It is the coldest day of term so far, but sitting in the housekeeping office at Murray Edwards College, coffee in hand, I am toasty warm. Sitting across from me are Kerrie Farrow, the Housekeeping Manager, and Natasa Hart, one of three Housekeeping Supervisors. Kerrie is six months into her time at Murray Edwards, having previously worked at Trinity College for five years, and Natasa has been here for nearly three years, previously working at both King’s and Gonville and Caius colleges. Between them, they have a wealth of experience in Cambridge college housekeeping departments – and a lot of insights to share.

Both of my interviewees previously worked in different industries before gravitating towards the Cambridge college sphere. Kerrie worked in hospitality and reflected on the differences between a hotel and a college environment. She said that there were, “people coming in and out; you didn’t get to know the clientele, whereas when you’re in colleges you get to know the students and see the growth as they go up the years.”

Natasa had previously worked as a “nurse assistant,” explaining, “I tend to go back to colleges, I can’t say because it’s easy, but it has a very friendly vibe and you’re amongst young, smart people.” Both of them note the camaraderie between staff members in the college. Kerrie agreed that, “it’s a comfort when you’re at a university and all of the different departments sometimes get together – it becomes like a unit.”

“Both of them note the camaraderie between staff members in the college”

Michelle Dinning, the Assistant Housekeeping Manager at Hughes Hall, spoke about her experience when she “started more than 20 years ago.” Like Kerrie and Natasa, Michelle worked in a different position. She mentioned that she, “started as a part-time cleaner working 25 hours and have worked my way up to be Assistant Housekeeping Manager which I’m proud of.”

She too felt a strong community spirit at her college. Michelle reflected on the beginning of her time at Hughes Hall: “There were only seven of us originally, plus a Housekeeper and a Domestic bursar; and today, we need 14 housekeepers, two supervisors, me, and our Manager, Tomasz, to keep on top of it all. There were so few of us – it really was like a family. I suppose it still is – just a bigger one!”

Housekeeping involves logistical challenges, with flexibility and compassion being fundamental. Staff balance student needs while continuing to meet high standards. Natasa noted that, “housekeeping isn’t an easy job – it’s more than just cleaning, and it is one of the departments sometimes that is the most overlooked.” Especially in exam season, housekeeping staff often endeavour to work around student schedules and strive to be accommodating. Kerrie tells me that, “in the exam period, it’s slightly different because obviously we don’t want to disturb the students or cause distress, so we try to avoid certain things like hoovering and cleaning certain days and areas.”

“The relationships that students develop with housekeepers can make them a first point of contact for welfare considerations”

This relationship is widely recognised and appreciated by students. One HML student at Murray Edwards College  said, “I would say that the team are incredibly friendly. They always smile and say hello. They are almost always up for a chat and it’s nice to have a good rapport with someone who works so hard to keep your communal spaces clean and tidy every day.”

Care for students also often extends beyond logistical matters, with Kerrie adding that “housekeeping isn’t just about cleaning, it’s also taking care of students, [and] checking welfare.” The relationships that students develop with housekeepers can make them a first point of contact for welfare considerations; when asked about a particularly impactful moment in their job, the housekeeping team at Murray Edwards concurred, “We found Covid hard as interactions in college life took a step back,” showing how important good relationships between housekeeping and students can be in staving off isolation in university life.

Sometimes, these bonds go beyond a chat or check-in: Paul Parrish, Maintenance Manager of Hughes Hall since 2005, told me about one particular student who “still donates money to the college every year since he left to pay for staff cakes at our weekly coffee mornings. I think it’s his way of making up for any trouble he caused!” Kerrie also recalled how, when she worked at Trinity College, her team “used to go and see the students off (at graduation) and you could see the students looking for their cleaners, bed-makers.”

With the festivities of Bridgemas approaching, as students are getting ready to depart back home, the housekeeping and maintenance teams remind us of how lucky students are to have such a supportive network of people who make Cambridge feel less like a formidable institution and more like a home-from-home. Paul tells us: “My office is full of Christmas cards, photos and postcards from so many brilliant people. I’d never have met them if it weren’t for Hughes Hall.”