Gordon’s grounds for an honour
Posted on 3 January 2014
Gordon, who joined the University 20 years ago, heads up a 25-strong team of grounds staff with responsibility for maintaining York’s 500-acre parkland campus, plus grounds at the Kings Manor site. As well as a year round programme of planting, pruning and grass cutting, estates staff also maintain the University’s sports pitches and assist in campus waste management and recycling services.
Gordon played a pivotal role in developing the landscape of the University’s Heslington East campus, a site now supporting growing populations of wildlife and wild flowers.
He studied horticulture at Askham Bryan College and worked at the University of Leeds before joining York as grounds supervisor.
Gordon said the award was a tribute to the hard work and effort of the grounds staff: “The work we do is high profile and is always on view. The campus grounds are like the public face of the University and it’s important they are always maintained in good condition. We also do a lot of work to support the biodiversity of the campus to make sure it is a suitable habitat for wildlife and wildflowers.
“Although I oversee and direct the work, the hard labour is carried out by the grounds staff so this award is a reflection of their very successful efforts.”
The campus was awarded a Green Flag by the Keep Britain Tidy charity for the first time in 2013. Gordon and the estates team have also received two Vice Chancellor’s awards, including one to recognise support for improvements to the community nature reserve at St Nicholas Fields in York.
Meanwhile, York alumnus and writer Anthony Horowitz received an OBE for services to literature. The best-selling author and screenwriter specialises in mystery and suspense books for children and teenagers including the popular Alex Rider series. He was awarded an Honorary Degree by the University in 2010.
Notes to editors:
Find out more about the work of Estates Services http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/estates/
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