Queen Put at Risk by Workfare Provider
At 2300 Saturday 2nd of June 2012, a coachload of Tired, untrained and ill equipped people left Bristol by coach for London and the Queens Jubilee.
At around 0240 they were dropped off by the side of a road with their Baggage and Tents and left stood for more than an hour along with 80 other people.
Having Had no sleep at 0415 these people were told that at 0500 they would be starting a 16 hour shift.
No these are not migrant workers, these are Security Staff for the Queen.
Ages ranging from 16 to 50 with one thing in common. Unpaid and on “work experience”.
Almost all of those that left Bristol last night were still not SIA qualified, Some had been told they would be paid for working and that they should “Sign Off” benefits before starting, which turned out to be a falsehood, mistake or lie, I cannot say which.
But at the very least I can say that Tomorrows People, the DWP Service provider, who handle these people, are Failing them Badly.
Tomorrows people Placed young claimants on an SIA style course with a company who Break DWP rules and Regulations on working Hours, Travel distance and Responsibility for Training and Equipment.
For some this will be the First experience of work, for some it is the First time they have been away from home, for all of them it will be one of the most depressing and soul destroying things they will have done.
So “Why do they do it?”
All those people have been promised Proper paid work at the Olympic Games with pay of up to £9000 for doing it.
Well a carrot like that to people who may not have worked in a long time if at all can make them do the most stupid things.
Tomorrows people Need to sort out their so called subcontractor.
The Organisors of the Jubilee need to vet their security subcontracters more carefully.
And the DWP need to make sure that All those promised paid work during the games are given it.
Hopefully none of the untrained security staff who have all been up for more than 12 hours so far will be called upon to protect the Queen, because they will be unable to do anything due to exhaustion.
Additional.
Last night I drove to a campsite just off the M11 and collected 2 of the people let down by CPuk, who, it turns out organised (if thats the right word) this clusterfck of Work experience.
When I arrived close to 2300 hours They were stood in a field soaking wet, shivering with cold and close to exhaustion. One was dressed only in Shirt and slacks as she had not been provided with any waterproof coat, save for a lightweight poncho and a hi vis vest for the jubilee event.
Some muppet had put up their tents with doors open and the insides were soaked along with their possessions, even if they had decided to stay they would have to have sleep in wet tents and sleeping bags.
At 0900 Sunday morning they had been given a paper bag with a Sandwich, Muffin and packet of crisps in and told ” dont eat that now its your lunch”. A paper bag, in heavy rain, 3 hours before lunchtime with no way of keeping it dry.
One of them had been refused use of toilet facilities and hadnt been able to P for almost 24 hours, she had been forced to change into ” uniform” for the event in the open as there were no changing facilities with other male staff refusing to give her privacy, ” I had to change next to a van in public and a bloody red bus stopped almost right in front of me”..
This is a young woman , First time in london, first time away overnight without a member of her family trying to comply with DWP rules.
Well as far as I am concerned she did herself proud. While others had given up and left in the morning , she stuck it through til after the Queen had passed and the crowd dispersed before asking for help.
She has taken a couple of photos and has agreed to send them to me when she wakes for posting.
She slept almost all the way back to Bristol last night, and when she was helped into her home byan elder brother she was obviously finding it hard to walk.
I had only had to drive up and back and I felt like crap when I got into my home 20 minutes later.
As an additional comment I hope that Prince Philip gets better soon.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jun/04/jubilee-pageant-unemployed for Press cover.
It is a shame however that contrary to Close Protection uk statement that training had been completed, I know that some staff had not yet been trained in First Aid ( a requirement) or taught how to safely restrain people without causing injury ( a requirement).
To say that this was to weed out those unsuitable for working in the security industry is pure BS. Close Protection uk wanted free labour.
I am a little confused by a comment in the Guardian, please can someone clarify this?
As one of those workers who was there I have to say that the opinions of people who weren’t there is frankly disgusting. The experiance we gained was priceless and the training we have received was also priceless to use but very costly to the company. This newspaper paper has taken the lies of a few unhappy employees and ran with it too further their own political opinions. This terrible untruthful article could lead to the unemployment of 50 people just because a few people couldn’t handle it. I would love to discuss this with the editor but I am sure he doesn’t care as he has furthered Labours political message. I am also shocked that John Prescott has waded into the subject based on a one sided article why not ask the people who were there. There was 90 or so people who loved and can’t wait to go to the Olympics but your poor journalism has now ruined that and could see us back on the dole line
According to CPuk they sent upto 80 people there, we know that this story concerns 30 of them collectivly and 2 in particular.
That leaves 50 people ( my maths teacher would be so proud) so who were the 90 happy ones who would do it again?, and considering a few left in the morning rather than put up with the treatment they recieved, why has CPuk not mentioned these happy 90 people. Could it be that they have bussed more in from elsewhere or does Mr or Mrs Disgustedreader need to rethink wether his/her statement rings true.
Also I recieved this message from someone trustworthy so i shall post it.
“I gather they were initially turned down as unfit to hold an Olympic contract. Well, “not skilled enough”. More in Guardian tomorrow.”
If indeed true , why have CPuk been given the contracts after all??
A comment on Guardian website which caught my eye in response to:
watershed99, 5 June 2012 10:18PM
What I think would be interesting at this point would be for someone to explain whether
Molly Prince, director of Vision Lifestyle Ltd. and Commitment Fitness Ltd., both registered at 15 King St, Hindley, Wigan, WN2 3AW, whose director ID number is 916699536 is the same person as
Mary Prince, director of Close Protection UK Ltd, and several other companies (now dissolved), also registered at that address, and director ID number is 911160566 given that
Molly Prince, who is a Bokwa Fitness Instructor, appears to be the spokesperson for Close Protection UK Ltd., and apparently is also the person who set up the Leadership Development Centre with the help of Salford University’s Business Incubation Unit.
There will be some, as there always are, who will believe that the 2 kids mentioned in this are both ‘Scroungers’ or using this story to get money, so let me tell you all something that hasn’t made it to press.
