The eighth UK Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs) event took place at the Royal Lancaster London on 22 February 2024.
Six hundred security professionals gathered to celebrate the very best from across the sector with dinner and a presentation event hosted by TV host and award-winning critically acclaimed comedian, Zoe Lyons.
OSPAs founder Professor Martin Gill commented “This year, the competition was notably fierce, with a significantly higher number of nominations than in previous years. The task of selecting finalists and winners was no easy feat for the thirty-nine security experts comprising the judging panel.
‘The OSPAs event stands as a genuine celebration, honouring and acknowledging the outstanding work happening within the security industry. It is dedicated to enhancing the safety and security of our communities, and all those who received nominations should feel a profound sense of pride in their accomplishments.” he further said.
Lifetime Achievement Award –sponsored by The Security Institute
One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Bob Martin, JP, CSyP, FSyI. Bob Martin is a distinguished professional in the security sector. He stands as a paragon of excellence and dedication and deserves formal recognition for his lifetime of exemplary service. With a career spanning over four decades, Bob’s contributions have left an indelible mark on the field, reshaping and elevating the standards of security practices. His commitment, expertise, and visionary leadership have not only propelled the industry forward but have also inspired countless individuals to pursue excellence in their security endeavours..
UK OSPA 2024 AWARD WINNERS
Outstanding In-House Security Manager/Director – sponsored by Bidvest Noonan
Paul Bean – Royal Mail
Outstanding Contract Security Manager/Director – sponsored by TEAM Software by WorkWave
Amy Stanley – FGH Security
Outstanding Security Team – sponsored by Trojan Security
UK Guarding & External Partnerships Team – Tesco
I feel really proud to lead this team and it’s fantastic to be recognised for all of our hard work, dedication and collaboration. We have come a long way to ensure an inclusive high performing team and worked right across our security structure, suppliers and security officers to drive the industry forward. We are very grateful for this honour and excited for what the future holds.
Joe Rutlidge MSyl, APCIP, UK Guarding and External Partnerships Manager, Response, Shrinkage & Security – Tesco
Outstanding Contract Security Company (Guarding) – sponsored by Axon
First Response Group
The OSPA award is a recognition of the whole team’s work in guarding, which has become an incredibly skilled task in the industry. We place significant importance on our front-line workforce motivation and management, our use of technology and forging great partnerships with our clients, such as Wembley Stadium. Well done to everyone involved and we look forward to representing the UK in this category at the global awards.
Simon Alderson, CEO, First Response Group
Outstanding Security Consultant – sponsored by Axis Communications
Optimal Risk Group
Outstanding Customer Service Initiative – sponsored by City Group Security
Front of House Initiative – Vigilant Security
Outstanding Security Training Initiative – sponsored by BSIA
BBC Security Team Training Initiative – Mitie
Outstanding Security Installer/Integrator – sponsored by SSAIB
Karl Jordan – Lodge Service
Wow, I am truly honoured (and shocked!) to receive the “Outstanding Security Installer/Integrator” award at this year’s OSPAs, sponsored by SSAIB. This is a testament not only to our dedication and hard work at Lodge but also to the innovative approaches we have taken in the security industry which I say, comes along with the best communication, organisation and costs for our clients.
Karl Jordan, Director at Lodge Service and Transpeye Ltd
A heartfelt thank you to our clients for their trust in us as we continue to develop across the UK, Europe and South Africa. Together, we are shaping a safer future—one which is full of innovation, which excites me and what brought me into this industry in the first place. With great things on the horizon with AI, Cloud technology, and more, I am eager to see where these advancements will take us.
I’d also like to thank my colleagues at Lodge Service International and mainly my direct team at Lodge Service Technical and Profit Protection for all their hard work and commitment and putting up with me, although some of these have done so for 25 years plus, so I can’t be all that bad!
I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the OSPAs committee for recognising our efforts.
Outstanding Event Security Team
Event Security Team – SecuriGroup
Outstanding Security Partnership – sponsored by Trackforce Valiant + TrackTik
BBC Eurovision Partnership
Outstanding New Security Product – sponsored by Assist Group
Brand Partner Mobile App – URIM
We are delighted to receive this award in 2024. And who wouldn’t be? But we have special reasons. The OSPA was our first ever award and we have now won 8 industry awards in all, but the OSPA still holds a special place in our hearts at URIM. We are particularly hopeful as the OSPA’s go global now. We are growing rapidly in the Asia-Pacific and this involves an average of 2 sales presentations to new prospects EVERY DAY! In every single one of those, the first slide carries the OSPA logo on it. So one good turn deserves another. The OSPA’s recognised us when we were just 2 years old back in 2021. Now we are promoting the OSPA brand to hundreds of blue chip clients, across the Asia-Pacific region. And long may that continue!
The OSPA helps us by giving everyone a fair crack at success. The 2021 Award was given when we were just a start-up, 2 years in. No bias towards “biggest is best”. Each submission gets assessed on its own merits. This now helps us every day, by adding credibility to an incredible URIM product portfolio. But we will always stay just the canvas – our clients create the masterpieces!
Ian Hammond, CEO, URIM
Outstanding Security Equipment Manufacturer – sponsored by The Security Event and International Security Expo
Gallagher Security
Outstanding Security Officer – sponsored by Corps Security
Yakubu Adetunji – GSTS
I feel incredibly proud and humble about winning such a prestigious award. I honestly didn’t think I would win as the other nominees were such strong competition.
It’s a really nice feeling knowing all the hard work and dedication to the job pays off.
Yakubu Adetunji, Security Supervisor, Manchester Royal Infirmary Hospital
Outstanding Female Security Professional – sponsored by Securitas
Kate Scally – Royal Mail
Outstanding Young Security Professional – sponsored by CIS Security
Shani Baldwin – ICTS UK & Ireland
Outstanding Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative – sponsored by Lazerbeam
SmartSec Solutions
Outstanding Security Sustainability Award
CIS ESG Strategy
We are delighted that we have won the Outstanding Security Sustainability Award. This award recognises our passion and ethos towards sustainability. We will continue to ensure that our robust ESG strategy remains at the forefront of our strategic decisions within our company, the security industry, and our collaborative initiatives with our key customers.
Jordy Mukudi, ESG Manager, CIS Security
Lifetime Achievement – sponsored by The Security Institute
Bob Martin, JP, CSyP, FSyI
The OSPAs supported charity is the Consortium for the Prevention of Suicide, with guests at the London event making donations to assist in helping to save lives by pooling together resources, skills and technology in order to prevent suicide.
The event organisers would like to thank all those who have helped to make the seventh UK OSPAs event such a success including: all the supporting associations and judges; sponsors: Axon (headline sponsor); Edith Cowan University (trophies and certificates); Guardhouse (drinks reception); K4 Security Services (dinner menu); Corps Security (security commissionaires); Assist Group, Bidvest Noonan, Axis Communications, BSIA, CIS Security, City Group Security, Corps Security, Lazerbeam Fire & Security, International Security Expo/The Security Event, Securitas, The Security Institute, SSAIB, Team Software by WorkWave, Trackforce Valiant + TrackTik, and Trojan Security (award categories); and media partners – AllSecurityEvents, City Security Magazine, Infologue, Professional Security, Security Matters and Security Journal UK.
An exciting new development for this year’s awards is that winners from 14 of the categories of the 2024 UK OSPAs will be featured in the 1st Global OSPAs set to take place in 2025! Winners of these categories will automatically qualify for the global competition.
