Landsec Aspire One Newsletter - Issue 108 April 2025
Now part of Workplace Operations, MediaCity is one of the Northwest’s most iconic destinations. Let’s meet the team behind this unique asset. See pages 010-033
21 May 2025
Enter now
Just like last year, we’ll be mixing things up with randomly assigned teams, giving you the perfect opportunity to truly unite with colleagues from across the Aspire community. If you think you have what it takes and would like to be part of our annual mastermind event, email your interest to aspire@landsec.com Spots are limited and it’s on a first come, first served basis, so don’t wait — get your name in the mix ASAP!
BAM KARAOKE BOX, 74 VICTORIA ST,
SW1E 6SQ — Seated for 17.30 — Prompt start at 18.00 MIXED TEAM FORMAT
To Landsec | Aspire team members
The Aspire All Stars will be returning for the Aspire Football League.
One Magazine
Cover: In 2021 Landsec secured a 75% stake in MediaCity. In 2024 we purchased the remaining 25% and welcomed the team to Aspire.
David Wickens Head of Workplace Operations & Chair of Landsec | Aspire
Welcome to a jampacked edition of Aspire One magazine. The content this month is testament to the whirlwind of business and social activities currently taking place across Landsec | Aspire
Our main feature in this issue introduces our colleagues at MediaCity, who now form part of the Landsec Workplace Operations team. Home to the BBC, ITV and many other wellknown brands, this huge media hub is the jewel in the Northwest’s crown, and we’re delighted to have our new colleagues on board.
Your efforts to make energy savings across our properties have been having a great impact. In the year 2024/25, we achieved a 10.4% reduction in energy intensity across the Workplace portfolio. Well done to everyone, and please keep up the good work!
This month we welcome a new Service Partner to Aspire. Acuity has taken over the reins from Amplify as front-of-house Service Partner for MYO. We look forward to working with the Acuity team to ensure excellent concierge services at the seven MYO sites across the capital.
The first games in our Aspire Football League kick off on 2 May, with the final set to take place on 4 June. Good luck to all the teams taking part and, if you’re not on the pitch yourself, please consider coming along to support your colleagues from the touchline.
Finally, we have another date for your diaries – this year’s Aspire Challenge will be a 27-mile walk over hilly terrain in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley from 26 to 28 September. If you are inspired to take part, make sure you start your training for the event soon!
Meet the team
David Wickens One Editor-in-Chief david.wickens@landsec.com
Alison Currell One Editor & Aspire Service Delivery Director alison.currell@landsec.com
Marlene Aguilar One Assistant Editor marlene.aguilar@landsec.com
Martin French One Design & Layout martin@tigerbaydesign.co.uk
Heidi Scott One Copywriter heidi@tigerbaydesign.co.uk
Social media facebook.com/AspireAsOneTeam twitter.com/AspireAsOne instagram.com/AspireAsOne
“Every champion has refused to give up”
Our annual Landsec | Aspire Challenge returns this autumn with a hike through the spectacular scenery of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. On a route straddling the border between England and Wales, we’ll cover over 27 miles (44km), with a gradual ascent totalling 1000m.
Although we’ll be accompanied by an experienced and qualified Mountain Leader, this trek is not for the fainthearted. The challenge will definitely test your endurance, but also promises to strengthen existing bonds and spark new friendships.
Transport from and back to Victoria will be provided, or you can make your own way there. Participation is free, although – as spaces are limited – a £50 deposit is required, which will be refunded after the event. To register for your place, please e-mail aspire@landsec.com by 16 May.
Catering/ Hospitality
We’ve launched a
brand-new menu
A delicious range of food has been introduced by our catering Service Partner, BM Caterers.
Launched in February, the new menu is available to customers across the London Workplace portfolio. “The food is freshly prepared in our kitchens in Victoria and the City,” explains Tim Froggatt, Account Director for BM Caterers. “It arrives ready to serve, saving valuable time for customers. The new menu has been very well received. Everyone has been happy with the quality, presentation and delivery.”
