2011 Hertford College Magazine (Issue 91)

Hertford year: Bursar’s letter
addition to the College’s property portfolio
since 2006. Tighter planning regulations in
Oxford will make such investments more
difficult in future. During the year we also
refurbished the College Bar, worked with
the JCR to convert the Bop Cellar into a
gym, and made plans to extend the College
library further under the Lodgings. Work
will start on this project later this summer.
“ We are redoubling our efforts
to be more energy efficient ”
We expected the extremely cold December
and January to wreak havoc with
the College’s infrastructure, but were fortunate
to escape relatively lightly. The rendering
on the façade of Holywell Street
crumbled and had to be replaced, the magnificent
mimosa tree in Holywell Quad
sadly succumbed to -15 o C temperatures
and there was minor flooding from melting
snow in some fellows’ rooms. As the College
is now deemed by the Environment
Agency to be a large energy user alongside
the likes of Shell and Tesco, we are taxed
on carbon emissions. As a result we are
redoubling efforts to be more energy efficient.
This year we have replaced boilers
and upgraded heating systems in Abingdon
House. All of which has kept our hard working
Maintenance team under Jim Coyle’s
indefatigable leadership fully occupied.
Following the departures of Bob Hart,
David Cullimore and Paul Fraemohs who
collectively had over 60 years service
in the College’s catering team, Andrew
Beaumont, Home Bursar, has been busy
rebuilding our catering organisation. Eamonn
Bennett was appointed Executive
Head Chef following a memorable Master
Chef-style cook-off, and Antony Barrett
took up the role of Catering Service
Manager. Frankie Parry joined as 2nd
Chef and we are now in the process of ap-
pointing two apprentice chefs from Oxford
and Cherwell Valley College as part of our
commitment to provide opportunities for
personal development through vocational
training. All this organisational change
has not been without its challenges, but
we are all very excited by the possibilities
that a re-energised team are starting to unlock,
and with fellows making very positive
comments about the quality of high table
dining we have made a very good start.
Last summer the College formally registered
with the Charities Commission,
one of the first colleges to do so, its exempt
status having lapsed under the terms of the
2006 Charities Act. This has prompted a revision
of the College’s Statutes to conform
with Charity Commission guidelines on
governing documents, including clarification
of the duties of trustees, the College’s
charitable objects and public benefit. As I
write, the revised Statutes are being laid
before Parliament in what is a rather tortuous
approval process. Charity Commission
regulation will result in greater transparency,
starting with the publication of our annual
report and accounts in October. It has
required all the impressive forensic skills
of Philip Dickson, Deputy Bursar and Accountant,
to help prepare for this transition.
During the year we have celebrated
long service awards for Anne Timermanis,
Domestic Manager and her deputy Eileen
Constable who have provided outstanding
service to the College over 20 and 15
years respectively. Paul and Barry Walton
marked their 20 and 10 years service
respectively as Kitchen Porters. We also
marked the retirement of Albert Cassar
from his role in the Maintenance Department
and as Caretaker of Warnock House.
We wish him and his wife Carol well.
And finally, if you are ever lucky enough
to see the movie X-Men: First Class, you
may catch a glimpse of the entrance to NB
42. HERTFORD COLLEGE MAGAZINE