of us on a personal, health and work level. The Occupational Health Service has been running with a nurse vacancy, which I’m pleased to say we have now filled, which will provide us with the support we need with resuming on-site clinics and catching up with a backlog of face-to-face work.

Tell us about one thing that has made you happy in this challenging time.

I’m happy to have secured this role, but also to have been able to spend a good amount of quality time with my adult son during the first lockdown – he was also working at home and had nowhere else to go, so couldn’t escape! For this reason I’ll always look back with some positivity on this period as I wouldn’t have had this time with him in ‘normal’ times. Perhaps this feeling wasn’t wholly reciprocal as he moved out to live with his girlfriend last October! I’ve also learnt to appreciate my general good health and the positives in my life, no matter how small they are. In addition I’ve had time to further develop my skills in watercolour painting: following hours of YouTube videos has kept me surprisingly sane and happy!

 

Joe Leaver is Sports Operation Supervisor at the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health (SEH)

What, in more normal times, does your work involve?

I oversee the daily operation of the University’s sports facilities. My main duties are ensuring the sports bookings are prepared for and catered for, while upholding high standards of health and safety for all participants. I also line-manage a team of centre assistants and receptionists.

How did things change when the pandemic took hold – and how have they continued to change?

With the first lockdown, we had to shut all our sporting facilities. Many of our staff were furloughed, others worked from home. We reviewed many of our operational procedures, conducted stringent risk assessments and prepared our facilities to ensure we were COVID-compliant for reopening. When the easing happened in June, we could only open Coombe Dingle Sports Complex, and only for elite sport. But by August we had opened our outdoor facilities along with our performance, strength and conditioning gym.

Running the open parts of the facility in a COVID-compliant way was difficult at times for all concerned and required a massive level of adjustment and perseverance. All areas had a strict capacity limit, one-way systems and social distancing rules, and we had firm timelines for sanitising and cleaning. Our users were required to wear a mask unless taking part in activity. All this was sometimes very difficult to enforce.

What’s your most important work this term?

Ensuring that our student community can participate in some form of sport or physical exercise. Having been a student myself, I remember how socialising, discovering new things and taking part in sport were among the things that made my time at university so special. Everyone has been through a tough time during this pandemic, but I really did empathise with the students who couldn’t do many of the things they would have normally done here.

We know that people using the facility will have varying levels of anxiety or unease about returning to places where they’ll be mixing with other people. Being conscious of these concerns is something I’ve tried to stay in tune with.

What have been the biggest challenges for you and your team?

Initially, one of the greatest challenges was keeping our staff motivated and feeling that they would eventually return to working on site. To stay in touch, we ran team meetings and gave updates via Microsoft Teams, which for many people was a new concept they had to adapt to.

In November 2020, myself and many of my team were seconded to help with the University’s COVID-19 response. We were trained in using new software and in supporting students who were in self-isolation. But at the same time, the region was moving between the government’s different tier systems, each requiring us to change our sports services accordingly.

What are you proudest of during this period?

The resilience the SEH operational staff have shown during this period. Everyone checked in on each other, and when staff were required back on campus (after it was deemed safe enough to do so), they showed how willing they were to get our facilities up and running. There were constant changes, and at times uncertainty about how much of a threat the virus could pose. But we pulled together as a team, with the support of management and the rest of SEH.

Tell us about one thing that has made you happy during this challenging time.

Being able to take stock and appreciate the things I do have – health, consistent work, family, friends and a home. Being able to recognise the things I should never take for granted.

 

Natalie Seaton-Lucas is Senior Project Manager in Strategic Programmes and Projects

What, in more ‘normal’ times, does your work involve?

I’ve been part of the Strategic Projects and Programmes team for nearly six years, and in the run-up to the pandemic I was Programme Manager for the Campus Heart programme. This programme includes major capital projects such as the refurbishment of Senate House and the building of the New University Library, alongside strategic and end-user projects such as establishing a new Centre for Cultural Collections, a public art project and a focus on civic engagement.

How did things change when the pandemic took hold – and how have they changed since?

The Campus Heart programme was paused when the pandemic took hold – although, brilliantly, the work on Senate House was able to proceed. Phase 1 of this, including the lower and upper ground floors and the extension with the new roof, is now complete and will open later this month.

Following the pause, I began scenario-planning, trying to model potential responses for the University, including options for teaching and learning delivery, against sets of external influences such as the scale of the pandemic and the impact of Brexit. Once this was in place, I worked closely with Professor Richard Martin in the Bristol Medical School, and with our Scientific Advisory Group and Bristol City Council, to develop our Outbreak Management Response Plan.

Then in November 2020 I was asked to implement mass asymptomatic COVID-19 testing for the University in line with the launch of the Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) programme. This was a huge challenge that required co-ordinating effort across our organisation to ensure that we were compliant with all required safety protocols and frequently changing government guidelines. The most stressful time came when we had everything in place in terms of trained staff, equipment and services – but we were still waiting for the test kits to arrive from the government two days before our launch.