Earlier tonight I had a conversation with the Guardians picture desk. The work experience person who took the photo below was asked if they wanted to be paid for it as other papers were requesting the right to use it. Normally the Guardian would get between £80 – £100 for allowing that and the person who took the picture gets Half.
That work experience person refused to accept the offer of cash for the picture.
You may be thinking its only £40 -£50 but thats each time another paper uses it.
If the story was a way to make money they could have , just by saying yes.
I know I should have posted this earlier but other things on my mind so here it is now.
51.674368,0.105426 if you paste that into Google maps you will see where CPuk had their staff ‘Camping’ tho without the rain and the mud.
Not easy to get to in the dark and the rain , even harder to class as ‘onsite’ for the jubilee.
Just been told that 1 of the mothers of work exp kids may be on BBC Radio 2 Live programme. Programme starts at 12 weekdays. I can confirm that John Prescott will be on it and has been contacted by other kids and parents whose children were treated in the same miserable fashion.
Taken from Tomorrows people Statement on Twitter “For the clients over 25 taking part, it is not in their interest to be paid for short term work if they are receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), because they would have to sign off the benefit when they take on a position and back on again immediately after. The clients taking part who were under 25 are part of the modern apprenticeship programme and therefore came off benefit to take up these employed positions as they are being paid the standard apprenticeship”
More than 1 person on that was UNDER 25 and not paid.
please feel free to see how much they truly care about the jobseekers in their care.
Prospects an associate of CPuk have removed this from public view also https://viewer.zoho.com/docs/lcbbbie how many other sanctioned companies are in this scam?
Sent this to Tomorrows people in an email.
Last night on the Newsnight Programme Baroness Scott stated that Tomorrows people had contacted ALL those involved to apologise and see if they were ok.
That’s a LIE from the Baroness, To quote 1 of those that has not been contacted ” Bo**ocks no one asked me if I was ok”
Baroness Scott seems to believe that a company (CPuk) whose Boss had had many Failed security companies were perfect to use finding the unemployed work.
Does anyone else who maybe reading this blog, who owns their own business, not make checks on contractors they use?
And while I am on a bit of a rant, WHY are Tomorrows People paying a PR company.
£3,000,000 is given to Tomorrows People each year by the Govt. Shouldn’t it be spent getting people back to work. Why are Tomorrows People paying some staff between £80,000 and £100,000 a year.
Correction from me.
“That’s a LIE from the Baroness, To quote 1 of those that has not been contacted ” Bo**ocks no one asked me if I was ok” ” Should read ” I was told by my staff that they were beingg contacted but are still in the process”
There you go Cicero-Group I have amended it, and thank you for another number to add to the list of people Tomorrows people sent
“Please be assured that we have been speaking to everyone who we can get hold of and contacting all 94 people involved. ”
So that’s 80, now 94 from Tomorrows People And 30,80 ,220 from CPuk.
I suggested that Tomorrows People should not associate with CPuk any more but I have a feeling that they won’t. After all here will Tomorrows People put people then?
Getting back to CPuk.
Molly Mary Just keeps giving and giving.
And here is more to think about http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Documents/networks/close-protection/sia_cp_network_notes_3.pdf.
In it there is a company called Close Protection Worldwide.com as well as members of the SIA and the Met.
Close Protection Worldwide have their HQ at 10 BROAD STREET NEWTOWN WALES SY16 2NA (Use Google streetview)
Do you notice any similarities?
CPUK.COM one of molly/mary failed companies had a place in reading ( look up that company address and streetview it.
Close Protection uk has its wigan office again streetview it.
Read the report and hopefully you will see how Dirty these people are and how Molly/Mary got her contracts for the Olympics and managed to get Jobseekers working for her may seem a bit clearer.
http://politicalscrapbook.net/2012/06/jubilee-stewards-manager-police-national-computer/
You might want to read this too if you think Molly/Mary company is above board.
Cash at Bank : £2,489
Net Worth : £58,600
Total Current Liabilities : £271,351
Total Current Assets : £317,894
So where is the money coming from to Pay Max Clifford or any of her staff?
And what about the Olympics contract?
Communicating via email through the PR company Max Clifford Associates, Prince said she was unable to discuss the fire-marshalling contract because it included a non-disclosure clause. She said CPUK won the contract because “the main contractor does not have sufficient staff”.
The Observer has confirmed that CPUK’s fire marshals have not been tested during practice drills at the Olympic stadium. A test took place at the stadium on 5 May, before the contract was awarded, which involved marshals provided by another company bidding to supply the service. “It was not essential that CPUK were at the stadium,” said a spokeswoman for Locog, the body organising the Games. “They were tested at bigger and more complex events and their performance was monitored by an accredited external fire engineer, the London Fire Brigade, and the venue teams, amongst others. They received very positive feedback from all parties.”
Well since the only other venue some of the Tomorrows People went on was a football match in Bristol where there was no sign of London Fire Brigade and the kids were only shadowing stewards at the match and watching people through the gate. How can LOCOG say they were monitored. Or did they, like Tomorrows People, just take CPuks word.
Still on the olympics, Companies need to show they have access to £700,000 to be considered.. So why not this company?
Another Molly company
Commitment Fitness Limited
It’s a public limited company with share capital. but only registered in February so wonder what its bank balance looks like.
I wonder how many more logistical errors this company has had.
And funny how it was the coach driver last time and the minibus driver this time blamed !
Tomorrow People Additional.
I have just returned from meeting two of Tomorrows People staff at their Bristol office.
I can honestly say that the BRISTOL staff have shown concern for the clients sent to London with CPuk and are trying to address their needs.
I still do not believe there were sufficient checks made on CPuk.
Tomorrows People Trust however ( Head office not Bristol) Have a lot to answer for.
The statement released june 6th was generalised to the point where mistreated clients were basically called liars. Thankfully Bristol Staff appear to have looked more carefully at what has happened.
An apology from TPT Head office would go a long way.
