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OBITUARY
Mr Derek Marsden (1931-2022)

It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the recent passing of a long-time friend and colleague to many in our industry and a lifetime ambassador of the Institute.

Firstly, of interest to many is when Derek was born as he never admitted his age to any of us over the years. He was born overlooking the hallowed turf of Elland Road, Leeds United football ground of whom he was a lifetime supporter.

Prior to his long and valued career in the cleaning industry, Derek had left school at 14 years of age to work in engineering followed by a call-up to National Service where he served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. After a brief spell experiencing student life studying engineering, he found his vocation in teaching. After positions at both Huddersfield and Bradford Technical Colleges he was appointed as lecturer at Leeds College of Building where he founded his long-term association with the cleaning industry and stayed until his retirement.

There, Derek’s extensive contribution to cleaning was through training numerous students, certainly hundreds if not perhaps a few thousand in their City & Guilds 764 Cleaning qualifications along with their BICSc Cleaning Operator Proficiency Certificate. Many ongoing careers in cleaning are a tribute to Derek’s enthusiasm and tenacity. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Derek served as a member of the BICSc Training and Education Committee with a key role in writing as well as delivering BICSc qualifications. In 1997 he was awarded the Eric Hill Memorial Medal for his contribution to Training and Education – an accolade he was extremely proud of.

In addition to his central role Derek was a focal point of the BICSc Yorkshire Branch and later North East Region where he was treasurer and master of the purse strings for decades. As well as being a loyal and long serving member of the regional/branch committee he was involved with the organisation of local exhibitions, regional conferences and seminars, keeping the accounts for numerous activities and events including the famous regional christmas lunches.

Long after his formal retirement from college life, Derek continued supporting BICSc as both an assessor and moderator, and was well known by many for his visits to Her Majesty’s Prisons as well as neighbouring colleges and in-company BICSc training centres.

Personally, Derek found time for many activities; as a sportsman being a keen walker, golfer, swimmer and enjoyed bowls where he represented Pudsey Vets in the Bradford League and with an active interest in the theatre and amateur dramatics.

His greatest love was always his family where he leaves Jean, his wife of over 65 years, children Paul, Elaine and Alison along with four grandchildren – James, Jennifer, Billy and Olivia.

Membership | Training | Standards

BICSc is the largest independent, professional, and educational body within the cleaning industry providing training and education, setting standards and procedures for cleaning. BICSc membership now stands at over 50,000 individual and corporate members in the UK and Internationally.

We are a membership organisation that strives to bring recognition of the vital role cleaning operatives play in everyone’s day-to-day life.

Whether you’re shopping, travelling, working, holidaying or recuperating, every one of these scenarios has cleaning staff striving to ensure that the environment is not only clean but also safe.

Founded over 60 years ago, BICSc key objective is to promote the value and professionalism of the cleaning industry, providing training in the key skills required to enhance a cleaning operative’s core role whilst keeping them safe and encouraging them to work in a more effective and efficient manner.

With a range of both practical and theoretical qualifications available, BICSc has something to help further the career of every cleaning professional from entry level, through to supervisor level, and up to an employer with your own business tendering for cleaning contracts.

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