27-11draft

Guarding
london property put to test:
Covenant silver
The contractor Servest has gained the
silver award from the Armed Forces
Covenant Employer Recognition
Scheme (ERS). This official
UK award recognises facilities
management services firm’s support
for UK defence personnel. ERS offers
bronze, silver and gold awards for
employers, public and private sector,
that show or advocate support for the
armed forces, and align their values
with the Covenant. Although now
formal through the Covenant, Servest
says that it has supported the armed
forces since the South African firm,
based in Bury St Edmunds, began in
the UK. The company has actively
encouraged flexible working for
military spouses, and has Reserves
and Cadet instructors in its ‘ranks’.
Jason Etherington, MD of Servest
Security, is himself a former senior
British Army officer. Pictured left
to right are Rob Legge, Group CEO
of Servest; and Lieut Col Marcus
Brown, Commanding Officer 6
Regiment Army Air Corps. p
Contracts in brief
The Queen opened the Queensferry
Crossing in Scotland in September.
Charlie Common, head of security for
Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors
praised contractor SecuriGroup: “The
company has deployed a dedicated
supervisor to the site and guards who
operate from fixed security posts and
as mobile patrols. The company has
worked closely with the project’s
head of security and has been active
in assessing threats and drawing up
appropriate responses.” p
l G4S retained the security contract
at Baghdad International Airport,
after a competitive tender. The multinational
first won it in 2010, and has
taken on more responsibility such as
Rapiscan x-ray machine maintenance.
Raymond Dalglish, a retired Scottish
policeman, is project manager; staff
are largely Iraqi. p
Silver Fox award
FM Contract Watch have been
contracted by Moor House
Management Services (Savills) to
carry out audits as tests of the contract
security at Moor House in the City
of London. On September 27, Lynda
Moore of Contract Watch presented
the 2017 Award to Anthony Insula, of
Ultimate Security, for a pass rate of
100pc when he was tested by a Silver
Legal team
A contract for guards and supporting
receptionist to the City law firm Weil
in London EC1 has gone to The Axis
Group. The services will be delivered
through group brands Axis Security
and Acuity. Margaret Lloyd, Head
of Facilities and Front of House
for Weil, said: “We knew that they
already provided security services to
other law firms, so they understood
the working culture of a law firm
where the day never really ends.” p
Leicester anniversary
Mick Creedon, the recently-retired
Derbyshire Chief Constable was
among speakers at a University of
Leicester event to mark 30 years of its
department of criminology. Leicester
in Scarman Centre days was a pioneer
of security and risk management
degree courses. Creedon, who started
with Leicestershire Police, has
become an honorary visiting fellow at
Leicester. p
Fox auditor in January. This is the
second year running that Anthony’s
actions have led to him receiving this
award. Madeleine Pugh, Operations
Manager at Moor House, was
delighted with the result and thanked
Anthony for his continued excellent
work. Pictured left to right are Lynda
Moore, Madeleine Pugh, Anthony
Insula and Ultimate Contract Security
Manager Mike Harding. p
Body-worn partner
Mercury Security Management, the
Northern Ireland-based company,
has a new partnership with a
manufacturer of body-worn cameras.
Belfast-based Pinnacle Response’s
products are for use by police forces
and the security sector, and have been
sold in 30 countries. Customers have
included Rolls Royce and Chelsea
Football Club. Mercury, based in
Lisburn with offices in Dublin,
Limerick and London, will provide
its security staff with the cameras,
and use Pinnacle’s Digital Evidence
Management System, for footage to
be uploaded to a server. As the firms
say, body-worn cameras have become
more prevalent in the security world
in recent times due to their portability
and use as a deterrent and way of
de-escalating situations. Mercury
Director Francis Cullen said: “We
have invested more than £5m in the
last decade into the latest technology
and training available to us, so we
can provide innovative, holistic
security solutions to our ever growing
list of clients.” Privately owned
Mercury reports it’s having a busy
year as it’s working for household
names including Harvey Norman,
Castlecourt Shopping Centre, Smyth’s
Toys, Lifestyle Sports and HMV. p
About the Defence
Employer Recognition
Scheme (ERS)
Other silver holders
include Wilson James;
Chubb Fire and Security;
Corps Security; and FGH
Security. Gold holders
include Serco.
Pictured left to right are
Pinnacle Response Sales
Director Alan Whitley
and Francis Cullen of
Mercury
Photo courtesy of Mercury
Security Management
www.professionalsecurity.co.uk NOVEMBER 2017 PROFESSIONAL SECURITY 21
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