August 1, 2014, by Jill Bennett
Knowing me, knowing you – part IV
Welcome to the fourth blog in our get to know you series. Today we feature….
Name
Jill Bennett
How long have you worked here?
I have worked at the King’s Meadow campus at the University for 9 years. During this time I have always been employed with Community Partnerships although my role has evolved quite a lot.
With my colleague Jacqui (that’s me in black)
What do you do?
I am the Information, Projects and Systems Coordinator, which sounds like a very lofty title but really means that I sit as the central administrative person in the team. I provide support to one of the project managers, have a couple of my own community projects, sort out the finance and just generally encourage everyone to use the office systems I have spent time setting up.
What is the best thing about your job?
The best thing about my job is being able to work with a community organisation and provide them with something that is really helpful and valuable to them. For instance, I have worked with Estates in donating good quality used office furniture to small voluntary groups who have limited budgets. Organisations are always grateful as things like desks are necessary but very costly so this kind of scheme is of real benefit to them.
What did you do before working here?
Before working here I did a number of years in other administrative or finance roles. I also worked for a charity committed to preventing youth homelessness and for a market research company testing pet foods (on dogs and cats, I didn’t taste it myself). Immediately before I came to the University I was a Funeral Arranger with ‘the Co-op’. This was probably the most interesting job I have ever had, and although I was only there for about 7 months, I am really glad I did it.
Most unusual job?
My most unusual job was checking hairnets for holes. Beat that! Actually it is not as ridiculous as it sounds, you would be surprised how many hairnets develop extra large holes during the manufacturing process. This was a job I did at home when my children were small and I needed to earn some extra cash, and was probably the least interesting job I have had.
How do you relax?
I relax by reading, watching Eastenders (someone has to) and spending time with my family. I also love to walk during the autumn and winter, not long walks, just enough to enjoy the damp leaves and the cold.
Tell us a joke
Q. Why do hippos wear red toenail polish? A. To hide in cherry trees. Have you ever seen a hippo in a cherry tree? No? Must be working then!
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