UPDATE RE TENANTS FORUM ON 25 AUGUST
We held our monthly Tenants’ Forum on Teams on 25 August. Thanks to all those who attended.
MONTHLY UPDATE: Craig Renton, Chief Operating Officer at The Crichton Trust welcomed tenants and partners to the meeting.
THE CRICHTON TRUST UPDATE:
By Craig Renton, Chief Operating Officer, The Crichton Trust
Key points of interest:
- Follow up actions from last meeting:
- Business Community Engagement Manager: Someone has been appointed and is due to start in early October. Further details will be shared soon.
- House Meetings: At the request of tenants in Hestan House at the last meeting, Susan Sutherland will be in touch with tenants to organise a House Meeting asap.
- Venues Update: Easterbrook Bistro remains closed due to staff shortages and recruitment challenges, but we are in the process of recruiting staff and hope to be able to open the Bistro and Swimming Pool very soon (pending a new booking system). Meanwhile, we are pleased that Crichton Central continues to be busy and events at Easterbrook Hall are starting to take place again.
- Tenants and Buildings: We continue to welcome and attract interest from new and potential tenants to The Crichton. The Crichton Trust will be relocating their offices from the ground floor of Grierson House to the upper floor and work is underway to welcome a number of new tenants including to Galloway House which is a new Wellbeing Centre with a range of services including podiatry, massage and hairdresser.
- Crichton Parkrun: We are delighted to confirm that Crichton Parkrun started again last weekend and will now take place on a weekly basis again at 9.30am on a Saturday morning. Everyone is welcome to get involved whether walking, running or volunteering.
- Research & Development: Jennifer Challinor has recently joined our Senior Leadership Team as the Head of Research and Development and is busy working on a number of projects and initiatives including an Active Travel initiative to help review how and when we travel (for both health and environmental reasons). As an example Jennifer is planning a Cycling Week in the Autumn to encourage people to cycle to and from work.
- Defibrillator Campaign: The Crichton Trust is continuing to run a Defibrillator Campaign which includes offers for tenants/partners who might want to buy a defibrillator for their place of work and/or offer training courses on the use of CPR/AED. The Trust is also fundraising for another publicly accessible defibrillator for The Crichton (onging). More information can be found on The Crichton blog: https://www.crichton.co.uk/prepare-to-save-a-life/. As part of this campaign a new defib has been located outside Crichton Central and both the Holiday Inn and the Crichton Golf Club have purchased defibs for their premises (both of which are publicly accessible). The Crichton Trust also has a defib outside Easterbrook Hall.
- Doors Open Day: The Crichton Trust is taking part in the annual Doors Open Day weekend again this year on the 4th and 5th As a result the Crichton Memorial Church and Crichton Central will be open to the public (free entry) over that weekend from 11am to 3pm on both days. All welcome and more information is online.
- Crichton Briefing (now quarterly): Due to take place on 7th September at 4pm. At this meeting Gwilym Gibbons, Chief Executive of The Crichton trust will provide an update on plans for the future of The Crichton. The format of this meeting is still being discussed but is likely to take place from Crichton Central with an opportunity to join remotely. Details will be shared on the website and social media asap. The Crichton Briefings are for staff, tenants, partners, suppliers, stakeholders of The Crichton. UPDATE: Please join via Teams –Click here to join the meeting
- Tenants’ Forums: As always, if any of our tenants would like to provide an update at any future meeting, please let Craig Renton or Caroline Bell know. This is a good opportunity to meet other tenants and to let others know what you do.
Q&A/Other Updates:
- No Smoking Policy: Professor Carol Hill from the University of Glasgow put forward a proposal that The Crichton Trust might consider promoting the estate as a ‘No Smoking’ campus. She thought this would be in keeping with other wellbeing initiatives. Clair McFarlan from the Solway Firth Partnership also shared her concerns about the volume of cigarette butts outside offices. Action: Craig Renton agreed to discuss this with the Senior Leadership Team, and although supportive of initiatives to reduce smoking, he had concerns around the policing of such an initiative.
- D&G Car Park Survey: Clair McFarlan from the Solway Firth Partnership shared a link to a D&G Car Park Survey that they are currently conducting and invited tenants and colleagues to complete the online survey. Click here to access the survey: Dumfries and Galloway Car Park Survey (surveymonkey.co.uk)
- Defib Campaign: Kathryn McMickan asked for further information about the Defib Campaign and the opportunity to make a donation. Caroline Bell confirmed that 50% of the funds required to buy another defib for The Crichton has been raised through Just Giving. A further £700 is still required and all further donations would be most welcome. A few places are still available for the September training courses if anyone colleagues or tenants would like to sign up. Click here to donate: https://link.justgiving.com/…/donate/charityId/3090092
- Coronavirus and office/home working: A discussion took place with those present around the current status of Covid-19 in D&G and the status of colleagues returning to work. Some members of staff are starting to return to the office, while many continue to work from home or to combine office and home working and recognition that everyone has a different view/anxieties/preferences around current and future working practices. Professor Hill confirmed that University of Glasgow staff and students would be returning to work/study on the estate over the coming weeks. Action: Gordon to reinstate cleaning services for UoG.
- Green Gym: Professor Hill also asked about the status of the Green Gym proposal that was discussed previously. A discussion took place around a number of active/wellbeing initiatives currently being considered by Jennifer Challinor as part of her new role.
UPDATE FROM OUR TENANTS/PARTNERS
With apologies to all those who attended from Joyce Harkness at SHAX, who was scheduled to provide an update at this meeting, but was unable to join us due to technical difficulties at the time of the meeting. Joyce will provide an update at the October meeting instead.
REMINDER TO ALL TENANTS:
Find out more about all tenants on The Crichton Directory – www.crichton.co.uk
If you are a tenant at The Crichton, please remember to keep your profile updated on The Crichton Directory – complete the form at the top of the page or email: news@crichton.co.uk
Please encourage your colleagues to sign up to The Crichton Trust Newsletter which is accessible in the footer of our website and to browse The Crichton Magazine.
If you would like to provide an update at future meetings, please get in touch.
The next Tenants’ Forum will take place on Wednesday 29 September at 11am and will include an update from The Crichton Trust. As usual, tenants will receive an email invitation from The Crichton Trust with joining details for Teams. Any queries please contact the office on 01387 247544.
The next Crichton Briefing (now quarterly) will take place on Tuesday 7 September at 4pm. All welcome. Please join the meeting on Teams – Click here to join the meeting
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