What a month it has been. We had our last Security TWENTY event for this year at the new Radisson Red, formerly the Park Inn. A total of 73 exhibitors and very many delegates. For the night before we decided that we should turn the charity night into a party night, so we had a band! And very good the band were too, they did three sets and invited the audience- I could say diners because we’d just had the buffet dinner – to come up and join them. Some of the singers were really good, some like me were really bad; but it was a great party.
The charity on this occasion was Prost8. We were introduced to these guys in 2020 and were the first fund-raising event they ever had. At ST22 we raised just over £3,000 on the night which is great. There are a couple of ways that prostate cancer can be treated which does not have any side effects, this is by blasting the tumour with ultrasound or freezing it. However there is only one hospital that can do this and it’s in London so your GP might not offer it, even if he knows about it. It’s a proven treatment as they use it in treating breast cancer. Prost8 then are raising funds to put the necessary equipment into Guy’s Hospital. More to the point after Paul Sayers had spoke, nine delegates went and spoke to him about their own issues.
The following week we ran the Women in Security Awards 2022, delayed six weeks due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Such a good night (pictured). The event has become enormous now and has come a long way since we launched it eleven years ago. I would like to thank all the winners and let’s not forget the short-listed and all the nominees. As I said on the night, to be nominated makes you a winner because someone has seen what you do and taken the time to fill out the form and send it. If you want to see the pictures, there are lots! Nip over to our website and click on the gallery. See page 28 of the December print edition of the magazine, and yet more in the January edition.
To the gossip! As we are here in December let me be the first to wish you a happy Christmas.
May I start with the very sad news that Mick Goodfellow has died. Appreciate that this is probably common knowledge now, as so many attended his funeral. Mick was one of the good guys, I don’t think anyone would disagree with that, he struggled for some years with the mighty “C” but was loved by many and will be missed. He was a true ambassador of our industry and well just a decent chap, rest in peace Mick.
Had you heard that after nearly seven years Ian Galloway has left Avigilon, and joined Axis Communications as a key account manager. I first met Ian in the year 2000 when he was at Sanyo, if I can recall. But he started in 1996 at CSD Distribution, remember them? Interesting as Ian has flipped between working for a distributor and a manufacturer; which does he prefer I wonder? Wish you well bud.
Aritech has a new immersive customer experience concept no less, for visitors of their 360 degree Virtual Tour website. Aritech is a part of US giant Carrier Global Corporation. The ‘Virtual Tour’ shows the company’s latest security tech for flexible offices, now available for PC, mobile and Virtual Reality users. Take the tour and you will find yourself in virtual reality for an industry segment, for a realistic view of a product’s location and its functions in various room settings.
For project support for its integration partners and customers across the UK, IDIS UK has appointed IT and video tech guy Mohamed Hashi as technical support engineer. IDIS reports continued growth in the UK despite market headwinds, and major projects recently confirmed in healthcare, hospitality, and mixed-use developments.
Mayflex, the distributor of converged IP products including security, has appointed Allan McCran as account manager for Converged Technology with an emphasis on IP security for Scotland and the north east.He joins Mayflex from DVS Ltd where he was the area sales manager Scotland East. Previous to that, he worked for security installers including IC Fire & Security, Chubb, Hyfire Sterling Safety and Secom in business development and sales management roles. Simon Steer, Director of Sales for Security at Mayflex said: “We are delighted to welcome Allan to the team, he has a strong security background and particularly great knowledge of the Hikvision brand.”
I received this plea for help. “My name is Janina, and I am one of 28 trainee Ice Warriors preparing for a scientific expedition to the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility (POI). The Northern POI is the furthest point from land on the Arctic Ocean and has never been reached. This expedition is our attempt, but more importantly, we are collecting vital ice, ocean, weather and wildlife data along the transect of the trip, which we’ll deliver to collaborating climate scientists.
“Led by world-renowned explorer Jim McNeill of the Ice Warrior Project, The Last Pole Expedition is an 800-mile journey, and I have been chosen to be one of the 28 Ice Warriors for the expedition. As the Ice Warrior Project is a not-for-profit, I am raising funds to pay for all my own equipment, travel, polar training and expenses associated with The Last Pole Expedition in February. The training and equipment will be used for future climate awareness expeditions, so I am appealing to individual and corporate supporters for sponsorship. There are multiple marketing opportunities, which I am happy to talk about, and an Ice Warrior NGO account for those who prefer.” Here is the link to my trip’s sponsorship page: https://gofund.me/f8d9c987.
