Going the extra mile during the COVID-19 pandemic

20 October 2020

Here at Derwent Students we have put a lot of extra effort into ensuring our students are well looked after during these trying times. We recognise that being away from home, often in a different country, can be stressful for some of our residents.

Graham Brown, Hyndland House

In Scotland our student accommodation, Hyndland House, has been really going the extra mile to look after their students. Our scheme manager, Kayleigh Stevenson, shares what’s been happening in Glasgow.

Kayleigh explained ‘High praise goes to Graham Brown, who looks after all the maintenance at Hyndland, Graham has gone above and beyond his job role to help our students. Since September, as Glasgow went into a local lockdown, those that have been in quarantine or self-isolating have been very well supported by Graham’

Graham has made his very own ‘meals on wheels’ style trolley and delivers all food ordered by the students to the door of their rooms. He has befriended all the delivery drivers from the various supermarkets so that when they arrive a Hyndland House they can off load their deliveries straight on to Graham’s delivery trolley – this has kept access to the building to a minimum and has been really appreciated by the delivery drivers.

Graham has also helped those students who are self-isolating and cannot leave their rooms with meal preparation, he’s cooked them pizzas and made sure their food is safely stored in the fridges and freezers and reminds students of what food they have available so nothing goes to waste.

Graham treats each student in his own unique way, keeping them cheerful with his regular knocks on the door to check their OK. He has also supported the rest of the team at Hyndland helping where needed in his own inimitable style.

As Kayleigh said ‘I am proud to have Graham on my team, his personal approach is really something special during this time and his work ethic has shone through and has been very appreciated by the students, who absolutely love Mr Graham’