The Youth and community Centre Security Scheme is a new initiative that is part of a Metropolitan Police Service partnership with Secured by Design (SBD), London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service. The initiative has been created to improve the security of youth clubs and community centres in the UK.
Four youth clubs have received physical security improvements already, these include the installation of security doors by ourselves as well as Premier Security & Fire Consultants. Secured by Design have put out an article going into more detail about the initiative that you can read here.
Simon Cham is the Technical Security Advisor at Warrior Doors, he has previously worked within the Metropolitan Police. Simon is the lead on this project from Warrior Doors, here are his comments on the project so far.
“We were more than delighted to be included in the inaugural target hardening project aimed at youth clubs in London. We hope, as the Metropolitan Police Service and others involved in the project do, this progresses into a National one, better ensuring safe spaces for young people to positively engage, build their knowledge base and social interactive skills. It’s a rare but ever prevalent threat, young people can be targeted at clubs as part of postcode or other wrongly perceived rival territory disputes (youth clubs are for the benefit of all young people).
This was not the first time we have installed our products into youth clubs, but the first time during a pandemic and with Government restrictions, bringing their own challenges: numbers of persons on site, extra personal protective equipment and access with youth club staff. Not to mention our desire to have some of the young persons on site alongside us as we installed as part of our wider social responsibility element of the project, which sadly could not take place, due to the pandemic restrictions.
We installed an LPS 2081 SRB stainless steel arrangement, outward opening glazed door, parallel sash mortise deadlocks with thumb turns, horizontal mag-lock with in-frame door release and adjacent full length fixed window panes. This assisted in enabling the gym area to be used as a refuge in times of emergency.
We also made improvements to the existing pedestrian gate, by fitting an anti-finger trap guard, break-glass and press to exit buttons with all-weather protective covers.
We removed the unused concertina grilles from the staff office, which caused natural surveillance issues for staff observing the main pedestrian gate entrance. The removed grilles contributed to our long standing metal reclamation scheme funding a charity for blind persons in Africa.
Despite the challenges of Government restrictions, we still hope to progress our social responsibility project with the young persons, with a couple of life-skills, supported by our own company certificates, to complement their prospective employment portfolio – our involvement in the project was always more than just target hardening for us.”
To see our range of communal entrance products click here.
If you have a building that needs security or would like to chat with us you can give us a call at 0121 706 8400 or email us at [email protected]
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