Under London Bridge where the Work Experience Kids had to spend the early hours of Sunday Morning before their long shift Staffing the Jubilee Celebrations
209 responses to “Queen Put at Risk by Workfare Provider”
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eddiegillard 
The owner of CloseProtectionUk has had 8 previous Security Companies all dissolved according to Boycott Workfare
” Apology ” from Tomorrows People to stewards on BBC News Website …also on FB ” via Sue Brock on her wall (hope you don’t mind Sue) “A mother of one of the Governments Jubilee steward slaves writes….
“My child is part of this farce up there, but is so desperate for a job they have stuck it out. They have been on the phone in tears, saying they are soaking wet, bleeding feet and sleeping in a wet muddy field with barely any facilities. I have said for gods sake come home but if they did it would be the end of the course and no SIA badge, I feel murderous, they are still there with one more night to do. Lets not forget that we as parents had to provide the tent and all the camping gear, not cheap””
Complaint to DWP about Close Protection UK Ltd, Jobcentre Plus and Work Programme Providers offering of unpaid Work Trial and Work Placements
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/close_protection_uk_ltd_jobcentr
Dudeabroad The Guardian
” The firm, Close Protection UK (CPUK), has issued “sincere apologies” for what it called the “London Bridge incident”, but insisted that it had not been exploiting individuals but providing work experience.
Ah well, that’s OK then. And I bet it promises never to let it happen again, honestly, truly. I guess in the same vein, a plantation owner in deepest Georgia, some 200 years ago, might have said that he wasn’t exploiting his slaves, but that they had reached a mutually beneficial arrangement whereby one provided his labour in return for food and shelter from the other ………………….. come to think of it, at least it is possible to argue that food and shelter do represent some form of compensation ………………. whereas today’s slaves, well ……….
“The only ones that won’t be paid are because they don’t want to be paid. They want to do this voluntarily, [to] get the work experience.
This firm has some massive cajones (sideline, can a company have balls?) . The arrogance is just a reflection of the blind tunnel vision with which these greedy corporate bastards operate in today’s nasty, vicious little Britain.
In a statement Prince said: “The London Bridge incident should never have happened but was to some extent outside our control, the coach drivers insisted on leaving.
Oh, I see, in other words: “It was other working class people that were to blame, not our wonderful company, which was created with the well-being of mankind as its sole raison d’etre. If these other working class types had not buggered off, our slaves would have enjoyed the enjoyed the luxury of a coach seat in which to sleep before working a 14 hour shift. In fact, I believe that not all the coaches were full so some people would even have had a double seat.”
“I am deeply concerned that a private security firm is not only providing policing on the cheap but failing to show a duty of care to its staff and threatening to withdraw an opportunity to work at the Olympics as a means to coerce them to work unpaid.”
Just plain wrong Mr. Prescott. While I applaud your actions on this matter (whatever your motives), time and again, whether it be railway privatisation, PFI’s in the health service, private water companies, Spanish construction companies milking our airports to keep an insolvent company afloat by not providing snowploughs – whatever, it has been proven that these moves to privatisation cost more to society as a whole than a fairly remunerated public organistaion.
In conclusion, this despicable company, and indeed any others acting similarly, should be immediately disbarred from receiving a single further money from the public purse “
I merely want to thank you, Eddie, for shining light on this shameful episode of darkness. Keep it up. I’ve never used twitter before. Your posts are justification for me to start.
Thank you
I’m living in Spain at the moment (originally from UK) and this story has stirred up some debate among my Spanish friends. The upshot is, that most people I’ve mentioned it to suggest that there would be protests in the streets over something similar happening here.
I’ve already witnessed countles protests over changes to conditions and the unemployment rate – especially among youngsters (16-26 yr olds). I’ve also witnessed pensioners grappling with the police. Here the unemployment rate is 24% across the board but 49.8% among young people. But I can tell you, hand on heart, nobody would put up with the kind of exploitation you’ve exposed.
Good on ya for raising it. I hope now the Jubilovely celebrations are finished and when the MPs get their arses back to Parliament that this will be the first of Milliband’s 6 questions to the tossers sitting opposite.
I hope they do but expect they won’t but thank you for posting.
I received “training” from CP UK a few years ago.
Let me start by saying the
Company is a joke! I Enrolled on a close protection (CP) course as unfortunately the SIA do not deem the Royal Military Police Close Protection unit; where I qualified as worthy of there qualification yet the foreign and commonwealth office were quite happy for me to deploy to various embassy’s around the world. Anyway to gain my civilian SIA badge I had to attend an SIA recognised training programme for a 3-4 day course paid for by the MoD.
I arrived at a tired out former shop on a back street in Hindley Wigan First impression was not a good one and I thought things can only get better!!
I was ushered to a small make shift class room on the first floor to be greeted by the instructor (more about them later) who introduced himself as a right hard tw@t (no joke)! Also in the class
room were other students who had paid upwards of £2000 for a full CP course lasting in the region of 2 weeks. There was a pretty even split in the room half were pumped up tough guys bored of working the doors and the other half job seekers on some kind of a grant paid by the government.
My course began by the instructor asking my previous qualification (which made him look silly) before sending me out with four other students to teach them how to do a reconnaissance visit. Not correct me if I am wrong but surely that was his job!!
Each venue I visited were aware of the company. One such venue was the Lowry hotel in Manchester. I spoke with the head of security t the hotel who was well are of the company and Molly Prince. In his words he told me “you seem like a nice fella who knows the job, if I were you I would get the hell away from that company and if Molly Prince turns up here with here doormen again pushing our customers out of lifts etc I will bar the company from using this hotel for good!!
And so this went on…
On the final day Prince ordered a range rover be hired as she would be a VIP for the evening while the students were put through the paces and tested. She was driven around Manchester with a friend and a team of body guards (students/doormen). She shopped in the town centre before being driven back to the 5* Lowry where she changed.
Her and her friend were then taken back in to Manchester where she went on the p!ss until the small hours before being driven back.
That was the final test for the students CPUK now sanctioned them as CP operators worthy of an SIA badge! Better still Prince enjoyed a night out costing thousands all paid for by the students fees!!
I honestly can’t believe this outfit is still running, and am even more shocked they are contemplating allowing them to provide staff for the Olympics.
What a joke !!!
