Back in the summer of 2006, Peter French – now the Master – of The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals (CoSP) approached me for some invaluable help on the most important of projects. As the ‘umbrella’ charitable arm of the security profession, The Worshipful Company was joining forces with FirstAssist to set up Hear4U – an internet and telephone HelpLine-based rehabilitation project designed to provide expert guidance and (in specific cases) financial assistance for security workers suffering from health problems, work-related illness or stress, family bereavement or difficulties involving either alcohol or drug addiction. “Can you help us with promotion through SMT and be part of the Trustees’ Sub-Committee, Brian?” asked Peter. No problem.
Hear4U is the brainchild of that Sub-Committee set up by the Worshipful Company’s Trustees, whose members include not only Peter and myself but also familiar names such as Steve Neville, Ann Freeman, Geoffrey Northcott and Richard McConnell. Those Trustees wanted to explore the possibilities of setting up a formal Rehabilitation Centre to help ‘deserving causes’ from across the profession return to work as soon as possible after they had, for whatever reason, fallen upon hard times. On a personal note, I’d always been baffled as to why this industry didn’t have a Benevolent Fund and, although a full-scale Rehabilitation Centre was a step too far at the time, the current project is an excellent and imminently workable alternative.
HelpLine
First, we established a web site (www.hear4u.org.uk) with the help of designer Simon Jackson at Blue Line Media. This provides up-to-the-minute advice on health issues and stress both in and outside of the workplace, drug and alcohol-related problems, bereavement and coping with grief, the spectre of mounting debt, gambling addiction and bullying. In addition, a 24/7 telephone HelpLine was established with significant encouragement courtesy of FirstAssist. Professional advisors and counsellors responding to a free-call number can help with many of the issues listed above. They also offer general advice, support and clinical guidance, including healthcare information for men and women alike, as well as how to cope with depression and relationship difficulties.
Both the website and the HelpLine went ‘live’ in June 2006. For the first six months of its operation, the service was only available to members of the Worshipful CoSP, but it’s now being widened in scope to embrace the members of other organisations.
Financing
In Year One, the Hear4U project demanded financing to the tune of GB pound 25,000- GB pound 30,000. Funding was raised by means of an official appeal to Worshipful Company members, while SMT contributed nigh on GB pound 10,000 in both 2006 and 2007 by donating the proceeds of our Charity Casino held at the CMP Information-organised Security Excellence Awards. The past two years have also seen previous Master John Purnell and Peter French (managing director at SSR Personnel Services) name Hear4U as their Master’s Charity. Indeed, Peter has managed to raise no less than GB pound 37,000 towards the project. Pretty phenomenal, to say the least. We can never rest on our laurels, though. Every penny counts where Hear4U is concerned, and the Trustees are desperate to raise more funds for maintaining and enhancing the project. That being the case, the IFSEC Organising Committee has decided to lend a hand by naming Hear4U its ‘Charity of the Year’ for the 2008 show.
With approximately 500,000 workers in the UK helping to generate a direct economic benefit to the nation of somewhere between GB pound 5 billion and GB pound 7 billion, the private security sector offers valued protection for many aspects of our business and social lives. Isn’t it only right that we should be looking to support these security operatives in every way possible, but most of all when life isn’t looking too rosy for them? Of course it is.
What to do next…
If you want to help please contact Peter French (t: 020 8626 3100, e: [email protected]) or SMT (t: 020 7921 8286, e: [email protected]).
Speaking on behalf of Hear4U at the 2007 Excellence Awards, BSIA chief executive David Dickinson managed to cajole several major guarding companies into becoming corporate sponsors of the initiative. We would very much welcome more organisations taking that opportunity. In fact, we’d dearly love to hear from anyone who can help. So would the many security workers who’ve been mentally or physically scarred by an attack while on duty, or temporarily lost their way in life often through no direct fault of their own. They need all of us to help them. Let’s make sure we give generously, both in terms of time and money. It’s in the nation’s best interest.