The new menu – branded Hospitality by LANDING – features seasonal ingredients that are responsibly sourced and prepared with the aim of reducing food waste. The offer includes sandwiches, salads, finger food, fork buffets, morning pastries and afternoon tea, as well as tea, coffee, soft beverages
SUPPLIED BY BM CATERERS
and a selection of wines.
Committed to ethical and sustainable practices, BM Caterers has its own Perkee coffee brand, a Fairtrade product sourced from a female co-operative in Nicaragua and a direct-trade organic farm in Brazil. The BM team uses plantbased cleaning products – containing no nasty chemicals – from Delphis Eco, and partners with charities including the Felix Project, which redistributes food to the homeless.
One of the most difficult aspects of the hospitality service for BM Caterers is balancing resources across the portfolio. “You can’t physically be in two places at once,” says Tim Froggatt, “but everyone wants their working lunch delivered around midday – that’s the logistical challenge. However, pulling on support from the wider BM family means we always find a solution!”
Top scores for LANDING
Congratulations to BM Caterers for achieving top scores across the board in recent inspections by Environmental Health Officers from the City of London. All four of our LANDING cafés have been assessed and achieved the highest possible score of 5, meaning that hygiene standards are very good. In their unannounced spot checks, officers examine and assess a range of
factors including how hygienically food is handled; how it is prepared, cooked and stored; the cleanliness, layout, lighting and ventilation of the building; and how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe.
Tim Froggatt,
Account Director for BM Caterers.
FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The teams are selected and the excitement is mounting as we kick off the Landsec | Aspire Football League. The initial match days will take place on the 3G pitches at Coram’s Fields, while a very special stadium venue has been booked for the final – The Valley, home of Charlton Athletic FC!
Please put the date of the final – Wednesday 4 June – in your diary to come and see your colleagues compete for the prized Aspire cup. Some other special awards will also be presented at the game: Player of the Match, Golden Glove and Golden Boot. We’ll be
MATCH DAY 1
FRIDAY 2 MAY
providing a lounge with complimentary food and drink at the final, so please email aspire@landsec.com if you’re coming, in order to help with catering.
You can also cheer on your colleagues in the preliminary matches on 2, 16 and 30 May, which take place at Coram’s Fields pitches. Teams will gain two points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss, with the two top-scoring sides going through to compete for ultimate glory in the final at The Valley. Many thanks to Regular Cleaning for helping to secure this fantastic venue.
All match day games played at Coram’s Fields, 40 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AZ All supporters welcome!
MediaCity joins Workplace
Located in Salford, Greater Manchester, MediaCity is a media, digital and tech hub covering 37 acres. This vast waterside destination is home to the BBC, ITV and a range of independent film and television production companies, creative agencies and tech startups. The University of Salford and University Technical College (UTC) are also based here, along with a wealth of retailers, restaurants and bars, while Imperial War Museum North, the Lowry theatre and the Coronation Street Experience are close neighbours.
See pages 010-033
M ediaCityUK MediaCityUK
ediaCityUK
Helen Anderton, Operations Director.
Say hello to our newest team
After Landsec secured a 75% stake in MediaCity back in 2021, the site operated under joint ownership with Peel Group. However, in November last year Landsec purchased the remaining 25%, taking full control of MediaCity. At the same time, Landsec acquired dock10 – a leading TV production facility – and the Holiday Inn hotel at the site, both of which had been wholly owned by Peel. As a result of the deal, the Operations team at MediaCity transferred across to Workplace Operations in November 2024.
A unique asset
In many ways, MediaCity is unlike any other asset in the Workplace portfolio. “It’s a creative and vibrant place,” says Helen Anderton, Operations Director, who has worked at MediaCity since 2022. “A lot of exciting content gets filmed here,” she continues, “including
BBC Breakfast every morning and big broadcasting events, such as Children in Need and Sports Personality of the Year. We also hosted two of the leaders’ debates during the general election last year.”
