The City of Wolverhampton staff and former staff members share their memories of Paget Road Campus, Wolverhampton, which is closing.

Express & Star

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00:00Yeah, lots of mixed emotions. Staff have been here a long time. This is the second home to many.

00:05So we're having a little bit of a gathering. We've got some food, we've got some drinks, we've got a quiz,

00:10a Padgett Road quiz to celebrate our times here. And it's just really for us all to come together to say a final farewell.

00:17Final farewell to the building that's been part of your lives for so long, honestly.

00:20Yeah, since 1962. It's been a long time here.

00:23So with the new building then, what have we got to look forward to? Can you pick out a few things that we've...

00:27It's just fabulous. It's just complete contrast.

00:31It's going to be so much more accessible for our students and staff to be able to get to it.

00:35It's going to be more modernised, so obviously more modern facilities, classrooms.

00:40It's just going to change learning as we know it.

00:43Absolutely brilliant. And we're holding quite a huge key as well, aren't we?

00:46So what does this unlock? Is it the IT room, is it?

00:48I think it probably is the server room.

00:51You reckon?

00:51I reckon. There's probably some hidden treasures in there that we'll find as we open it up for one last time

00:56and then lock it up for good.

00:57Absolutely fantastic. But everyone's looking forward to moving over to a new location?

01:01Absolutely. I mean, it's been a long time coming.

01:04There's obviously going to be nerves.

01:06There's going to be concerns about moving from a home that has stood here for such a long time in the college

01:12into a city learning quarter, into the city.

01:14But very much we're looking forward to it.

01:16And it's right. It's happening now.

01:18So we're here with Wendy and Pally.

01:19So if you don't mind just to introduce yourselves, how long have you been here for?

01:24Yep. So I'm Wendy. I'm one of the quality managers and I've worked here since 2004.

01:29I'm Pally Caw. I'm the curriculum manager for business and sport.

01:32And I've been with the college for 32 years.

01:34Fantastic. So obviously we're here today for sort of like a last meet and greet in a very iconic building.

01:40You know, everyone that's got a lot of history.

01:42What's the emotions that you're feeling at the moment? Joy? Sadness?

01:45I think it's a bit of everything. I think we're really happy about the new building and we're so excited about it

01:50because it is so amazing and it'll be great for our learners.

01:53But there's a bit of nostalgia around Padgett Road and how lovely it is.

01:57There's a lot of teams and a lot of friendships being formed here that we need to take to see our queue.

02:01But it is a bit of a sad day. We've got a little wall that we're all signing to say goodbye, aren't we?

02:06Yep. It is a sad day. But we've had many happy memories as well.

02:09And that's what I'll take away with me.

02:11So it's lovely to see everyone here. And that's, I'm really enjoying.

02:15I'm enjoying the nostalgia, as you said.

02:19So if you can pick one each, if you can pick one nice memory from the time here,

02:25something that stands out, what do you reckon it would be?

02:26For me, it was always looking after my access team on the fourth floor. Definitely.

02:32There's two things, not one.

02:33When the Championship Cup was brought here for walls, that was the highlight of my life.

02:38And looking after my business team upstairs on the third floor.

02:41Oh, absolutely lovely. So looking forward to starting at the new building then, yeah?

02:45Absolutely. Really excited. It is exciting. It's beautiful as well.

02:49All right, so we're here with Sue Sprague. Sue Sprague, you've got a long history at the college, haven't you?

02:52I've got a very long history at the college.

02:54So I came here as a student to do GCSEs when I was 16. Stayed here for four years, went off and did a degree, came back, teach a training.

03:03And that's 28 years ago and I've never left. Because this place has been amazing.

03:08So I owe it a real gratitude, real debt of gratitude. Made some amazing relationships, made some amazing people.

03:15Oh, that's fantastic. So you seem to be like one of the ones who's had the longest history.

03:19I mean, what's the feelings? What's the feelings today? So we're here as the last meet and greet. What's the feelings?

03:24Very mixed at the moment. We're all staying together as a team and the new building is amazing.

03:29But it's very nostalgic and it's very sad. So in my head, it's like I used to sit over there as a student.

03:36I used to go up those stairs and sit in that room. So it's very mixed at the minute. Very emotional.

03:41So what's your, are you excited? Are you excited to move to a new location?

03:45We've been in and it is brilliant. But it's, I can't, I get lost. I can't find my way around at the minute.

03:51But it's just, it's going to be great for the students. Everything is shiny and brand new.

03:57And some of the equipment is absolutely brilliant. So for our students, it's the best thing that could have happened to them.

04:04So we can't wait to get started. We're really looking forward to getting our students in and giving them the best experience we can.

04:10That's brilliant. And we are, we're asking one question of everybody. We're asking one question of everybody.

04:14Yeah. If you can pick one memory from the college, from the building, which one stands out the most?

04:20That's going to be an interesting one, isn't it?

04:22I think the first day of being here, of turning up as a student, of being welcomed, of asking, I want to do this qualification.

04:32And just straight away, people saying, yeah, welcome, come on board.

04:36And that's what we do here, is welcome people in.

04:39And if we can, get them the qualifications they need to go on and do other things.

04:44Absolutely. And long may it continue in a new building.

04:47We will, we will.

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