What has Maintenance Manager, Connor Reeve, being doing during lockdown at Mersea Island Holiday Park?

2nd June 2020

I don’t think there’s any getting around the fact that COVID-19 has been a devastating situation, throwing all of us into situations we never thought we’d be in. I couldn’t believe it when we had to close the park. But whilst it’s been quiet, it has allowed me to complete some additional jobs around the park that previously myself and my team would have struggled for time on, which is a plus.  

This has included things like thoroughly washing down holiday homes - they can become discoloured, so it’s been good to take time to make them look sparkling. We’ve definitely had the weather to help with this too – the park looks amazing in this glorious sunshine which makes things easier! We’ve also focused on the landscaping around the park - from grass cutting, grass trimming to painting flower planters and boarders - these are the little touches that our owners love, a place where they can come to and be proud of. 

Our facilities also still need looking after so the work hasn’t stopped. We’ve been doing little fixes and touch-ups, such as adding a lick of paint to the pool areas, our bar and guest services. The pool has also been drained and had a thorough clean. I feel very proud when I finish these kinds of jobs and cannot wait for the facilities to be in use again, and for everyone to enjoy them, it’s not the same without everyone here.  

And of course, part of my job has been to make sure our areas are safe for the return of our customers, owners and our team members when it is safe for them all to come back. This was, of course, an absolute priority from the business and so I’ve been putting up sneeze screens in Guest Services, fixing hand sanitiser stations to certain areas around the park, laying roundels that stick to the floor showing 2m spaces to make sure that we all social distance, putting up posters to remind guests to wash their hands and posters for team members too to remind them to wear their PPE – this is essential moving forward.   

The team that has still been working have been amazing, we’ve kept each other’s spirits up – with plenty of story sharing and plenty of tea! And of course, we’ve kept in touch with those who have been furloughed to, checking in every so often to make sure that they are OK. It’s going to be nice to have everyone back, we can’t wait for this.  

There’s no denying that this has been a very strange time but we’ve got to focus on the positives haven’t we? For me, I’ve enjoyed the park being a little more peaceful than usual, being able to work in the glorious sunshine and getting to spend time outdoors as well as the fact that I can carry on doing my job working. Working on the attention to detail and making sure everything is beautifully crafted has been my pleasure. 

I can't wait to welcome our guests back soon!

Connor