The nature of the work taking place at MediaCity brings particular operational challenges. “The BBC and ITV are highprofile tenants with special demands,” explains Emma Parish, Workplace Operations Manager, who has been at the site for three years and is supported by Charlotte Searle, Workplace Support Assistant. “Broadcast criticality changes everything,” continues Emma. “We also have smaller tenants with broadcast output, some of it online and 24 hours a day. This means that we need to schedule everyday building management activities – such as evacuation drills or construction work –around the needs of our tenants.”
MediaCity, Manchester.
Power is vital
Of course, power is of paramount importance for customers at MediaCity. “With live broadcasts and streams, there are critical environments where we cannot lose power,” says Ben Keen, Senior Workplace Technical Manager, “so we need to set up the contract so that the assets and tenants are protected.”
Supported by Chris Honde (Hard Services Manager) and Neil Beverley (Workplace Parking Manager), Ben is responsible for the site’s Maintenance & Engineering (M&E), which is currently provided by Equans as Service Partner. With a headcount on site of over 20 engineers, managers and administrative staff, Equans provides 24-hour engineering cover for MediaCity.
Security demands
With MediaCity being a prime events destination – having almost 13 acres of public, outdoor space – and home to key media outlets with celebrity presenters, security is always high on the agenda. As well as large-scale entertainment events, there is a lively programme of community events – including the We Invented the Weekend festival, classic car boot sales and Salford Triathlon –that take place in the Piazza and within the Gardens, but it is TV broadcasting that brings the biggest challenge. “The fact that some BBC national news and the ITV local news are broadcast live from here attracts protests and demonstrations on a weekly basis,” explains Tony Chebrika, Head of Security, who has worked at MediaCity for almost 16 years – since before the site even opened. “It can be anything from one person holding a banner to protests involving several thousand people. It’s fine when demonstrations are planned, but they are often impromptu. We meet regularly with the police at all levels and get fantastic support from them.”
Along with Natalee Watmough, Security Manager, Tony is responsible for ensuring that Securitas, the security Service Partner at MediaCity, fulfils the terms of its contract. Securitas has about 50 staff at the site, providing 24/7 cover through a shift pattern. Security staff also provide front-of-house services in three reception areas for multi-tenanted office buildings at the site.
Positive change
The transition into Workplace Operations has been a positive experience for the Operations team. “It’s been great,” says Helen Anderton. “Some of our other teams worked with Landsec relatively closely prior to the transition, but the Ops team didn’t – we were quite separate, so it’s been a big change for us.” As part of the transition, Workplace executives from London have visited MediaCity on a number of occasions and MediaCity staff have been down to Head Office to better understand Landsec’s processes and culture. “It’s been really interesting
Tony Chebrika, Head of Security.
All Service Partner staff will have more benefits and better sick pay –plus bonuses, which they only had at Christmas before. It’s nothing but positive and I can’t wait for it to start.”
Tony Chebrika, Head of Security
Dan Fairhurst, Soft Services Manager.
“The BBC and ITV are high-profile tenants with special demands. Broadcast criticality changes everything.”
Emma Parish, Workplace Operations Manager
Neil Beverley, Workplace Parking Manager.
Emma Parish, Workplace Operations Manager.
and everyone we’ve met on the Landsec side has been fab,” says Helen. “The opportunities for MediaCity are huge now that Landsec has purchased the final 25%. It’s a really positive move for us.”
Naturally, it has not all been plain sailing. “There are always challenges when you change employer,” admits Helen. “It’s just a matter of understanding a different way of doing things. It takes a long time to align one business with another –and there’s always the day job to do at the same time.” Emma Parish agrees that the transition required some effort but believes it has demonstrated the strength of MediaCity’s Ops team. “It’s not been without its challenges,” she says, “but we’re a close-knit and highfunctioning team; we work really well together. Where anyone has struggled, we’ve pulled together.”
Buddy system
Emma thinks that being paired with ‘buddies’ in the London Workplace team was helpful in the early months of the changeover. She was buddied with Aimee Hodgkinson, Workplace Manager, and was able to ask her whenever she had a query about the Landsec way of doing things. “That did make the transition a lot easier,” says Emma.
