Five Minutes With… Ed Evans

My name is Ed Evans and I work as a Lodge Porter here at St Catz.

Q: What does your role in the Lodge involve?

It’s a mixture of things, mainly engaging with students day-to-day, inquiries, visitors, contractors and so on. We triage phone calls, issue keys, check guests in, and prepare for arrivals. We also monitor fire alarms, check first aid kits and defibrillators. So it’s a great mix of different responsibilities.

Q: Has anyone you’ve welcomed into the Lodge stood out over the years?

We’ve had a number of well-known people stay here, Cameron Mackintosh visiting professors, quite a few recognisable names. But also students stand out. You see them when they first arrive and grow over time, which is nice.

Q: What’s a typical day like, or is there no such thing?

It’s fairly typical in structure. We’re here 24 hours a day as a team, so there’s always a handover from the night staff. Then it’s check-ins, check-outs, directing people, answering phones and emails, we get hundreds a day. We also deal with mail and parcels. In term time, we can receive hundreds and hundreds, it’s like a revolving door. People order everything online now, even the smallest things, and they arrive in huge boxes.

We’ve got pigeonholes and a parcel room behind the Lodge, there are thousands of items moving through. It’s busy, but it makes the day go quickly. You definitely don’t get bored.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment it’s the changeover period. Students are leaving, some are moving rooms to make space for conference guests, and we’re preparing for an incoming conference.

Rooms have to be cleared and checked, and we also store belongings for international students who go away. That’s quite a big job, making sure everything is logged and stored properly.

Q: Does term feel like it comes around quickly?

The longer I’ve been here, the quicker it goes, definitely!

Q: What’s a favourite memory from your time at Catz?

I really enjoy the College balls. The first one I worked on here stands out. It’s great, everyone gets dressed up, there’s dinner, dancing, music. It’s a huge event. It it’s always a great feeling seeing everyone enjoying themselves and coming together.

Q: What’s something people might not realise goes on behind the scenes?

There’s a lot! First aid checks, key management, general organisation. The key system alone is huge. We operate a two-key system, track everything, and manage conference keys as well. There must be around a thousand keys in total, so keeping that organised and accurate is a big responsibility.

Q: How would you describe the atmosphere at Catz in three words?

Open. Liberal. Friendly.

Q: Do you have a favourite spot in College?

I don’t get much time to go around, but I love the Hall. It has a cathedral-like quality, very high ceiling, a great feeling when you’re in there. It reminds me of Coventry Cathedral, which I visited as a child. It has that same sense of space and atmosphere, especially when it’s full.

Q: What do you like to do outside of work?

I like going to the pub, and I read a lot. My background is in hospitality, so I’ve worked in front-of-house roles most of my life. I grew up in the profession and have always enjoyed that kind of work.

Q: Any favourite authors or books?

I’m very fond of Tolkien, I’ve read The Lord of the Rings four or five times. The first time was on a two-week boat journey to South Africa, so I read the whole thing then.

Q: If you could go anywhere in the world for a weekend, where would it be?

Mauritius. I worked there in 1982 in a hotel. It was a beautiful place and not as touristy as it is now.

Q: What makes Catz special to you personally?

At my age, it’s great to work with younger people and see how they live and enjoy life, and hopefully help them where I can. I think students today face different kinds of stress than we did, society has changed, communities feel more fragmented. That does concern me. But Catz is one of the better colleges when it comes to welfare. There’s a lot of care, infrastructure and organisation that goes into supporting students and staff, and that makes it special.

***

If you’d like to spend Five Minutes With… us, drop the team a line at collegecomms@stcatz.ox.ac.uk to find out more.