What’s your most important work this term?

That’ll be introducing the hybrid asymptomatic testing offer from the DHSC to the University. This will allow us to continue to offer some testing capacity onsite, but to also offer collection points across campus for staff and students to pick up kits for use at home.

What are the biggest challenges for you and your team?

Encouraging people to continue to take COVID-19 tests regularly is a big challenge, not only at our University, but across our region too. I am working closely with our Comms team and regional partners to remind people of the importance of regular testing – so don’t just take kits home once we have them on offer, please actually use them too!

What are you proudest of during this period?

Like many others, I’m proud that my little family emerged from the home-schooling aspect of lockdown intact! It was extremely challenging keeping focused on such important COVID-19 work, while also assisting with other essential projects such as building an Amazon rainforest out of cardboard and helping our six-year-old with his reading.

Tell us about one thing that has made you happy in this challenging year.

I enjoy writing music in my spare time – anything from modern classical orchestral scores to hip hop. I’ve recently turned into a production geek and can happily spend hours tinkering with electronic samplers trying to turn hiccups into snare drums!

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You can find details of our COVID-19 testing facilities on the student testing webpage and the staff testing intranet page.

Gemma Stock is Interim Head of Facilities Management – Soft Services

What, in more ‘normal’ times, does your work involve?

Until January 2021, my ‘normal times’ job was Head of Operations for the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus. I work with a wide range of TQ stakeholders to ensure that, once built, the new campus will be safe and sustainable and will operate as envisioned, both for our students, staff and partners and for the wider Bristol community.

How did things change when the pandemic took hold – and how have they continued to change?

As part of the University’s response to COVID-19, I took on many roles last year. These included: reviewing the Campus Division Business Continuity Plan; ensuring we maintained access to buildings for key workers when lockdown hit; working with HR to produce and distribute key worker letters; working with the School of Chemistry and Bristol City Council to ensure a continuing supply of hand sanitiser; working with all departments, divisions and schools to distribute 150,000 face coverings and visors; supporting the setup of flexible working spaces; and working with the Strategic Projects teams to lead the setup of the lateral flow test sites in the Richmond Building and Wills Conference Centre.

The majority of the Campus Division is made up of operational teams. Even before the first national lockdown, we were reviewing our ways of working to ensure they were in line with government and NHS guidelines. We continue to follow ever-changing government guidelines and adapt our services and ways of working. I think this will go on for some time to come.

What have been the biggest challenges for you and your team?

Alongside the challenges faced by our operational teams during the pandemic, my biggest personal challenge was setting up the lateral flow test centres in record time and establishing innovative ways of doing it. For example, there was a requirement for privacy booths – we were not sure how we were going to build 40 privacy booths in the time we had, so we got creative and borrowed polling booths from Bristol City Council.

What are you proudest of during this period?

Being part of the Campus Division. The way we have come together in almost wartime camaraderie, from the teams out on the frontline right up to our leadership team, is really something to be proud of.

Tell us about one thing that has made you happy in this challenging year.

Learning that my kitchen is meant for more than just storing wine – I’ve finally learnt how to make things from scratch, and although I still don’t particularly enjoy it, I’m amazed I can actually do it!

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You can find details of our COVID-19 testing facilities on the student testing webpage and the staff testing intranet page.

 

Jon May is Senior Estates Assistant in Site Services

What, in more ‘normal’ times, does your work involve?

Normally Estates Assistants are based in the receptions of buildings. We are the first point of contact for staff, students and visitors, and as such, a big part of our role is customer care. Reception duties can run from sorting of mail and parcels to responding to alarms. The second main part of our role is compliance-based and involves testing systems in buildings, which include fire alarms to emergency lighting. As a Senior Estates Assistant, I am responsible for a team spread out over multiple buildings in a zone.

How did things change when the pandemic took hold – and how have they continued to change?

With the lockdowns and with the majority of staff working from home and no students, our role has been more focused on the compliance side. We’ve taken on a lot more testing over this period while still helping staff with access to buildings, taking deliveries and dealing with contractors.

What have been the biggest challenges for you and your team?

We’ve been very busy in terms of preparation work for the increased amount of compliance we have now taken on. This has taken a lot of time to implement. Also, with students slowly filtering back into the precinct and with buildings opening up once more, reminding students about Covid rules is key.

What are you proudest of during this period?

I am extremely proud of my staff who have been flexible and dedicated throughout this process. They have gone above and beyond what was required of them in providing a service for the University at minimal expense and increased workload of testing.

Tell us about one thing that has made you happy in this challenging time.

My absolute passion is music and making music, Drum and Bass in particular. Not being able to go outside and mix has meant serious hours in my little studio which has kept me sane and with a smile on my face!