Inspire Magazine - Spring 2018

A DAY IN THE LIFE
Keeping their feet on the ground
Gary Power leads our Grounds Maintenance team of nine, whose hard work keeps the
gardens and open spaces in our communities clean, tidy and looking great.
We asked Gary to describe the typical duties of the Grounds
Maintenance team and to give us some insight into what makes
his team tick.
What sort of services do the Grounds
Maintenance team provide?
“We’re the most visible team in the company as we’re out and
about in the local environment. It’s an important job because
keeping the areas clean and tidy has a positive effect on the
tenants and their wellbeing. It makes everybody happier.
“Our team is split between the Assisted Gardening team and
the Open Spaces team. The Open Spaces team cover all the
grassed and shrubbed areas from Whalley Range to Clayton,
which is a vast area to work on.
“We’re focusing on improving our service now, as the team
did really well last year. The work is constant for my team,
it’s non-stop! We start at 7.15am and don’t finish until 5pm
during the summer, so it’s a long day and it’s hard work.”
How do you see your role of team manager?
“I started with City South in 2008 as part of a team of three
and eventually became the team leader. I’ve seen the team
grow and develop over the years and we’ve had a lot of
support from the rest of the company.
“I’m a Manchester lad and I’ve seen Manchester thrive with
the economy growing and benefiting the people who live in
our city. I think that part of my role is about giving people pride
in their areas. People in Manchester have so much to offer, they
just need to be given a chance and One Manchester can do
that. I was given a chance and I want to see other people
get that too.”
How do you get involved in the community?
“We want to get involved with as many neighbourhood events
as possible this year to meet the tenants, get to know them
and make sure they recognise us. We’re hoping to link up more
with the green champions this year. At the moment we do our
work in the area and then invite green inspectors to score us
via a card through their door, so they can see what we’ve done
and give us feedback. However we are moving into the digital
age and now green inspectors will feedback via a short online
survey.”
What’s next for the team?
“We’re embarking on a project with the Community Payback
team, where people who have been sentenced by a court
to do unpaid work that benefits the community will work
alongside my team to support us. This gives them the
chance to start on a new path and develop their skills, under
supervision from us. We hope that they can then go on to get
help with CVs, finding employment or work placements, and
use this opportunity as good motivation.”
Take a look at the article on the opposite page to see
how to become a green champion or green inspector.
12
@onemcr