A new, monthly blog from our Joint Managing Director, Angela Bennett
June 2025 – Rest, Resilience & Raising Standards
If May was about momentum, June felt like a month of meaningful grounding. Between technical seminars, strategic growth, wellness events, and some very special team moments, it’s the kind of month that reminds me why I do what I do — and how important it is to slow down every once in a while.
✨ Celebrating Progress
One of my favourite moments this month was celebrating Chris’s completion of his apprenticeship. He’s now a fully qualified engineer — a huge personal milestone for him, and a proud moment for all of us. You can read more about his journey in this blog post. It’s exactly the kind of outcome I envisioned when I created the Diamond Apprentice Development Programme four years ago — a 90-day onboarding plan for all new apprentices joining our team.
We also passed our NSI Security Technical Audit in June with flying colours — two security installations were inspected and both achieved Grade A, with no deviations from British Standards. Thanks to our clients for facilitating the audits and trusting us with their security. That’s the bar we set, and it’s a credit to the whole team.
🔧 Empowering Through Knowledge
In line with our commitment to empower people with knowledge — not just systems — I hosted a Breakfast Briefing in Lisburn to explore the key changes in BS5839-1:2025 and Part E of the NI Building Regulations. Will Lloyd, Head of Technical at the FIA, delivered the technical detail on BS5839-1, and I shared the practical implications of the Part E updates for fire safety across NI.
I am very proud that Diamond is regarded as a thought leader — the people you turn to when you want clarity, not complexity.
That’s why we also formally launched our Design Service this month — providing consultant engineers with access to:
- Full fire alarm system design
- Design support and specification guidance
- Design verification and compliance assurance
We are the people who make it easier to get life safety and security right — from the start. With industry-leading design qualifications within our team, we can be trusted to deliver.
🌍 Broadening Our Impact
We were delighted to exhibit at the All Ireland Sustainability Summit in June, showcasing the P50 fire extinguishers — a low maintenance, eco-friendly option that challenges the throwaway culture of traditional extinguishers. Big thanks to Fiona Mitchell for helping on the stand and being part of our mission to promote more sustainable fire safety solutions.
I also had a number of productive meetings with new partners and manufacturers this month. As we continue to grow and evolve, it’s important to work with suppliers who share our values around innovation, quality, and compliance.
And for a little fun outside the fire and security world, I was invited to attend the Cultra Motorsport Festival by Porsche Centre Belfast — a lovely day out and a reminder of the synergy between precision engineering and performance in both our industries.
🌱 The Power of Slowing Down
I’ve learned that you can’t lead effectively if you’re running on empty. So I made wellness a priority for myself and for our team this month — not as a “nice to have”, but as fuel for what’s ahead.
- I’ve started weekly yoga sessions at my local leisure centre.
- I welcomed Ciaran May from Natural Resilience to speak to the team about stress, mindset and practical wellbeing — a brilliant session that’s still being talked about.
- I joined Natural Resilience’s ‘Breaking Bread’ and ‘Rising Tide’ events — spaces that gave me the breathing room to reflect, connect with others, and reset.
- I spent a restorative day at Lucille Cassidy’s amazing studio in Glenavy with some of the women from our May Donegal retreat — reconnecting with myself and my circle of support.
All of this helped me slow down properly when I finally stepped away for a family holiday in Spain. The beach, the headspace, the sun — all of it left me feeling recharged and ready to lead again.
📸 Finally Updating the Headshots
This month I also did something I’ve been putting off for far too long — I got new headshots taken by Annette Burke at 4ever Photos. She made me feel completely relaxed (not easy when you don’t love being in front of a camera!) and I’m honestly delighted with the results. They’re already starting to appear across our platforms — and they actually feel like me.
💭 Looking Ahead
June was about growth — both strategic and personal. We raised the standard in how we deliver, how we support our clients, and how we look after each other. And we did it without losing sight of who we are: a proud, local company leading the way in life safety and security — with heart.
Thanks for reading. If you’ve found yourself sprinting this year without pause, I highly recommend building in the space to breathe. There’s power in the pause.
Angela