Nice to see others who have been involved with those CPuk drongos posting.. Thanks
There is another angle to this story, where companies have unfair access to “free labour” they are also undercutting employers who are willing to pay the going rate. So who had their bid undercut at the Queen’s Jubilee. I disagree with giving employers free labour but it is a good idea to consider this problem from other angles too. The treatment of these people is a disgrace on top of the fact that they were on workfare or “apprenticeships”.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Leadership-Development-Centre-Ltd/320475324655729
This is what we will discover:
A few managers/directors will have made a mint out of this fiasco.
The ‘poor sods’ in wet ponchos will get nothing.
Someone in government will apologise for current contracting arrangements and promise a ‘review’. Nothing will change.
The SIA will face some tough questions and reply with boilerplate PR bull. Nothing will change.
Some Tory peer will be caught in the headlights of wrong place/wrong time and have to answer some awkward questions. It won’t really be their fault.
A minister will start stuttering on Today and explain that this is an isolated incident and workfare/slave labour is really an excellent idea for poor people. At the same time a ministerial colleague will be explaining why executive remuneration needs to increase in order to properly incentivise the right people.
Molly/Mary will keep her head down and despite all the promises of change, will be found running a different company and driving around in another black Range Rover in about three years time, when all this is forgotten.
Molly was stuttering away on ‘Today’ this morning, and certainly did not inspire confidence. Hard to believe she’s a company director. Actually, she sounded more like the Wigan barmaid I believe she once was.
So true.
Would that “campsite” have been on the lovely Blunts farm landfill site
http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/804019.landfill_cheats_must_be_punished/
I’m afraid I do not know the area.
Also
“We can confirm that Blunts Farm Estates Limited are contemplating locating caravans at Blunts Farm over the Olympic period next year. A recognised camping club was approached some 12 months ago about supporting the location but they felt the site was unsuitable. They confirmed to TBAG that they felt the site was of a ‘valley nature’ and thanks to the excess dumping, the land was saturated making camping unsuitable.”
from
http://www.theydonbois-actiongroup.co.uk/page9.htm
this is the Army Forum ….true blue tories to the bone , many with eye watering right wing authoritarian views and they’re still scathing about these cowboy firms which says everything , why are the likes of #CPUK cheap ? …it’s because they are cr** end of ! , penny wise , pound foolish Tories http://www.arrse.co.uk/intelligence-cell/182855-jubilee-olympic-security-jobseekers-working-free.html
Ex cons are difficult to return to the workforce, so there appears to be EU social fund money available to those who try to help them or actually employ them –
the army aren’t “true tories to the bone” by any stretch of the imagination, they’ve just come through a system where they are pushed to work very hard for their pay and then get a bit of a tizzy on when they leave the forces and find out that everybody else is doing sweet bugger all and has more rights anyway; and come to dislike the rest of the British public who all seem to want something for nothing.
The Army employs exemplary individuals who despite rubbish pay and living conditions endure 6 month jobs in the desert with minimal time off risking their lives, yet just shut up and get on with it. If you did that to civvies, Labour would have a fit about rights. But people conveniently forget… Iraq? Afghanistan? Oh yeah, wasn’t the tories started them was it!!!!
as for ‘pound wise, penny foolish tories’, I think you’ll find it’s government-wide. The MOD budget crisis was fuelled entirely by labour’s a) quest for the cheapest bidder, with billions of pounds of public money spent correcting dysfunctional equipment because labour skimped on it to save a couple of quid at the time; and b) quest for killing everyone who rides a camel, resulting in a cumulative 12 years and counting in foreign war zones with no victory evident in either.
I think, in all consideration, your anti-Tory argument is really quite flawed.
Please note. Anyone can make any comment they like here as long as it is not offensive. My opinion of the Govt is simple “It does not matter who you vote for. The Govt will still get in.”
Anyone joining the army knows what they are getting into. They know they will be looked after as best as possible. When they leave they know that they can turn to SSAFA or RBL for help.
It is always interesting when ex Service types and retired Police Officers are critical of the security firms and the industry itself , they’ll say exactly what is untoward and why .
As for people supposedly being politically motivated or making political capital ….it’s a pot calling the kettle black one .
If you read the ARRSE Army Forum or the Police Inspector Gadget blogs ….you will find a lot of eye wateringly right wing authoritarian views ….that’s not to say everyone is like that ….but there is a lot that are . Incidentally there has been quite a few dismissive views on CPUK , on the lines of jobs worths lacking common sense , discretion ; proportion and perspective , allegations of not letting disabled people in wheelchairs through ……I’m afraid through experience – on the bounds of probabilities ; I’m inclined to believe them .
The problem for the services types …is that there will be many made redundant through MOD cuts looking for work in the security industry …….not all security firms are benevolvent to them …………many line manager types will feel threatened by them …same goes for the jumped up bouncer types in charge …………..they are used to proper training not tick box , paper shufflers running dumbed down courses that a dog could pass and mickey mouse vocational qualifications …..and are quite rightly critical of what could be viewed as a publically funded training racket …….also it would be dangerous working with badly trained types too .
The FTSE 250 firm I worked for had a reputation for aggressive takeovers of smaller security outfits , they effectively became an IMO a corrupt cut throat cabal ……..and yes ex servicemen and retired policeman were vehemently critical of the firm .
I must agree,self importance and ego’s are the meal of the day,right or wrong does not seem to matter ,there are some good (sic) politicians but most are after their own ambitions and goals and let us not forget the amount of “charities” that also seem more interested in covering their own pay packets than delivering what they were set up for.
In my opinion there is only 1 thing that remains for supporters of companies like Mollys to answer ” How many breaches of an individuals rights does it take before it becomes wrong?”.
the bigger picture is the apparent desire for less regulation , the powers that be want the Public Interest Disclosure Act scrapped for whistleblowers …taking us all back decades and centuries ……….if people have accidents or problems …they’re merely collateral …**it happens – tough !
We must reduce workers salary and take away their right to strike.. This sounds familiar? Adolf Hitler said it in 1933. Reduce salary? Reduce peoples rights ? . Worrying similarity to todays policies.
