Meeting House Jobs

Jobs for paid staff

1.Lettings (Judi Brill, Redland Bookings Administrator))

  • Correspondence with potential room hirers, including making detailed arrangements for lettings.
  • Thorough induction (including covid precautions, general health and safety, insurance and other terms of letting), by correspondence, phone calls, Zoom.
  • Scheduling lettings and fielding any hiring-related problems to pass on as appropriate.
  • Financial administration and record-keeping, following AM policies.
  • Liaison with Redland Meeting over letting priorities and other related issues, including through membership of Redland Meeting House management group and Redland Resources Hub.
  • Supervision of Redland Premises Assistant.

2. Building maintenance and support for hirers (Reem Khreisheh, Redland Premises Assistant)

  • Collaborate closely with Redland Bookings Administrator to ensure successful rooms hire and space usage.
  • Lead preliminary site visits by new hirers, preferably with Quaker ‘welcomer’ present as well as paid staff member. On-site induction to covid-cleaning responsibilities of hirers and their role in setting out and returning furniture and other equipment, fire exits, first aid, security, covid test and trace records. Facilitate hirers’ use of electronic equipment, including projection equipment and internet.
  • Some assistance with setting out chairs and tables for specific large events (but small groups and Quaker Meetings to set out their own furniture, restoring to previous condition after use).
  • Regularly monitor the building for any problems which need fixing, including weekly check on heating, lighting, state of cleanliness after cleaning company visits. Some light cleaning and minor maintenance jobs as agreed with Redland MH management group (eg change light fittings, maintain clocks, adjust heating, assist with storage).
  • Maintain covid cleaning caddies and hand sanitising stations. Order cleaning materials.
  • Review rooms and toilets after hirings, at least three times a week. Back-up cleaning of contact points and refills for cleaning caddies, paper towels, soap dispensers, toilet paper. Empty bins and put out large bins and recycling boxes/bags for Friday collection.
  • Book and accompany people responsible for regular maintenance visits: eg servicing boiler and lift; fire safety inspections and fire extinguishing equipment; emptying sanitary bins in women’s toilets; electrical inspection and testing.
  • Make arrangements for repair work with appropriate tradespeople, in consultation with Redland Meeting House management group and Redland Resources Hub/Local and Area Meeting as required.
  • Assist with premises surveys and implementation of outcomes, as required and in consultation with Friends.
  • Report-back on contract cleaners’ work to Redland MH management group.
  • Share responsibility for oversight of Health and Safety in the Meeting House, working in partnership with the Friend identified as Health and Safety coordinator for Redland Meeting.
  • Participate in meetings of the Redland Meeting House management group and Redland Resources Hub. 

3.  Cleaning (Totol Cleaning Services)

  • Regular weekly cleaning contract, on specified terms, supplemented by occasional deep-clean, floor polishing, window-cleaning etc. as required.

4. Gardening (Esther Giles)

  • Gardening contract for maintenance of front garden areas throughout the year (approximately 24 hours work per annum.) To include provision of equipment.

Jobs as Quaker Service

1. Hospitality/ Welcoming MH users

  • Friends to familiarise themselves with basic information about Meeting House facilities. An up-to-date digital MH Handbook has been created and is available on Google Drive as a source of reference.
  • Take responsibility for Quaker notices, wall displays and outdoor publicity. Create a friendly and welcoming environment including outreach information about Quakerism (no leaflets and other literature during pandemic, but posters allowed). Encourage and assist displays by children and young people in the Meeting House.
  • Provide a Friendly presence when new hirers visit Meeting House, including accompanying paid staff during first site visits, understanding and reinforcing practicalities of hiring, and explaining the purpose of Redland Meeting House as a local community centre as well as a place of worship. Keep in touch with hiring organisations and help them make their work known to Redland Meeting.
  • Provide a Friendly presence during Quaker events, to include help with practical aspects such as assisting covid safety practices. Encourage Friends to comply with necessary regulations for distancing, cleaning, ventilation etc. Help to keep test and trace records, re-supply t&t table in the foyer, respond appropriately to any t&t alerts.
  • When covid regulations permit – help provide hospitality in other ways, including refreshments, through Sharing Circles and in relation to specific events. Encourage sharing of flowers, fruit and vegetables.
  • Follow guidance from Children and Young People team on how to make the Meeting House a welcoming place for children.

2. Back-up for paid staff

  • Assist induction of new room hirers and keep in touch with hiring organisations (see above).
  • Work in partnership with paid staff to keep the Meeting House safe, clean and well-maintained.
  • For example, be prepared to do a limited amount of back-up cleaning after hirers and Quaker events. Make sure Quakers are ‘model hirers’, keeping to covid rules as well as to the general requirement to leave rooms clean, restore furniture to its previous position and lock up securely.
  • Be willing, on an occasional basis, to be present when tradespeople require entry for essential maintenance.
  • A couple of Friends need to be willing to respond to emergency phone enquiries from hirers (who will be encouraged to keep such calls to a minimum). Mark Smalley and Julia Bush have volunteered for this duty. Such calls will normally be made in the first instance to Judi Brill, who will redirect calls as appropriate. 
  • Help develop appropriate ‘cover’ arrangements during staff absences for leave or sickness.
  • One Friend will act as Health and Safety coordinator for Redland Meeting, working in partnership with paid staff.

3. Quaker committee work

Redland Resources Hub meets quarterly (or more often when required) to discuss issues related to the care and maintenance of Redland Meeting House and its users. The Resources Hub oversees care of the Meeting House premises and Meeting House hospitality. It develops policy and makes decisions on related matters, with reference to Local Meeting, Area Meeting Committees and Area Meeting Trustees as appropriate. It includes a Managing Friend with direct responsibility for communication with paid staff and a Friend who acts as Health and Safety coordinator Other Friends may choose to be involved mainly in building maintenance or mainly in hospitality. The Resources Hub includes Friends responsible for managing Local Meeting finance, working in close collaboration with the Area Meeting Treasurer and Trustees.

Redland Meeting House management group meets every month to make decisions on day-to-day practical matters related to care of the Meeting House. It includes three Friends who are members of the Resources Hub (Mark Smalley, Michael Tuckwell and Julia Bush) and two paid staff (Judi Brill and Reem Khreisheh).

Major premises projects will usually be managed through an ad hoc group of Friends, drawn from the Resources Hub and elsewhere in LM/AM. Project managers will be employed if required.

June, 2021 (revised March 23)