Since TCom disbanded, building and maintenance work has relied on volunteers. While this has worked to some extent, the lack of coordination has sometimes led to delays and additional costs. Council have therefore agreed to employ Dmitri as a Caretaker and IT Support for an initial period of 6 months at 8 hours per week. We chose Dmitri for several reasons. Dmitri has stepped in repeatedly to repair equipment and keep our facilities running. His initiative, reliability, and technical skill have already saved St Ursula’s church significant money by reducing the need to employ external contractors. His status as a refugee also means it is difficult for him to find paid employment.
The benefits for us as a church are that we can ensure continuing reliable and cost- effective building maintenance and have a single point of contact for all Maintenance and IT matters, just as we had with Tcom.
This is a recognition of Dmitri’s significant voluntary contribution to date, aligns with our Christian mission of helping others, and enhances his employability and financial independence.
Dmitri started his work officially on the 3rd November. If you notice any maintenance issues that need dealing with, please channel them through Pieter, or Maria in the office. If you wish to offer your services within the Maintenance or IT team then we would also love to hear from you.
Author: Sue Higson