Ben Keen also found the buddy system helpful. He has only worked at MediaCity for a year, so the change came early on in his time at the site. He was partnered with Adam Donoghue, Senior Workplace Engineering Manager. “Adam has been a pleasure to deal with,” says Ben. “He has been on a number of visits here and he’s always available if I need anything. In fact, everyone I’ve met during my visits to London has been a dream to deal with, which is a big plus.”
Service Partners
A tendering process for all service streams is currently underway at MediaCity. The Ops team is busy reviewing the contracts and the ways of measuring success, which will be aligned to the processes and standards of Landsec | Aspire. The Service Partners for the site’s key activities of security, M&E and cleaning – currently performed by Securitas, Equans and Anchor respectively – will be selected later this summer.
“It’s a huge site with lots of demands,” says Emma. “Getting the scope and KPIs right takes time.” Emma is working on the cleaning contract, along with Dan Fairhurst, Soft Services Manager. The retendering is also taking a lot of Ben Keen’s time. “We’re working with Darren Pettit and the Procurement team on the contracts and scoring mechanisms,” he explains. While Chris Honde, Hard Services Manager, takes care of daily M&E operations –
MediaCity, Manchester.
Chris Honde, Hard Services Manager.
“The opportunities for MediaCity are huge now that Landsec has purchased the final 25%. It’s a really positive move for us.”
Helen Anderton, Operations Director
Meet the team
“The team have reduced the losses on the heat network since September from 47% to 32%, which is a significant improvement.”
Glenn Darlison, Aspire Service Delivery Director (Hard Services)
MediaCity, Manchester.
managing Equans’ response to issues, handling PPMs (planned preventive maintenance tasks) and communicating with the wider business and tenants –Ben’s role is more strategic, ensuring contract delivery and compliance.
“As part of the tendering process, the passenger lift element will be separated out to another Service Partner,” he explains. “That’s a big change to what we’re used to. We have more than 50 passenger lifts on site and we’re working with D2E, Landsec’s vertical transportation consultants, on this.”
Aspire at MediaCity
As part of the tendering process, Aspire will be introduced at MediaCity and baked into the new contracts. This is something that the Ops team is looking forward to, especially after some of them came down to London to attend the Aspire Staff Recognition Awards in March. “I’d never been to an awards ceremony like that,” says Helen Anderton, “where the landlord recognises Service Partner teams. It was really interesting to watch and I really enjoyed it.”
Ben Keen is anticipating a positive impact on the M&E Service Partner and delivery of the contract, due to the way in which Aspire will manage the response to reactive jobs. “Currently Equans use their own system, which we don’t have access to,” he explains, “so they run their own management reports. In the future, when the data is on our own platform, there will be far more transparency and accountability.”
Tony Chebrika is excited about the arrival of Aspire | Halo, our pioneering Health And Loyalty Offering. “All Service Partner staff will have more benefits and better sick pay – plus bonuses, which they only had at Christmas before,” he says. “It’s nothing but positive and I can’t wait for it to start.”
Helpdesk rollout
As part of the introduction of Aspire, MediaCity will soon be covered by the AspireAssist HelpDesk. “We’re working hard to prepare for the rollout of the helpdesk,” says Helen. “It’s not something our occupiers have at the moment – they come through us as a team. To have a dedicated response that enables them to raise any issues that they have will be a huge win for them.”
Members of the MediaCity Ops team have been spending time with the AspireAssist HelpDesk team in London to get to grips with the implementation. Tony recently spent three days with Shamora Dalhouse, Aspire Service Delivery Manager, and her team. He admits that he had been slightly sceptical about the idea of incorporating the AspireAssist service but now describes himself as a champion for it. “I think it will be absolutely fantastic,” he says.
Ben is full of praise for Shamora. “She’s brilliant and lovely – so helpful and so chilled,” he says. “Our experience with the team has been really good.” He and Chris Honde are busy documenting the
AspireAssist
various M&E work streams at the site so that the AspireAssist team can manage them. “We may do it in phases,” says Ben, “starting with one building and ironing out any teething issues before we roll it out to the full estate.”
