Meet the team – Richard – Field Operations Manager – North
Welcome to our series of ‘Meet the Team’ – this time we collared Richard Lazell, our new Field Operations Manager for the North.
Date joined Swiftclean: 28th October 2024
What’s the best thing you did recently?
Went to see Matt Rife (American comedian and actor) at the Apollo in Manchester.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I would still like to have the patience to learn to play the guitar.
What was your first job?
I had two paper rounds back when I was 13, that was when people actually read them. I remember having to deliver the Sunday Times and the 80 supplements that came with it!
After that I started my actual working life as a warehouse operative and delivery driver as a YTS trainee.
What book or movie have you recently read/seen and why would you recommend it?
I recently watched the first five episodes of The Day of the Jackal on Sky at the weekend. I also recommend Sweetpea.
What fictional place would you like to visit?
The Mos Eisley Cantina on Tatooine from Star Wars, bit of a fan!
What’s something you’re planning on doing in the next year that you’ve never done?
So next year I am planning to drive over to the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany in my Audi TT to tick off one of the items on my bucket list. I have always been into cars and have completed a couple of track days in the UK, so thought that this would be a good way to celebrate my 50th.
What’s something that recently made you smile?
A simple thing like going out for dinner to our favourite restaurant Hickory’s Smokehouse, with my very supportive wife Caroline.
What is your 15 minutes of fame?
Pick of two really, when I was working at Sky, I installed Sky for Sir Bob Geldof two days before Christmas with one of my engineers in Faversham after they had just moved in. Whilst we were installing the phone line my engineer was crouched behind a table and one of Sir Bob’s Brit awards fell off and hit him on the head.
More recently I was captured on the news on TV, with my wife on the pitch at Stockport County celebrating them winning the league 2 title in May.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard?
Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it! (from Ferris Bueller,one of my favourite movies).
What’s your dream job?
The cheesy part of me would say, I have just landed it however I have always wanted to be a football manager.
What has surprised you about the job in the first few days?
I suppose I would have to say the onboarding and induction process, right from being offered the role to the end of my first week everything has been clear. Everything has pretty much gone to plan, and I feel that this has helped me settle in quicker than I have at other roles I have previously had.
