Our Amazing Estates Team
St David’s College has an incredible estate team, some have been with us for many, many years keeping the school grounds looking beautiful and the buildings ship-shape.
St David’s College has an incredible estate team, some have been with us for many, many years keeping the school grounds looking beautiful and the buildings ship-shape.
Estates manager Paul Gibson is in charge of his team of nine staff that includes plumbers, carpenters, electricians, grounds keepers, and many more trades. The longest serving is Hywel Williams who has worked here for more than 35 years. Hywel, who maintains the minibusses as well as general maintenance work. He has left his mark over the years when carrying out repairs and upgrades, as the current team keeps coming across his name while stripping out walls and doors, he has noted the date on the back of plasterboard or other materials and the date of the repairs even giving a name check to his own children and their ages at the time.
They are a truly amazing team and we are very lucky to have them,” said Paul. “Hywel has been here the longest but some of the rest of the team have been here for a long time too; they range from 5 or 6 years to 20 plus. It really is a testament to them, their dedication to St David’s College and our pupils.
He added: “You really can’t fault them, as they’re always pulling together, it’s always a real team effort.”
As reported in the local press there are exciting plans afoot at St David’s that will see incredible new facilities across the site, we have been working on a new masterplan for the school over the past 2 years, and with this now completed its time to make a start on these exciting new developments.
The school recently demolished the old sports hall to make way for new development. Its removal is all part of a £15m refurbishment project across the site.
The sports hall was beyond repair” explained Paul.
“For the medium-term use of this area, we will be replacing it with a lovely outdoor seating area, enclosed with wrought iron railings and some additional landscaping, the area also benefits from stunning views over the mountains, so will be a great place to relax, for long term use, there will be a new performing arts centre developed on the site.
“We are also going to be putting significant investment in a new 3G full-size rugby and football pitch.” We are currently preparing the planning application for this development, which is the first of many new developments within the new school master plan.
Paul added: “We are also restoring the original chapel, and the project has already thrown up some surprises with a beautiful fireplace being revealed surrounded with the most beautiful Delft tiles.” When completed in September, it will be a stunning room situated within the beautiful main building.
Another project the busy team is involved with is the continued refurbishment of Snowdon boarding house, work will continue throughout the summer holidays.
Most of the refurbishment work is done in-house, with the team always going for the extra mile, to ensure the work is completed on time.
Paul added, “It is a huge complex site, with Grade 1 & 2 listed buildings and grounds, we are all very proud and passionate about the estate and our work on the continued maintenance, refurbishment, and restoration of the buildings and grounds, which provides the pupils and staff with a wonderful place to live, study and enjoy