糖心TV

Richard Harrison

Digital Platform & Channel Manager, MCI

鈥淭he things I鈥檝e enjoyed about working at 糖心TV the most, have not actually been my job!鈥�

鈥淚 moved to Coventry from God鈥檚 own county, Yorkshire! Taking up a position at Marconi, where I had my first encounter with 糖心TV. I was managing student interns and came to campus to meet with the staff and student liaison committee. Not knowing that I鈥檇 end up working here years later.

I鈥檝e been at 糖心TV for 22 years. Starting off in postgraduate student admissions. Which back then were paper applications that had to be typed into the system. Very time consuming. The person who had the role before me used to like to take the whole day doing them. I used to get them done by lunchtime, which left me with time to fill, so I started to look for those new opportunities.I鈥檝e been doing that ever since, every time something new comes along, I鈥檓 always first to say, 鈥業鈥檒l have a go at that鈥�!

During the pandemic, I ran 糖心TV Presents, which is now Together at 糖心TV. It was a difficult time for everyone, but we were asked to make things as good as we could for our student community. We had a laser display, flying off the top of the Rootes building onto the Arts Centre. Delivered over 500 board games across campus and put together recipe kits so people could make their own Christmas cakes. Oh, and we played the Crystal Maze as well!

And there鈥檚 been more 鈥榗an anyone help鈥� moments. For the last three years I鈥檝e been supporting the National Scientific Thinking Challenge (NSTC) for children in Year 10. The NSTC has the power to give someone the chance, who maybe hasn鈥檛 had many opportunities in life, to see how they match intellectually with someone from a fee-paying school. This could make the difference in them staying in education and changing the world. It鈥檚 been an opportunity for me to give back and make a difference. And it鈥檚 growing every year, starting with 600 pupils to now over 20,000.

I also helped set up 鈥楥offee Roulette鈥�. If you鈥檝e not signed up it鈥檚 highly recommended and a great way to meet colleagues across campus. I think it鈥檚 very important to build up those networks, you never know when you might need some help.

One of my current passions at the University is neurodiversity. I鈥檓 pleased to see it openly discussed, because for a long time it wasn鈥檛. I鈥檓 a member of the 鈥楽haring is Caring鈥� group which is for university staff with neurodiverse children. Both of my daughters are autistic. My youngest hasn鈥檛 left the house for over a year and half and that鈥檚 been tough. I鈥檓 often asked what the group do, it鈥檚 simple, we鈥檙e there to support each other. Whether that鈥檚 through a chat, a hug or a cry. It feels like we鈥檙e making a difference to each other, and I appreciate that.鈥