Enjoy your retirement, Audrey! 

Community members at Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries (RSBi) said a fond farewell to their long-serving Union Learning Rep Audrey McJimpsey, who retired at the end of August 2023.

Audrey has been with RSBi Glasgow (Glasgow City Building) for 18 years, and a Community ULR for most of that time, spending those years creating an inclusive learning culture that has undoubtedly changed the lives of Community members.

RSBi is a supported workplace where more than 50% of the employees have a disability. During her time as a Community ULR, Audrey has facilitated courses in a wide range of subjects, including:

• Literacy and Numeracy
• History
• Cyber Security
• Mental Health
• Employability
• BSL
• IT courses
• Respect in the Workplace
• Diversity
• Additional Support Needs (ASN); and
• Disability Awareness.

These courses, alongside regular events such as Learning at Work Day and national awareness days, have meant that the onsite learning centre at RSBi has become a place that every employee is comfortable coming along to – with almost every RSBi employee having taken part in at least one course, with many of them regular attendees.

Audrey has also supported many young people with additional support needs from local schools on their journey through RSBi’s Schools Programme, to gain meaningful supported employment within RSBi and then onto mainstream apprenticeships with Glasgow City Building.

Audrey won the STUC Helen Dowie Award for Lifelong Learning (Learning Rep of the Year) in 2008, and was presented with her award at STUC Congress by the then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. Audrey was only the third recipient of this award and the first Community ULR to win it.

As well as her ULR role, Audrey was also a Workplace Rep and union activist, and she hopes to continue to play an active role in the union after retirement.

Everyone at Community, and especially the Community Glasgow staff, NEC and all RSBi members, wish her well in her retirement and thank her for her amazing contribution to our union.

Audrey is pictured with Community Branch Secretary and NEC Member Steven McGurk.

Interested in becoming a Union Learning Representative?

If you are interested in becoming a Community Union Learning Representative, please speak with a Community Rep at your workplace if you have one, and they’ll able to explain what opportunities are available.

Don’t have a Rep at work, or want further information? Contact your regional team today to see what opportunities are available.