UniTrust celebrate 40th anniversary with partnership with charity Hypo Hounds
UniTrust Protection Services (UK) Ltd, one of the UK’s leading supplier of premier security services, is this year celebrating 40 years of operation. To commemorate this significant anniversary, the company has launched an exciting partnership with a vital Life-changing charity, Hypo Hounds. In September, clients, leading industry professionals and senior ex and serving police officers were invited to a special ‘Birthday Party’ held at the iconic Gherkin building in the City of London. Guests were addressed by Managing Director Scott Gough, who highlighted what this milestone means for the company, its future, and how the company are looking to help Hypo Hounds.
Meeting Hypo Hounds
Scott Gough explained, “I first came across this charity almost two years ago when my wife and I were invited to attend a charity ball. I was so moved and inspired by what I had seen and heard throughout their presentation, that I approached the presenter regarding corporate support. It was there I met Jane Pearman, the founder and CEO of Hypo Hounds, and I am delighted that we have taken Hypo Hounds on as our chosen charity. It is an excellent cause, and we will do all that we can to support them and raise awareness for this charity.”
Hypo Hounds help those living with Type 1 Diabetes
Hypo Hounds are an owner-based Diabetic Alert Assistance Dog charity, who help children and adults who live with Type 1 Diabetes cope with the difficulty of their daily life, through the training of pet dogs to become diabetic alert dogs.
Certain dogs have such sensitive noses that they can be trained to detect dangerous changes in their owners’ blood sugars. By alerting their owners or their families to these changes in blood sugar levels, diabetic alert dogs can prevent potentially life-threatening hypoglycaemic attacks. These are known as hypos and result from low blood sugar levels. Diabetic alert dogs can also detect potential episodes of hyperglycaemia (known as hypers) when blood sugar levels are too high.
When someone with diabetes has a severe hypo or hyper, the consequences can be severe, and hospital admission can be required. But with the support of a diabetic alert dog, people with diabetes can dramatically reduce their risk of experiencing a hypo.
A dog trained by Hypo Hounds can make a massive difference to their owners’ lives, increasing their confidence and independence. With emergency admissions to hospital for hypos and hypers costing the NHS millions of pounds each year, Hypo Hounds are saving the health service money, as well as saving lives but despite this, still, have no government funding or recognition.
Hypo Hounds trainers are some of the UK’s leading Home Office approved scent trainers. They have all had extensive experience of dog scent training at the highest level.
UniTrust donate to Hypo Hounds
At the evening, UniTrust made an initial donation of £5000.00 to Hypo Hounds, and they are looking forward to raising further funds for them over the coming year.
UniTrust – the story so far
UniTrust began its life in a small office in West London in 1979 with just a dozen employees under the leadership of its founder Dick Griffin, who gained his security experience in the military and Metropolitan Police. The company has grown significantly and now employs a workforce of over 400 security professionals working daily to keep some of London’s most prestigious corporate offices secure.
UniTrust continues to be a family-owned company whose values are rooted in people, corporate responsibility and innovation. The close working relationship the company directors have with their employees has helped UniTrust to become an instantly recognisable name within the Security Industry. It’s a huge testament to the company that so many long-serving employees were in attendance on the evening.
Scott Gough went on to say during the evening, “our goals are to drive managed growth to enable a sustainable future and to support future investments. We will further develop engagement and support with all the Police forces and organisations and to dare to be different and dare to be innovative and unique”.
In support of this strategy, UniTrust has invested significantly in their Head Office environment and infrastructure, their Senior Leadership Team and appointed Ken Stewart, ex Head of Crime investigation and counter terrorism for the City of London Police, as Security and Risk Director at board level. They have also been embracing new technologies to simplify their operating model, which enables their team to focus on service delivery and add value initiatives.
UniTrust maintains its Approved Contractor status (ACS) from the Security Industry Authority (SIA), which is the highest mark of distinction within their Industry. UniTrust are one of just a handful of companies to be accredited as ACS in Security Guarding and Close Protection Services.
UniTrust are one of the top, up and coming SMEs in the Security Industry and while acknowledging their 40 year history, are looking forward to their exciting future in supporting their clients and the greater community.