Pastures new!

Kirsty Hardwick, the School’s Facilities and Support Services Manager, is leaving the School for pastures new at the end of January when she will take on the mantle of Operations Manager (Infrastructure) for the College of Life and Environmental Sciences.

Kirsty has worked tirelessly to ensure School buildings and facilities are operationally fit for purpose, as well as playing a key role in allocating office accommodation across the ever expanding BBS building portfolio. In this endeavour, Kirsty has worked closely with many colleagues within the School, as well as fostering a rich network of facilities related colleagues across the University. 

A number of recent high-profile and business critical initiatives in the School would not have been as successful without Kirsty’s tenacity and oversight. The most notable of these, which I’m sure many of you recall, was the successful University House roof-replacement project and decant of staff to Elm House which Kirsty project-managed. Other projects have included enhancements to University House, JG Smith Building, the Business Lounge, and G01 cluster.

Wirth regard to future projects, Kirsty has spent many months diligently planning for the new Alan Walters Building that comes on stream in 2016. We hope Kirsty finds time to see the fruits of her labour when it is fully completed.

I’m sure you’ll join Ian and me in thanking Kirsty for her commitment to the School, as well as wishing her all the best in her new role.

As Kirsty says goodbye to the School, recruitment for her replacement is being progressed as quickly as possible. In the interim, Donna Willmetts (CoSS Facilities Manager), Ian Hamley (BBS Operations Manager), Louise Rudge (BBS Deputy Operations Manager) and Richard Bell (BBS Facilities Assistant) will work collegially together to ensure continuity regarding School-related Facilities activities. To support this, Donna will reside in University House (Room G34) for three days per week.