The Government appear to be rattled – Employment Minister Chris Grayling is spinning again – a nasty smear – apparently ! half the unemployed are working cash in hand , on the lump …whatever you want to call it , very curious appears to beg more questions than answers , in any case if this was proven to be true , who are the Organ Grinders and who are the monkeys ? and why is there such a Black Economy ? .
The Daily Mail loves anecdotes ” The woman behind the till at the Co-op said , the Asst Manager in Wetherspoons said this ” – let’s just say a lot of claimants
have been very candid and forthcoming – apparently !! what a strange coincidence IMO
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2158477/Up-half-jobless-working-black-economy-thousands-forfeit-handouts.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Hi Eddie,
We’d also be really keen to talk to you and follow this up. Please get in touch if you can.
Best,
Sam
I will glady talk to anyone. That said anything and everything I know or have been told about would be on here anyway so unsure what followup there can be.
whats the best way to contact you?
you just did. What can I do for you.
Can anyone help put me in touch with one of the “stewards”? ITN & ITV News are keen to follow this story. I’m in Bristol. Thank you. Rupert
Ill pass your email on Rupert, Tho I doubt they want to give on screen interviews while they are still worried about how the providers and dwp will treat them. For all the promises of care for these and other kids like them, Neither CPuk or TP have the greatest track record.
I can completely understand the concern. We are happy to conduct the interview with total anonymity. It’s important that we hear directly from those who were there (even if we don’t identify them) and not just the politicians. Thanks. R
Eddie. The BBC would also like to speak to someone who was let down. Are you able to pass my email address to any people you have stayed in touch with? It would be radio.
No problem sending them your email address now.
If you were one of the #jubileestewards and you want to speak to the media – even anonymously – then email me at john@johnprescott.org.uk John Prescott Twitter
according to a Guardian Commenter #Molly Prince has a reputation for taking on criminals with spent convictions ….it is a common practice in the low end of the Security Industry ….she has them over a barrel , ex jailbirds are hardly going to tell tales out of class and rock the boat are they are now ? ….know of a high profile refuse cleansing firm that takes on ex convicts as policy
The firms that take on ex cons get to milk European Social Fund money – here’s the scam- during 2011, Bournemouth University were acting as a DWP contractor . A ‘charitee’ called BHCA (who help ex cons and drug addicts etc) were subcontracted to them. Local unemployed (many 50+ , facing an uphill struggle to return to work after caring for relatives, bringing up children etc), were mandated to go to do ‘work experience’ with BCHA. BCHA got ex cons places as students at Bournemouth University,then employed them as ‘supervisors’ for the trainees. BCHA sent the mandated unemployed (under threat of sanctions) to work 30 hours a week free of charge, for profit making companies who could afford to pay them a minimum wage. However, it was also ‘mandatory’ to attend BCHA 1 morning a week to use a broken photocopier, queue for 7 computers on which you could see the last users’ input and details, and to obtain ‘job seeking advice’ from one of the ex cons/’sociology students’. Said ‘sociology students’ mandated unemployed people to do the reception work, collect worksheets, hold Health & Safety inductions etc etc – ie do all their work for them, and spent the day upstairs doing their private studies.
BCHA got slush money for finding employment /education for ex cons, Bournemouth University creamed it from the DWP, and local firms got free workers for 30 hours a week.
Decent law abiding people who had paid tax and NI for 25 years plus, were given ‘advice on obtaining employment’ by ex cons and used as slaves for 13 weeks – you were forced to sign a DPA waiver or you got your benefits cut off, and your exit interview was held before you were returned to be parked at the job centre. If you said anything negative, they ‘decided’ you should spend another 13 – 26 weeks working with/for them!
Can you tell me what this disgraceful system actually achieves?
ps. one of the firms who got free trainees was the Bournemouth Evening Echo – at the time , they had made their entire printing staff at southampton or poole redundant and were sacking 2 telesales staff at the end of each week.
So do BCHA in Boscombe, Bournemouth – who were subcontracted by the DWP providers Bournemouth University in 2011. How can someone who has a 5 year sentence for burglary etc down on their cv as a ‘career break’ advise young unemployed people to get back to work? Disgusting.
Do wish more youngsters were aware you can join Unite the Union for a trainees sub of £1 a month – you can get totally free and really on the ball legal advice, get someone qualified to help with avoiding sanctions, and get protection from the appalling H & S breaches that are going on with these firms –
The Police and the FED Police Federation taking an interest in this http://blog.old-and-bold.info/?p=11289 thin end of the wedge , Cameron’s privatisation of everything …so far ! …..that doesn’t require Warranted Officers …….allegedly some of #Mollie Price’s guards may be known to the Police …..policy of employing criminals with spent convictions ….quite a common practice at the lower end of the security industry …she has them over a barrel , they’re hardly likely to tell tales out of class and rock the boat …are they now ?
A lad has been on Radio 4 The World at One #CPUK say no one slept under London Bridge despite photographic evidence er yeah right ….deliberate misinformation …unfortunately people believe what they want to believe …the fingers in the ear …la,la,la attitide John Prescott is asking for footage on his Twitter Account
I heard that chap. I think what he meant was that no-one got any sleep rather than denying that it had happened
Havent been able to keep up with all the radio hype but will be interesting to see Points West programm tonight as they are due to have a lad on there featured in Shivs artcle and mine.
Sorry Radio 4 Link http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qptc
I avoided the “celebrations” went away, no tv, radio or Internet this is the first thing I have read on my return. Quite frankly it made me weep. It is no suprise to me what is happening in Britain. Scum companies like CPuk will allways be around to make money out of the misfortune of others whilst this government are in power. I feel so sorry for the people exploited in this charade.
Sorry had top change your comment to CPuk.. not sure if there is a pcuk but either way not the people concerned..hope you dont mind.
Other than that thank you for your support for the kids
eddie – i am based in bristol , would be interested in seeing if i can be of any use. Have you seen the boycott welfare website? it has some useful practical information on how people can try and stop this happening again. please email me at steve.cr@hotmail.co.uk. you’ve probably got a lot on your plate at the moment, but keep it in mind
hi some of us here in bristol want to design a leaflet or a petition to support those affected by this – could you get in touch to let us know if it’s a good idea?
