Earlier this month, our Chief Executive, Margaret Dodwell, joined our Environmental Services team for the day to find out about what they do and how they help keep our estates clean, green and tidy for all our residents and the local community. Read on to find out how she got on, and the various tasks she undertook.
Margaret’s day began at 8.45am when she met Chidi and Ndubsi in front of Tesco in the Catford Centre. The large Millford Towers estate surrounds the area, and we always want to make sure this development at the heart of Catford is looking its best. The team then spent an hour taking care of the estate, including sorting out the rubbish and mopping and sweeping the floors.
At 10am, it was time to meet the Support Team, based in our offices in the Old Town Hall. Margaret heard from Support Team Manager Trisha Manga what the team does, and found out about their work on Fire Safety, as well as handling telephone queries, complete with headset (below).
Facing as we do a lack of permanent accommodation in the borough, it’s very important that we make life in our hostels as comfortable as possible. So for the next hour before lunch, Margaret visited our Bargery Road hostel to see the work our caretakers do in our temporary accommodation, and was shown the ropes by Nicholas and Beverley.
After that it was time for a quick spot of lunch with Nicholas, Beverley and Frank. Thankfully Catford is replete with eateries!
Suitably sated, it was time for the afternoon’s work. Margaret helped Frank pick up waste lumber from our sites and drop it off at the tip in Deptford. With the spare wood deposited and due to be recycled, it was off to Honor Oak for another taste of life with our Environmental Services teams.
Management of the green spaces outside our buildings is very important when making sure we have a green, healthy borough and Margaret then got to work with Darren from our Grounds Maintenance team on planting some shrubs outside Jordan House. Grounds Maintenance work all year round to make sure our estates are verdant and bright, using plants that flower at a variety of times to maintain variety.
After that, it was time for Margaret’s last assignment of the day – and the one that included arguably the best bit of kit. Meeting up with Kevin and John, the Chief Executive had a go with the jet washer to get the play area on Barville Close nice and clean. It was a long day, but one that showcased the variety and scale of the hard work our Environmental Services teams do every day to make our estates clean, safe and pleasant places to live.