News

On Thursday 23 July, Robert Harris, Facilities Manager for the past 13.5 years, farewelled Radford College and said hello to a seven-day weekend. Here he recalls some of the highlights of his time at Radford.

Many would agree that the College grounds always look exceptional. During his time at Radford, Robert oversaw a team of 10 staff and took pride in the grounds and their upkeep: “…one of the nicest looking schools around”.

Robert was very proud to be a member of the Building and Grounds Committee and the associated new developments. In late 2005 when the Early Learning Centre was nearing completion, Facilities just had the high school to maintain, with less than 1000 students at the time. Since that time, the school has grown to more than 2000 students and Robert has been involved in the following major developments: the Design and Technology building, Junior School, Mackinnon and Morison Centre buildings. When reflecting on these projects at his farewell, Robert noted that the Boat Shed at the lake was a completely different undertaking because of the location and the fact he had a boat named after him.

“The ELC project sticks in my mind because it was one of the early ones and I spent a lot of time there; the boat shed mentioned earlier and I’m sure that I will be haunted by the Morison Centre till my dying days – it was one of the buildings that didn’t go quite according to plan – they have all been different”.

What did he enjoy most out of his time at Radford?

“…a big variety of good people have come through Radford and I have made a lot of good friends here that I will miss”.

“…the grounds have been one of my favourite places. We have spent a lot of time on the ovals, putting in solar panels and the water tanks were particularly positive additions to the College”.

Robert is proud of these additions to make the school more sustainable. For those who weren’t aware, Robert has a farming background, and he shared that most farmers are environmentally conscious so this was important for him and he was glad to be involved in these improvements.

In retirement, Robert is looking forward to being able to spend a lot more time with family, having a 93-year-old mother and 10 grandchildren between the ages of 1 and 20. One of his passions is antique furniture restoration: “I have quite a bit in my garage that needs fixing so that will keep me busy for the next couple of months”.

On a personal note, I had the pleasure of meeting Robert in 2018 when I decided to take on organising the Radford Fete – I really could not have asked for anyone better to help me on the day. His direct approach and no-nonsense attitude, and his commitment to checking the weather patterns for me every 15 minutes on Fete day – telling me not to worry! – are just some examples of Robert’s dedication.

We wish you all the very best, Robert, and thank you for your outstanding contribution to the College.