While it’s a lovely idea Steve, maybe you should think Bigger. Aiming to help those who have bad experiences with these unscrupulous companies all over, not just Bristol.
I think my next project after helping these, will be to run background checks on ALL the workfare/work experience providers, find the bad or in it for profit ones and expose every last one of them.
Since our cabinet doesn’t seem up to the job.
Reblogged this on andymcneephoto and commented:
I don’t often reblog stuff, I avoided the coverage of the queens ‘celebrations’ This quite frankly made me weep
Thanks Andy.
I agree ….That Guardian comment is confusing ….it would help if #CPUK “staff” could add up or #CPUK management pretending to be “staff” or it could be a paid Troll ….from Tory Central Office …right wing bloggers like Guido Fawkes , Iain Dale etc ? when in a hole stop digging
Well for once I prefer to take Mollies original statement of 80 people sent… Ill take a guess that if there were more they were bussed in later
From my own experience of short-term jobs, which this appears to fit if the employer were honest, there is a special procedure for signing off and then signing on when the job is over. There isn’t a long wait for benefit to restart. (I am assuming these procedures have not changed. I would be unsurprised if our politicians had changed the system.)
Close Protection UK, on their website, claim that their event stewarding services are “BSI kitemarked” under ISO 9001-2000. That’s the standard for having quality control procedures, and so being able to provide a specified service. It says nothing about the quality standards to be set. If it’s the only standard they care to offer for event stewarding, it looks bogus to me, and I am surprised that they got the job.
“Close Protection”, incidentally, is a term of art for bodyguard work, sometimes known as “bullet-catching”. Last I heard, it was a specialist role for the Military Police who have a high reputation in the business. There are other sources of competent bodyguards. It isn’t something to take chances on when you’re hiring.
This outfit provided “combat trousers”. They supplied a disorganised fake service. They sound like a Walt-factory.
agree -its called ‘rapid reclaim’and you’re told about it when you are signed over to the contractor by the jobcentre – I didnt’ understand the press coverage that said the trainees were reluctant to accept payment in case their benefit stopped.
The problem with rapid reclaim is that , the moment you stop claimimng to “work” on a scheme, other benefits stop too for example Housing benefit.
When you rapid reclaim at Jobcentre ( over the phone at national rate with BT) you then have to make a fresh claim for Housing benefit etc which can take weeks/months depending on your councils workload.
Meanwhile you have no rent paid and risk eviction.
And when those involved were asked to say something:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2155650/Jobless-Jubilee-stewards-dismiss-exploitation-claims.html
Robert Cooke, 30, from Plymouth:
“Organisers found somewhere for us to shelter, and said that if any of us wanted to get into our sleeping bags to keep warm, then we could. Most of us just stayed up chatting. It was a good laugh, and we had access to the portable loos the whole time. They have paid for all the training for my licence and an NVQ in crowd safety. They gave us boots worth £80, and a uniform. We worked out that what they’ve spent is the equivalent of us being paid £45 an hour.”
Kirsty Nicholls, 23, also from Plymouth:
“I would like to thank CPUK for the amazing experience I was a part of this weekend. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. We were treated with the utmost respect and highly praised for the work we had done. I personally volunteered to do all three days work as I found the experience incredibly pleasurable. I look forward to a long career with CPUK.”
Markus Hanks, another volunteer, said:
“Thanks for a great time at the Diamond Jubilee. Brilliant company to work for, great staff, brilliant atmosphere between everyone, looking forward to working with Close Protection UK again at the London 2012 Olympics. I’m supporting you and the Close Protection UK 110%.”
As for Prescott’s intervention, it didn’t take long to find this about Labour’s New Deal:
Labour’s Welfare Warfare
Slave labour
Labour’s welfare to work scheme through the New Deal is designed to provide cheap labour to the employers through training, education and job opportunities. Those who refuse to be forced into derisorily low paid jobs will have their benefits removed.
http://www.afed.org.uk/org/issue48/welfare.html
And tell me please, were these people on the schemes or the ones that were being paid??
Does Kirsty Nicholls, 23, also from Plymouth:
“I would like to thank CPUK for the amazing experience I was a part of this weekend. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. We were treated with the utmost respect and highly praised for the work we had done. I personally volunteered to do all three days work as I found the experience incredibly pleasurable. I look forward to a long career with CPUK.
Know that no-one has had a long career with CPuk and that those who are taken on will only have jobs during the festival season ( as molly/mary herself has stated)?
And as for Markus Hanks, another volunteer, said:
“Thanks for a great time at the Diamond Jubilee. Brilliant company to work for, great staff, brilliant atmosphere between everyone, looking forward to working with Close Protection UK again at the London 2012 Olympics. I’m supporting you and the Close Protection UK 110%.”
There is someone who hopes by toeing the party line they will not be dropped if ever there was one.
Robert Cooke, 30, from Plymouth:
“Organisers found somewhere for us to shelter, and said that if any of us wanted to get into our sleeping bags to keep warm, then we could. Most of us just stayed up chatting. It was a good laugh, and we had access to the portable loos the whole time. They have paid for all the training for my licence and an NVQ in crowd safety. They gave us boots worth £80, and a uniform. We worked out that what they’ve spent is the equivalent of us being paid £45 an hour.”
As you should be aware if you kept up with all the info coming out now and over the last few days, Molly/Mary is not worth standing up for. They found shelter, yes under a bridge, access to portable loos the whole time.. ok so look through the footage from the jubilee covering the bridge.. now count the portaloos. Now remember that these wern’t accessable to the bussed up stewards. Although I have heard they were accessable to supervisors and badge holders already employed by Molly.
You really need to stop the BS and check for yourself.
If you have any sort of Morality or Integrity You would not be defending this woman.
There are times I wish I could deny posting comments like yours, but it would not be ethical or right to deny you your opinion.
