Draft27-12

Una Says
As the new leader of the ‘Disability
Confident Group’ within IPSA
I have been obliged to start
attending functions again. Since I
was diagnosed as clinically blind
three years ago my life changed
drastically. I stopped attending
meetings and events, our regular
correspondent Una Riley tells us.
A night of honour
Pictured above: BTP
Chief Supt Martin Fry,
Sheriff Neil Redlciffe,
award winner PC
Wayne Marques and
WCoSP Master Stephen
Anderton
Photos courtesy of Una
Riley
28
Una Riley has worked
on behalf of many
security industry
associations. She is
Master Emeritus of the
Worshipful Company of
Security Professionals
and separately a Past
Master of the Guild of
Public Relations
Practitioners.
The only event that I kept in
the diary was the Professional
Security-Women in Security
(WiS) awards. However, that has
all changed and now and I am out
and about again. One of the first
functions that I wanted to attend was
the Masters Annual Dinner of the
Worshipful Company of Security
Professionals (WCoSP). This
company is dear to my heart since I
was one of the founders and devoted
a lot of time to it when it began its
journey. I was privileged to preside
as Master when we transferred from
being a Guild to Company status.
The next transition was when Peter
French presided as Master from
Company to Worshipful Company.
Having not attended livery functions
for some time since I lost my sight I
was amazed at the warm welcome.
It was lovely to drink in the splendid
surroundings of the Merchant Taylors’
Hal, one of the ‘Great 12’ Livery
Companies in the City of London.
Sixes and sevens
One of my favourite things about the
City of London is the history and how
it reaches forward from ancient times
to modern life. It never ceases to
amaze me how many of the ‘proverbs
and sayings’ that we use as part of
contemporary language emanate
from the City. One of my favourite
maxims is ‘being at sixes and sevens’.
This adage came about in the Middle
Ages when a dispute arose as to
who was number six and who was
number seven in order of procession.
Merchant Taylors’ or the Skinners?
Both claimed to be the sixth!
However, this was later resolved by
the order of precedence established in
1515 under Henry VII. It was decreed
that the companies would take it in
turn, year in, year out, having the
DECEMBER 2017 PROFESSIONAL SECURITY
Merchant Taylors being sixth in
odd-numbered years and the Skinners
in even-numbered. To this day the
tradition is upheld and they take it in
turn in the procession.
Catch up
Amidst these beautiful surroundings
it was wonderful to catch up with so
many people that I had not seen for
years (forgive the pun) and it was a
night to remember, made even more
special by the welcome by the Master,
Stephen Anderton. As the 17th
Master of the Worshipful Company
of Security Professionals he is the
essence of a security professional.
He was a career officer in the Royal
Air Force with the final appointment
of Commandant General RAF
Regiment, heading force protection
and security. He is a graduate of the
Royal Air Force Advanced Staff
College and the Defence Strategic
Leadership Programme and now
works as an independent adviser and
consultant to the security and defence
industries. His business acumen is
backed with an MA in Corporate
Business Management.
On the night
The Master not only has the
experience of charitable endeavours
within the WCoSP, but he is also a
Trustee and Board member of the
Lady Grover’s Fund, a Friendly
Society supporting the armed
services. On the night of the annual
dinner the atmosphere was filled with
that charmed atmosphere that to me is
only associated with the WCoSP. That
might sound a bit romanticised, but it
is true. Since its inception in 1999 the
WCoSP has had a different ambiance
and feeling to it than any other
security organisation that I have been
involved with over the years; and
Una with Worshipful Company
stalwart and former Control Risks
chief exec Nigel Churton
there have been many! I guess it goes
back to the day when it all started
and we called together the founders.
Just getting those people in the room
with one common goal was the start
of something different. It was at that
time when all those involved had the
aim of giving back to the profession
that had sustained them. Not only
did we want to become the charitable
arm of the profession; we also wanted
to introduce a cultural ethos on
behalf of the wider world of security.
Our original aim was to encourage
standards of excellence. We intended
for all security practitioners involved
with the WCoSP to conduct business
with integrity and honourable
practice. We also intended to aid
societies and others connected with
the security profession. That ethos
was culturised at the very beginning
as a Guild of the City of London and
that foundation still prevails.
Something back
Members of the Company can now
benefit primarily by being able to give
something back to the profession and
by supporting the WCoSP’s
charitable works. Apart
from all the hard work and
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p28,9,30 Una 27-12.indd 1 18/11/2017 14:42