This is a little poem I penned for two lovely lovely colleagues and friends who are moving on to pastures new.
Way into the distant night, when others’ work is done,
a couple work by candlelight, long after the sun.
An awesome twosome, some might say; some say ‘an institution’,
give ‘em an inch and they’ll do the rest, they could start a revolution.
Nothing these two can’t achieve – dinners, graduations.
Nothing outside their domain, (well, they are Stakeholder Relations!)
May I recount a favourite tale, of these two HE treasures?
T’was Manchester 2010, I thus recount these pleasures.
Whilst at a party conference, you’ll guess it was for Labour,
the Mack turned on the famous charm, so to rope in a favour.
A small request or so it seemed, but it was hard to gauge,
we wound up on the conference front row, ten yards from the stage!
Slightly dazed, we then shook hands with leaders of the day.
As we gazed forth, they stared back, thinking, “Who the **** are they?”
‘Tis just one tale, there will be more, we can’t recount them all,
they’ll go out of their way for you, nothing too big or small.
So say it true, but soft and low, away from prying ears,
their combined effect on UoB, has grown over the years.
No-one’s irreplaceable; their work will carry on,
But I think I’ll miss‘em loads; I’ll know it when they’ve gone.
Robbie Roberts 