Bucks' stewards receive recognition
Bucks' stewards receive recognition
Created on 09 May 2010
Around fifteen AFC Telford United stewards were recently awarded NVQ Level 2 and 3 certificates after completing courses in Customer Care and Spectator Safety. The stewards were provided with their certificates at a presentation ceremony held at the AFC Telford Learning Centre. The event was hosted by club safety officer John Bradbury whilst the awards were presented by Lee and Mark Fisher, representatives from Start Solutions Ltd who have sponsored the stewards and provided their fluorescent jackets.
To kick-off the presentations John Bradbury thanked all the stewards for their hard work during the season and also paid tribute to their professionalism, citing the stewards’ work outside of the New Bucks Head as evidence of their excellent reputation. “As a result of the professional way we do our job, word has got round that we are efficient at what we do. Consequently we’ve been asked to help at a number of other clubs during recent years including Worcester City, Southport (twice), Hednesford, Redditch and Wellington Amateurs. We’ve also assisted at Stafford in both of the last two seasons and on the first occasion we ran the show ourselves because they were without a safety officer.” Bradbury was also keen to point out that the club’s stewards have been recognised in non-football circles. “Aside from football we’ve also helped at Telford International Centre, Newport Agricultural Show and Lions Charity events. The number of people we’ve helped shows our expertise and professionalism and it’s a real feather in the cap both for our stewards and our trainers.” Deputy safety officer Mark Waters also thanked both the sponsors, for providing the coats, and the trainers for their dedication to the cause. “The trainers have always been on the end of the phone and have really helped us out.”
Four of the trainers - Maelor and Jan Owen, Claire Wills and Sunita Patel – were present to watch the certificates being handed out. Maelor - a Contract Manager for TCAT’s Directorate of Commercial Development and Training – told how his involvement with Telford actually began around ten years ago. “I remember John (Bradbury) from the old football club when Jake King was the manager and we used to come and support him. I was working with the college and John wanted the stewards trained up, so it’s developed since then really.” Since those days Maelor’s team have established working relationships with many football clubs at various levels of the game as clubs have recognised the importance of spectator safety. “For a football club to operate they have to have a safety certificate,” Maelor continued. “The safety certificate says that stewards can only work if they’re trained up to a Level 2 NVQ, so the clubs have to do it. I’m also involved with Norwich City, Peterborough United, Rushden and Diamonds, Manchester United, Coventry City, Aston Villa, Hereford United and Port Vale.” Maelor also hinted at the thorough way in which his team get the job done. “I’ve got a number of staff working underneath me and we come here to make sure that the job’s being done and that the job’s done properly – and it is.” The course isn’t just classroom-based either but also involves practical assessment. As Claire Wills, one of Maelor’s colleagues, explained: “The stewards attended approximately three to four workshops and then, on a match-day, we came to the football club and observed them. In that way we didn’t just assess them through the workshops but also saw them put into practice what they’ve learned.”
The stewards’ training is not only beneficial to AFC Telford United but is also a real boost for the stewards themselves. Supervisor David Hopkins clearly found the training a positive experience. “We do written work, practical work and it’s all good fun really because we all get involved and do group work. The course has given me a lot of confidence. When I first started I used to stand there and wouldn’t get involved. Now I get involved.” Like any form of training, the NVQ also gives the stewards a platform to further develop their own careers. “I’d like to get to the stage where I’m the safety officer,” David continued. “You start off as a steward, you go through all the jobs and you learn different skills and meet different people. You work all the way up and can go as far as you want - or you can stay where you want. It’s really enjoyable once you get into it and you meet a lot of friends too.”
As John Bradbury himself suggested, perhaps the biggest testament to the great work that the AFC Telford United stewards do is the number of external events they have been involved in. One of the stewards, Richard Stringer, helped establish a link with the Newport Agricultural Show and several Bucks’ stewards are returning there next month to help with this year’s event. “I made various phone calls following the training we’d had here,” Richard explained. “Claire Farrell, the manager, approached me and asked if I could supply some stewards with training and it just progressed from there. We did the contract last year and more than 22,000 people turned up.” The feedback was extremely positive. “It was a good day and there were no problems whatsoever,” Richard added. “The park warden said that in fifteen years he’d been doing the show it was the first time he hadn’t had to sort a problem out. There was nothing but praise. Everybody was clean, tidy, did their job and it was professional and very well done. We’ve got the contract for this year as well and hopefully we might carry on.” I asked Richard if the stewards could have secured that work without the training they had received and the answer was a clear ‘no.’ “With 22,000 people there including children, adults, campervans and livestock, you really do need to have your wits about you and to have received training, otherwise it wouldn’t have worked.”
By helping at other clubs and with major events, club stewards are now passing on their knowledge and expertise to others who – in Maelor’s words – “learn from you when you’re there.” In this way the AFC Telford United stewards are now ensuring that others follow their excellent example.