Lorraine is a cleaning and service matter expert with over 30 years experience within the industry. Her career has involved a mixture of senior operational and business development roles all in outsourced cleaning and facilities management sectors but particularly specialising in the technically complex healthcare and education sectors.

Lorraine was the only member of the private sector invited by Graham Jacobs of the NHS Workforce and Facilities to be part of the select steering group that developed the cleanliness section of the government’s Department of Health new PLACE ‘Patient Led Inspections Initiative’ which replaced the annual PEAT inspections. Following this work, she was invited to work with the DoH/AHCP PAS 5748 steering group (known as the Rotherham Group) which reviewed the PAS 5748 guidance published in 2011. This work was recognised when BSI submitted it for public consultation, and it was subsequently incorporated and adopted into the revised PAS 5748 (2014) edition.

Lorraine was a founder member of the ‘BSA Cleaning Advisory Group’ which advises and lobbies the government on cleaning related matters; this work has resulted in the launching of ‘The Responsible Cleaning Operator Scheme’ 2015 which was nationally acclaimed and endorsed by the UK Cleaning sector.

Soo has worked in the cleaning and FM industry for over 30 years, working her way up from a cleaning operative in local schools when her children were little to her current position as Technical Director for Birkin Services.

Soo first became associated with BICSc in 1992 when her then employer, OCS, placed her on a BICSc training course at SC Johnson Wax at Frimley Green. From that moment on Soo was hooked and started using BICSc best practice and applying the standards on every account she worked with. In 2001 she took her BICSc association one step further and completed more BICSc COPC skills with SC Johnson Wax (now Diversey Sealed Air) at Frimley Green and continued with her qualification to become a BICSc assessor.

Since 2001 Soo has trained more than 300 managers, supervisors and cleaning operatives in PBICSc and CPSS skills and has opened four ATP training hubs for her employers, along with developing in-house induction training programs for her staff to lead them into BICSc Licence to Practice and CPSS 2.0.

Soo has continued her education with BICSc and has now qualified in delivering training and assessment for Accommodation Skills within the CPSS skills suite.  In 2011 she was elected onto the BICSc Council.

Five out of five council meetings attended in 2017

Lorraine has been a member of BICSc for over 16 years. She is also the current Chairman of the Employers Group for Cleaning Industry Apprenticeships.

Lorraine came to cleaning from a career in catering; BICSc was the first course she completed, and from the first day of chemical competency, she was hooked and wanted to train and assess to BICSc standards.

At the time there was no local branch meeting, so with help from BICSc headquarters, in 2005 Lorraine restarted the London & Home Counties region. It is now thriving with many events throughout the year. In 2013 she was honored to be made a Fellow of the Institute. 2013 was also the same year Lorraine became a member of the Worship Company of Environmental Cleaners and achieved the Freedom of the City of London.

In 2012 Lorraine became Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner, training first aid, IOSH and NEBOSH courses along with all other health and safety courses. She has a passion for training, mentoring and coaching people, and therefore it has been a natural progression to turn this devotion into a career.

Health and safety and the environment is Lorraine’s specialty, and she currently represents BICSc on the Cleaning Industry Liaising Forum, a committee set up by the Health and Safety Executive to oversee health and safety in the cleaning industry.

Lorraine has worked in the service industry, across many sectors and has a broad portfolio of experiences including overseeing companies in achieving accreditations in ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, Investors In People, and other safety accreditations

Three out of five council meetings attended in 2017

Melanie has worked in the cleaning industry since 1983, initially supporting her way through college by cleaning, then progressing through various industry sectors such as food manufacturing, commercial cleaning, and industrial cleaning, before moving into facilities management.

On joining VINCI, Melanie encountered a facilities management company who subcontracted out all of their services. The lack of training, support, and passion towards cleaning by the subcontractors and VINCI Managers inspired her to create a framework to enable VINCI to self-deliver.  Melanie focused on innovation and recognition of achievements both internally and externally. Three years on VINCI now employ over 650 cleaning operatives.

BICSc gave the recognised standard and became the core element in VINCI’s delivery, utilising its methodology in their RAMS. VINCI now have a rolling programme of BICSc accredited training to ensure that all managers, supervisors, as well as cleaning operatives, are trained.

Melanie is a passionate supporter of BICSc and believes that she can contribute to its future, as a client in being objective, giving an FM business perspective and assisting in the development of a sustainable strategy to ensure an economically viable future and to remain a prominently recognised force in the delivery and advancement of cleaning.

Four out of five council meetings attended in 2017