Emma and Tony will sit in on Rapport’s annual review meeting with Alison Currell, Aspire Service Delivery Director (Soft Services), after travelling down to attend Landsec’s Spotlight Awards at the end of April. “We just need to learn how it all works,” says Emma. “It’s a process change for us and we want to get it right.”
Recent successes
The Ops team at MediaCity is currently celebrating two pieces of good news. The first is ISO accreditation – after a visit by external auditors, MediaCity has been included within Landsec’s scope.
“We’ve achieved ISO 45001 (health & safety) and BS 9997 (fire management) accreditation,” explains Emma. “This is something Helen and I have been wanting to implement for some time and we’re very proud of it.”
The second achievement concerns energy intensity. As you would expect, MediaCity consumes a considerable amount of power. “From an engineering perspective,” explains Glenn Darlison,
Aspire Service Delivery Director (Hard Services), “the site has the most complex high-voltage network in the Northwest, with a large district heat network feeding into some of the most prestigious television institutions in the UK. The site is full of complexities, such as three data halls across three buildings, an internal energy centre and heat rejection into the Manchester Ship Canal. The site teams have been working well to get the energy intensity down,” continues Glenn, “and the site as an average is operating at 170.2 kWh/m 2 . The team have reduced the losses on the heat network since September from 47% to 32%, which is a significant improvement.”
Ben Keen, Senior Workplace Technical Manager.
MediaCity future plans
Landsec has exciting plans for MediaCity. Last month, regeneration proposals for the site were approved by Salford City Council. These plans are in their infancy but aim to elevate MediaCity and The Quays into one of the finest waterfront destinations in the world.
In the short term, an exciting summer is planned. Last summer, seating was installed on the steps at the waterfront, with a big screen for visitors to watch films and the Paris Olympics. “This year we’re expanding the seating and adding some planting for people to enjoy,” says Helen Anderton. “We’re also putting more food and beverage operators in the lovely gardens we have by the tram stop.”
Helen is upbeat about the future and MediaCity’s role in Workplace Operations. “Aligned with Landsec’s goals,” she says, “we’re committed to keeping our customers front and centre and achieving a high net promoter score.”
1894
Queen Victoria opened Manchester Docks on completion of the Manchester Ship Canal, which connected Manchester and Salford to the sea
The docks closed
The Ship Canal Company was acquired by
The Lowry Arts Centre was opened
Imperial War Museum North opened
Construction of MediaCity began
Imperial War Museum North, MediaCity, Manchester.
Meet the team
2011
The BBC moved in, the University of Salford opened and the first TV series was made at dock10 studios
2012
MediaCity was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II
2013
Coronation Street’s production centre and ‘cobbles’ opened for filming
2021
MediaCity’s buildings became the first in the UK to achieve net zero carbon status and Landsec secured a 75% stake
2024
Landsec purchased the remaining 25% of MediaCity
“Aligned with Landsec’s goals, we’re committed to keeping our customers front and centre and achieving a high net promoter score.”
Helen Anderton, Operations Director - MediaCity
MediaCity Workplace Operations Headquarters.
An impressive 10.4% saving across Workplace energy Hard services update
Congratulations to Glenn Darlison, Aspire Service Delivery Director (Hard Services), his team and all Service Partners for their roles in achieving this fantastic figure, which contributed to the total reduction in energy intensity of 6.6% for the entire Landsec portfolio. This comfortably exceeded the target for the year of 4.5%.
Thank you to everyone who helped to achieve these energy reductions. Special thanks go to Salman Hasnat (Aspire Energy Manager), Landsec’s Workplace Technical Managers, Lorna Ireland (Energy Manager at BGIS) and Adam Nguyen (Energy Manager at Jaguar
Building Services) for their support for Glenn and his team.
“Well done to all and thanks for the hard work,” says Glenn. “However, we have set the tone now, so next year we are going to have to draw on our collaborative strengths and work even harder to hit the target of 200 kWh/m 2 across the portfolio.”