I can only hope that you learn from your mistakes when Molly/Mary is prosecuted for her obviously callous disregard towards these kids, and no doubt many cases of fraud and possibly false accounting etc
Read the DM article -the reporters say ‘comments shown to the daily mail were…’ Did you know that a) none of the comments was dated b) the reporters had no contact at all with these people, they were just shown text messages, c) the text messages aside from one could have been making a comment about a completely unconnected work experience in the past, d) you have an ‘exit interview’ when your mandatory placement with them comes to an end, and if you say anything negative, they can recommend you spend another 13-26 weeks with them, so are genuinely coerced into not saying anything critical at all.
The entire article is completely biased, which is why the DM suddenly stopped accepting comments from the public on their website …someone is suing them
It’s ” interesting ” that when Sonia Poulton did her counter balance article to the Daily Mail article that appears to be full of very contrived , carefully pre – ” scripted ” testimonials ” by CPUK ” volunteers ” , I’m absolutely sure that the alleged hiring of Cicero is pure coincidence and Santa Claus exists too ! , she wrote this …………………………..
” The level of upset and resentment of people who were forced to camp out on one of the coldest and wettest nights of the year so far, can be clearly seen in this remark posted on social network sites. It is anonymous because the mother concerned fears her child’s benefits will be removed for daring to speak out.
“My child is part of this farce up there but is so desperate for a job they have stuck it out. They have been on the phone in tears, saying they are soaking wet, bleeding feet and sleeping in a wet muddy field with barely any facilities. I have said for God’s sake come home…but if they did it would be the end of the course and no SIA badge.”
Imagine if it were your child in that position where they were forced into such inhumane conditions or they would be penalised, either by stopping Job Seeker benefits or failing them from gaining a certificate they have been told they need in order to pass along to the next level of ‘almost employment’. ” link back http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2155894/Staffing-Diamond-Jubilee-unpaid-workers-work-experience-exploitation.html
IMO if these workfare providers , ” training providers ” , ” social enterprises ” ” health care ” services like ATOS are arrogating functions of the state to themselves …and it appears to be an attempt to cover it up …………..
1. It is a disgraceful scandal 2. In some instances there appears to be an extreme form of corporatism as used in bankrupt fascist Italy under Mussolini during World War II ….at best there’s dabbling in very dangerous areas . 3 . It’s ” interesting ” that these firms appear to hide behind commercial sensitivity , commercial confidentiality arrangements 4 . Private Eye magazine allege that the DWP has been very shifty when inquiries have been made about these ” providers ” and there is far less accountability than say if the state provided such schemes .
There has also been ” interesting ” allegations on a very well known Social Networking site group ………that Tory Party researchers have demanded names and addresses so claims can be ” investigated ” I’m absolutely sure if this is true , the researchers motives were honorable and England will win the European Championship …as I’m such an optimist
On Digital Spy
” Let’s not forget that the director of the Tomorrow’s People “charity”, who sent the young people on this course with taxpayers money (run by Close Protection UK), is Tory peer Baroness Stedman-Scott.
Tomorrow’s People were one of the main culprits involved in the Major era Project Work pilot programme, it seems that they haven’t changed their tune much. There’s an awful lot of money to be made out of taxpayer funded free labour for companies. Especially companies owned by politicans and those that bankroll political parities.
Tomorrow’s People also work under CDG in East London & Prospects, Rehab and JHP Training in two of the South West areas
Recently, Newsnight revealed that Tory Baroness Stedman-Scott, earns £100,000 for her role at the “charity”, and employs no less than eight others on £50,000 a year.
Molly Prince, the director of Close Protection UK contributed to a book about the nature of the ‘security’ industry, along with such notables as Dave Courtney, a well known English gangster.
Molly Prince also seems to be known as Mary Prince or Mary Jane Prince on many of the company records. She so far has set up no less than 5 companies, all 5 of which has been struck off by Companies House using powers under the Companies Act — having failed to submit any accounts whatsoever: She has set up a couple more limited companies this year, as Molly Prince, with the same address as the security company. They are called Vision Lifestyle Ltd and Commitment Fitness Ltd, with little sign of them having done anything yet.
And yet the governemnt are satisfied that this is a “one off”.
This whole thing stinks to high heaven.
Additional information that has come to light:
The director of Close Protection UK, Molly prince, — the company responsible for the Jubilee stewards fiasco — received a twelve months suspended sentence for perverting the course of justice. The conviction relates to a family dispute which resulted in a man in coma.
It goes far FAR deeper than “people forced to sleep under a bridge” and “some people enjoyed it”, and could result in the same corruption that was seen in the “expenses scandal”, where political MPs and Peers are profiteering out of Taxpayers cash, invested into companies with close links to notorious gangsters, whose Directors are convicted criminals.
I hope the lid is blown right off this thing. ”
Tom Watson MP said on Twitter that a little part of Michael Fallon’s soul must have died today and he can’t wait to meet him on the Daily Politics show , on his blogs he says Tory Central Office had organised a distraction fight back ………… Lord Prescott on Twitter says the whole thing is beyond parody ….then there’s the little matter of G4s at the Olympics being tainted .
Johnny Void has done a very interesting WordPress Blog about the Tory Donar business links to Tomorrows People ….not much nepotism as incest ?
There’s been more sleaze and corruption with PR Dave Snooty and his braying toff pals in the last two years , than in the 18 yrs of Thatcher and Major and the 13 of New Labour with Blair and Brown .
Over to you Cicero …never mind Molly ..or Mary Jane Prince ….there’s a TV career on Daytime TV talk shows for you ….or you could tell all about your alleged extensive plastic surgery and how allegedly you gave all those ex criminals with spent convictions work out of the goodness of your own heart in supermarket magazines – a journalism career awaits !
I worked at Royal Ascot as steward/security 2 years ago. It was the same. My workmates and I were completely untrained and unchecked. We were in the box with the queen and guarding the track when she came down in the carriage. Camping 20 minutes away with food only provided for 2 of the 7 days there. It also turned out that we didn’t get paid because the boss was a crook. His name is Pat Brown from Weymouth in Dorset. Do not ever work with him.
The stewarding and security industry is always like this.
