Meet Paul Marper – the powerhouse who keeps the Campus ticking

Paul Marper isn’t the kind of person who sits still - and that’s exactly what makes him the heartbeat of the Campus for Future Living. 

As Campus Facilities Coordinator, his day can start fixing a faulty switch, move quickly into ordering stock for the café, and end juggling budgets, compliance or stepping in to serve customers when things get busy.  

It’s a role that defies a neat job description ... and Paul embraces that. “There’s always something happening,” he says. “I never come to work and have nothing to do.” 

Paul joined the Campus in September 2025, just a few months after it opened, looking for a better balance between work and home life. What he found was something more meaningful.  

“I really love it,” he says. “I love being busy… I enjoy seeing the impact it has on others.” 

Over the past year, he has watched the Campus grow from a new and little-understood space into a thriving community hub. Nowhere is that more visible than in the café.  

Under Paul’s watch, and with a dedicated team around him, it has gone from tentative early days to a genuine local success story - growing month-on-month and even being named “Best Breakfast in Town.”  

But for Paul, the real success is in what the space represents. “It’s not just about the financials,” he explains. “It’s about being friendly, welcoming… nothing’s ever too much. People come in, they relax, they connect.” 

That connection is at the heart of everything.  

From the community garden - where freshly grown produce is already making its way onto customers’ plates - to new initiatives and events, the Campus is increasingly shaping everyday lives.  

Paul remembers a simple conversation with a visitor that stayed with him. After trying a new café offer, she said she would come back every week.  

For someone experiencing loneliness, it meant routine, conversation and connection. “We have a massive impact here on people’s lives,” Paul reflects. “Some people don’t realise how far that goes.” 

The Campus itself is evolving rapidly too. A major milestone has been the arrival of the NHS, with Lincolnshire

Partnership Foundation Trust now delivering mental health and wellbeing services from the building.  

It’s a significant step, both in terms of membership and meaning, bringing vital support into the heart of the community and strengthening the Campus as a place for health, education and connection. 

For Paul, one moment stands out above all others. The Inspiring Futures Awards in March 2026 brought months of planning to life in a seamless, high-energy celebration.  

“I got home that night and just sat there and thought - what an amazing day. How good are we?” he recalls. 

It’s a sentiment that captures the past 12 months perfectly. The Campus is still growing, still evolving, but is already creating something powerful.  

And at the centre of it all is Paul: fixing, organising, supporting and, in his own words, simply doing his bit to make sure “everyone’s happy, it’s safe, it’s clean, it’s tidy.”