In 2024/25, the Workplace porfolio achieved a 10.4% reduction in energy intensity, resulting in savings of around 10,600,000 kWh, worth approximately £3,600,000.
80 Victoria Street.
Building of Excellence Quality League Table
“The criteria for our quarterly league table – which ultimately decides the winner of the Aspire Building of Excellence Award – have been reviewed and amended slightly,” explains Ross Wiles, Aspire Systems & Quality Manager. “This is to keep things fresh and relevant to each service stream.”
Ross gives marks against a range of measures during his unannounced visits, including activities carried out by members of the Landsec Workplace team, to ensure the efforts of the whole team are assessed. The amended scoring system for this year supports the company-wide project of modern slavery awareness and our whistleblowing policy.
“The final scores were very close last year,” continues Ross, “indicating that everyone made an amazing effort, helping to achieve our aim of excelling in the basics at all our properties. I wish you all the best of luck for the year ahead – keep doing what you are doing, and I look forward to seeing you at some point as I attend the sites you maintain so fabulously.”
The winner of the Aspire Building of Excellence Award for 2024/25 was 80-100 Victoria Street. The final positions in the Quality League Table at the end of the year are shown here.
The spot checks that determine the positions of properties in our Quality League Table have been tweaked for the 2025/26 year. Landsec | Aspire STAFF RECOGNITION
2024/25 WINNER
“I
have been seriously impressed by everyone at 80-100 Victoria Street. It would not be possible for Landsec to maintain the relationships it has with its customers if it wasn’t for the impeccable work of our Aspire teams.”
Ross Wiles Aspire Systems & Quality Manager
Aspire | Events
We build strong personal relationships between our Service Partners. Through social and professional events, the Aspire team is now stronger, more efficient and able to respond quickly.
Future events
The Aspire team is always looking for exciting new ways to integrate our members and bring our community TogetherAsOne.
As we look to arrange our events calendar for 2025, we’d love to hear your suggestions for events you would like to attend.
Please email your suggestions to aspire@ landsec.com today!
New recruits
A warm welcome to two new members of the Landsec | Aspire family: Jack Davies has joined Q&S as Contracts Manager, while Marzena Kubas has been appointed Hospitality Manager at 80 Victoria Street with BM Caterers.
Jack Davies
Contracts Manager, Q&S
Jack joined our landscaping Service Partner, Q&S Ltd, at the end of March. With a Foundation Degree in Ecology and Countryside Management, Jack has worked in horticulture for eight years, gaining experience across a mixture of large and small firms.
Born in Norfolk, Jack now lives in South London. In his new role, he is based at Cardinal Place but moves around the London portfolio to work on various projects. He is enjoying his new job so far. “It’s great,” he says. “Everyone has been very welcoming.” He thinks the best thing is the variety in his work. “It’s eclectic,” he says. “Every day is different. I’ve been doing everything from planting and refurbishing sites to people management and meetings.” He says the most challenging thing is learning the names of all the Landsec buildings. “There are too many!” he says. You can find out more about Jack in our ‘5 minutes with’ article in this issue.
Marzena Kubas
BM Caterers - Hospitality Manager
Marzena was appointed as Hospitality Manager at 80 Victoria Street in early March. With an NVQ level 2 in Hospitality & Catering, she has worked in the hospitality industry for 17 years, spending 13 of them with BM Caterers.
“I started off as a General Assistant and gradually began helping out with hospitality services,” she explains. “That’s when I discovered how much I enjoyed the client-facing side of the role and realised I wanted to pursue it further.”
Marzena is finding her new role interesting. “Every day is different, as I visit various locations, which keeps things fresh and engaging,” she says. “I enjoy the variety of tasks, from co-ordinating hospitality services to meeting new clients. It’s been a great opportunity to learn and grow.” She says that one of the most challenging aspects is delivering multiple lunches
to different locations simultaneously. “It requires lots of careful planning and teamwork,” she says.