HI MV. Sorry to hear about your experience. I’m a jounralist and wondered whether we could speak?
check your email box
this is / was a very dubious firm Parking Solutions Security Parking (UK) Ltd operated out of Shrewsbury ….started up by a black guy …ex boxer ……………..there was a lot of compliants at a important Central Lancashire train station junction ………
…………AFAIK no one was assaulted by this guy but a lot of people felt that they were very intimidated ….commuters seemingly went to their MP and from a Google Search there was questions tabled in the House ……..despite their business address they worked from the Midlands ….Tamworth ..
.I think ……..they got a contract with Virgin Trains and did Car Park duties when VT were running replacement buses when the main lines were closed .
…….none of the staff were vetted , had SIA licences , there was no equipment , no staff got holiday pay when they qualified for it …one guard claimed that the propreitar couldn’t afford it as he’d his wedding to pay for , they broke staff in gently by mere 14 hr shifts ….but some staff had to do 22 – 24 hrs ones at Carlisle …
….there was no facilities for staff at the stations whatsoever ….interviews were held in station buffets …..one member of staff had his postal wages by cheque stolen …….it was patently obvious he hadn’t drawn on the cheque but was basically told to Foxtrot Oscar .
….the firm expected their guards to ride shot gun on these rail replacement buses as bouncers with no restraint or first aid training ….However Virgin Trains are indirectly to blame for hiring these cowboy outfits too
Staff have very little due recourse in law ….they can complain to ACAS but the only remedy to obtain holiday pay which is due under the EU Working Time Directive is take out an Industrial Tribunal out against these firms …..a lot of staff are frightened to rock the boat …as the word could get round and they’d be unofficially black listed in the Security Industry …and never work in it again .
The Health and Safety Executive are a toothless paper tiger if complaints are brought against them …judging by the amount of pathetic handwringing and wriggling out of things .
However aggressive Car Park Firms is basically the business model ….licences are given out wily nily to these semi literate sub criminal types .
However this is by no means the lower end of the Security Industry Market whatsoever ………there’s outfits that dump people on building sites for the whole weekend …of course they’ve never paid …and if they complain they get a good kicking for their temerity .
There’s a lot of outfits that are formed when the people in them fall out ……..it’s not unusual to see the bosses with black eyes having had a good kicking …and many have to work out of the area for their own personal safety .
Keep up the good work. exposing the corruption in our society. very few people stand up for the exploited. Great read.
Today we’ve learnt that this bouncer-cum-security guard-cum-fire marshall-cum-steward training company also offers seven-day courses in the use of lethal weapons.
http://www.ldc-uk.com/Qualifications/Live-Firing.aspx
That’s been know for a while but yes its a worrying thought considering her apparent lack of responsibility that she can offer live fire training.
I feel this is typical of the whole WP for months I inquired about what was available (over 25) the mysterious “Black Box” was quoted time and again,I must of finally irritated the programme manager because the E-Mails he sent were rather curt but at least he admitted that there is no money for training and my job is to get a job,his job is to make sure I get a job as they are losing money.As for providing support the “Advisors” are overloaded and are unable to comment on any support that might be available. This provider has been averaging a 9%-10% placement rate,until recently it has surged but only because apprentice positions have become available (down the mines)
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Let’s stop this Bullshit of company registration….Molly, Mary and Molly. This is really pissing me off now.I have been telling a number of people about this for days now. Please stop playing games on this issue and shout it from rooftops. Glad someone is actually picking this upShe is taking the piss
Can I ask that people acknowledge where they get their info as a lot of people have put in hours of work getting it. Zoe Williams took it all and did not acknowledge and we should not do it.
You can add another question to that list. How will those whose confidence in work experience has been shattered be helped back into work, or will they just be shoved back in the system and put on another and another and another.
agree – just causing bitter resentment & cynicism , they just regard people as commodities to be disposed of , no loyalty given , non expected ……..I’ve read the carefully pre – scripted PR BS by numbers ” statements ” by CPUK Plymouth volunteers in The Daily Blackshirt …whoops sorry ! , Mail ….yes many of them are ridiculously simplistic and pathetically naive ……….it might take time but the penny eventually drops with people and there’ll be anger when they realise they’ve been taken for prize mugs .
Locally there was a workfare scheme …however they only did community projects a few days a week and on their days off they could still look for work and most importantly they got an allowance of about £30 ……..not brilliant yes …..but it made some difference …………..and because they were looked after to a limited extent………… they didn’t blow the whistle and ruin the reputation of the workfare providers………things work both ways ….and there’s always someone that’ll challenge things and call their bluff .
The most telling comment was from someone working for the Probation Service about community punishment …how they’ve got to do risk assessment s , people have to have PPE , proper supervision and H&S , how to deal with the fights and arguments that break out ……..though it was in the very right wing Daily Mail ……he got a lot of green stars ……because he’d a more forensic analysis of the issues ………not a childish tribal right v left argument
All these ideas are badly thought through , they beg more questions than answers and fall on their own inherent contradictions ………….penny wise ….very pound foolish back of a fag packet stuff ……..it might look good in the yellow journalism in the Daily Mail ….however the real world doesn’t quite play so neat .
There’s also the tick box , paper shufflers one size fits all problem …stories of former bank managers , newspaper editors , IT technicans etc filling shelves in Poundland …….or on ridicously dumbed down courses by the likes of all for Emma A4e ………..these courses should be done at further education places , professionally not by these cowboy amateurs like CPUK and their ilk …however this is a ideological anathema to this incompetent and corrupt government as the market is supposedly ! the answer to everything and profit is a false god to be worshipped . Even Adam Smith said the private sector can’t do everything but these idiots insist on squaring all these circles .
Anyway let Max Clifford chew on the Mollie Prince conviction bone …..she’s just a pawn in the game a big one at that but by no means the only one ……..what people have to concentrate on is untangling the relationship between the Govt , it’s departments , the fake charities , the nepotism ………there’s an excellent article in Private Eye about how shifty the DWP has been …covering up and protecting these so called providers …..it stinks so let’s get the lid off this can of worms ! and fry some bigger fish like Theresa May , Chris Grayling , IDS , Maria Miller and the Tory party backers .