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Crowd Safety Management Students Graduate

Buckinghamshire New University has announced the successful graduation of the third cohort of Crowd Safety Management students. The Foundation Degree in Crowd Safety Management was founded by the University with leading industry figures and organisations in 2004 and has seen many leading operational industry personal successfully undertake the two-year work-based degree programme. The course is available to those working within the crowd or event management industry, or other associated bodies, such as the police and emergency services or Local Authority Licensing Officers.

Mick Upton, chairman Showsec International (retired) and Course Founder Foundation Degree in Crowd Safety Management, said: "It was very gratifying to sit in the audience to watch the graduates receive their foundation degrees, particularly in view of the fact that many people told me when we introduced the first course that nobody would be interested in it. There are now graduates from the first course who have since gone on to gain a master's degree and that speaks well for a leisure security industry that often suffers from poor press. The number of people that have graduated from the University has at last opened the door for local authority officers to demand that a qualified person be responsible for crowd safety management at events."

Mark Hamilton, director G4S Events, and Head of Centre at the International Centre for Crowd Management & Security Studies, added: "As managing director of G4S Events, I view training and education as core to our operational success. The qualifications offered by Bucks New University provide a theoretical basis on which students can build their understanding of crowd dynamics and their management and leadership skills. I am also delighted as Head of the International Centre for Crowd Management & Security Studies to see so many students from G4S and other backgrounds graduating this year. This highlights the enthusiasm for learning and provides encouragement to others that academic study can result in value being added to career development."

The following have all been awarded a Foundation Degree in Crowd Safety Management:

Chris Burr - Operations Manager West of Scotland G4S Events; Kimberley Cassidy - Crowd Safety Manager SECC; Tara O'Connell - Events Policy and Planning Manager Government of New South Wales Australia; Nyree Cooper Supervisor G4S Events; Hugh Duncan - Close Protection Officer U2; Nick Dymond Managing Director of NDSS Ltd; Karen Ferry Supervisor G4S Events; Mario Garcia Operations Manager Opus Security; Robin Keevil Safety and Security Manager GCC; Andrew Kelly Supervisor G4S Events; Kelly Marson Event manager LOCOG; Solomon N' Jie Crowd Safety Manager SMS; Gareth Owen Bronze Commander Cardiff Millennium Stadium SWP; Andrew Patton Supervisor Wimberley; Christopher Shaw Crowd Safety Manager Notting Hill Carnival; Paul Trippier Crowd Safety Manager Showsec International; Keith Turner Stadium Operations Manager Edgbaston WCCC; Michael White Events Licensing Officer Test Valley CC; Mark Wilcock Crowd Safety Manager Showsec International.

Teaching staff included: Tony Ball, Ben Challis, Owen Grainger-Jones, Mark Grant, Mark Hamilton, Mark Harding, Stuart Kirk, John Shaughnessy, Prof Keith Still, Dr Mick Upton, Chris White, Roy Wise and Tony Wright.

Visiting speakers included: Debbie Atherton (Showsec), Lindsay Barrowclough (production manager) and Caroline Barrowclough (C& L Partners Health & Safety Consultancy), Bill Beaker (Paynes Fireworks), Sue Bird (G4S), Suzanne Bull (Attitude Is Everything), Paul Colbourne (Showsec), Sarah Cole, Paul Cook (Live Nation), Bill Croft (BCA), Jim Donald (Jack Morton Worldwide), Lou Eliston (FLA), Jason Joyce (NSW Police), Penny Mellor (Festival Welfare Services), Robbie Naishe (Show & Event Sec), Tim Owen (Westminster City Council), Pat Smith (Don Valley), John Webster (Live Nation), Colin Wickes, Principal Public Safety Inspector and electrical specialist, London Borough of Brent, and Nick Woodhouse (Wembley National Stadium), Mathew Wray (Showsec).

In picture at the recent Bucks New University Crowd Safety Management Graduation are Back row: Nick Dymond (managing director of NDSS Ltd), Mick Upton (founding chairman of Showsec and course founder of FD in Crowd Safety Management). Middle row: Gareth Owen (match commander Cardiff Millennium Stadium), Robin Kevil (safety manager Glamorgan CC), Kimberly Cassidy (crowd safety manager G4S), Nyree Cooper (crowd safety manager G4S), Mario Garcia (operations manager Optimum Protection Services Ltd), Andrew Patton (crowd safety manager Wembley National Stadium), Keith Turner (safety manager Edgbaston Cricket Ground), Mark Hamilton (director G4S Events). Front row: Owen Grainger-Jones (senior lecturer Crowd Safety Management, Bucks New University and Solomon N'Jie (crowd safety manager SMS Ltd).

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Crowd Safety Management Students Graduate

8th October 2009

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