Outside of work, Marzena enjoys playing tennis, working out to YouTube videos, spending time with her eightyear-old godson and hiking. “Whenever I go on holiday, I always choose mountainous destinations so I can walk, climb and unwind,” she says.
5 minutes with…
Jack Davies
Contracts
Manager, Q&S
What do you like to do outside of work?
I’m a water sports enthusiast. l love to canoe, go wild swimming and fish. I go canoeing on the River Medway in Kent and wild swimming at either Beckenham Place Park or the ponds at Hampstead Heath in London. Fishing is at the coast, beach casting for sea bass. I love it best in Norfolk, where I’m originally from – you can even have a BBQ on the beach while you’re fishing! I’m also a qualified scuba diver, which I’ve enjoyed on holidays to places including the Red Sea in Egypt, the Seychelles and Oman.
What’s on your bucket list?
I’d love to learn to fly a light aircraft, such as a Cessna.
Are you a fan of anything or anyone?
I’m a big fan of Steph Curry, the NBA basketball player with San Francisco’s Golden State Warriors. He’s been at the top of his game for years and his dedication and talent are an inspiration to young people all over the globe.
Do you have any mantras in business or in life?
Enjoy life!
What would you say is your greatest achievement?
Prior to my current career, I owned a successful events catering business. We catered for weddings, christenings and parties. We also did regular events for a cage-fighting company. It’s something I’d love to do again in the future. I’m a self-trained chef and enjoy cooking – especially Asian food, such as Thai and Sushi. Have you been inspired by anything you’ve seen, read or experienced lately?
Seeing a close family member fighting a serious illness. Their bravery is inspiring and puts everything into perspective.
What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you were younger? That it’s OK to make mistakes. Nobody is perfect.
Do you have any regrets?
Like most people, I’ve had moments that I could have handled better, for sure.
Do you have any pets?
Yes – a British Shorthair cat. He’s a silver tabby called Bailey. He’s very confident and friendly. He goes into all the neighbours’ houses. He’s a real character.
What’s your all-time favourite movie?
I love films, so this is a difficult one. I love Scarface. It’s an iconic film, with brilliant acting by Al Pacino. What was your first ever job?
I had a paper round when I was aged 10. This was in Norfolk and I set it up myself – I went to the newsagent to arrange it and knocked on doors in my small village. After that, I delivered the newspapers every Saturday. What would you say is your best skill in business?
People management. I love to guide others in order to achieve targets.
What’s your favourite part of your working day or week?
I really enjoy opening up my laptop on a Monday morning and seeing what challenges lie ahead for the week. And your least favourite?
Anything financial. I’m not a numbers person!
Rooftop gardens at Verde on the Cardinal Estate.
“Please ask us about anything to do with gardening; we’re always happy to help.”
Q&S
Ollie’s marathon marvel
Huge congratulations to Oliver Harris, Workplace Support Assistant, for completing this year’s London Marathon. Ollie’s run around the streets of the capital on Sunday 27 April has raised an amazing £3,345.00 so far for our charity partner, Caxton Youth Organisation.
Crossing the finish line after 5 hours and 30 minutes, Ollie was delighted to manage to finish the race. “It was a brilliant atmosphere all day and everyone was very encouraging,” says Ollie. “The heat caught me off guard and I also rolled my ankle on Tower Bridge, but I didn’t let that stop me from finishing.”
If you’d like to sponsor Ollie and help raise funds for Caxton Youth Organisation, please visit justgiving.com/page/oliver-harris
Garden tidy at Caxton
Many thanks to Q&S for sprucing up the small area of garden at Caxton Youth’s Pimlico base recently. Pictured here is Ricky Elliott, a member the team at our landscaping Service Partner, tidying up the beds around the charity’s building earlier this month.
bold
Ricky Elliott, Q&S.
Police pop-ups at Nova
Well done to the Bidvest Noonan team for liaising with the Metropolitan Police for officers to deliver crime prevention pop-ups at the Nova estate recently.
The events took place over three consecutive days at Nova North, Nova South and n2 in late March. One of the themes discussed with customers and visitors was spiking – that is, giving someone alcohol or drugs without them knowing or agreeing.
Thank you to Sean Bates, Estate Security Manager for Bidvest Noonan, and his team for helping to make these valuable sessions possible and raising awareness of crime in the local community.
Suits you, sir!
Kudos to the team at Bidvest Noonan for donating their retired uniforms to the workplace skills charity, Circle Collective. united
“Following our uniform refresh last year,” explains Melanie Innes, Strategic Account Manager for Bidvest Noonan, “our teams collected all the old uniforms and sorted them, so that those still in very good condition could be dry-cleaned and donated to Circle Collective. These uniforms will help equip young individuals for their
interviews and provide them with suits as they enter the workforce.”
On 21 March, the retired uniforms were collected from all sites and delivered to Circle Collective’s base in Canary Wharf. “We’re proud to report that we were able to donate a total of 67 suits,” says Melanie.
MYO Victoria Street.
This month at MYO
It’s all change this month, as we welcome Acuity as our new front-of-house Service Partner. We will have an in-depth introduction to the Acuity team in next month’s issue, but you can find out a little more about them here. I’m also delighted to introduce Aroob Sajjad, who joins the team at MYO Piccadilly – do pop by and say ‘hello’ to her if you’re passing.
Becca Munroe
Workplace Operations & Experience Director
Welcome to Acuity
Acuity has been appointed as a Service Partner for MYO, replacing Amplify from 1 April. The Acuity team are supporting with the day-to-day member experience – including concierge and meeting room services – across all seven MYO properties.
Acuity is an award-winning company that takes pride in tailoring its services to meet the operational requirements of its clients, while also reflecting their corporate culture.
Aroob joins MYO Piccadilly
As Tania Dias steps into the role of Workplace Manager from 28 April to cover Manon Bockenmeyer’s maternity leave, the team at MYO Piccadilly welcomed Aroob Sajjad earlier this month. Aroob will be based at MYO Piccadilly and will work closely with Tania in running the space. She brings valuable experience from her time at WeWork as a Community Associate, where she successfully
delivered a range of exceptional events for members.
In her spare time, Aroob enjoys painting, cooking and roaming around London’s canals on her bicycle. Asked what’s on her bucket list, she says: “Developing a script for the (small) screen.” She says that what she likes about working in the flexible office space market is the sense of community. Welcome, Aroob!
ONLINE DASHBOARD FOR PORTFOLIO-WIDE ACCESS With the Aspire Learning Library available now, please contact your line manager for easy access to the online dashboard.
Landsec | Aspire is always looking for your feedback to help us give praise where it’s due. Whether you’re a team member or a Landsec customer, let us have your Player of the Month votes and winners will be featured in One Magazine.
What are the Aspire Staff Recognition Awards?
Every month a ‘Player / Team of the Month’ is selected from nominations by you, other Aspire team members and Landsec customers. Winners receive a certificate and some well-deserved prizes. It is a credit to everyone that each month lots of nominations are received, illustrating just how good the Aspire team is and how team members are held in such high regard by the people they work with.
How do your workmates reflect the Aspire purposes?
— Customer Service — Excellence
— Integrity
— Respect
Each month we salute the people recognised by you for exceptional performance or for simply being a great team member. Nominations can now be made by emailing aspireplayerofthemonth@landsec.com or directly via WhatsApp on 07702 908921 Aspire PLAYER OF THE
Safety comes first
CCongratulations to Ali Agip of Bidvest Noonan for winning our Player of the Month award for March.
Ali demonstrated exceptional bravery and professionalism during a dangerous incident at 123 Victoria Street recently. “When two of our operatives were threatened with a knife,” says Wilson Sterling, Vertical Manager for Principle Cleaning, “Ali took immediate action
by safely removing the individual from the site. He also ensured the safety of our team by keeping them inside until the police arrived. I’m extremely proud that Ali followed protocol and ensured all relevant parties, including the police, were immediately informed.”
Many thanks to Ali for handling this serious incident in such a calm and efficient manner.
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