Holidays are over and August has flown by, and what a month it’s been for Diamond! Our teams have been busy delivering fire and security solutions across hospitality, pharmaceuticals, and social housing schemes. For our pharmaceutical client, we’ve installed an aspirating fire detection system – the gold standard for ultra-clean environments where early detection is absolutely vital.
We’ve also secured fresh projects in aerospace, defence, and energy storage, continuing our track record of supporting safety-critical sectors. Some of this work will see us back in England, where we’ve successfully delivered before. At the same time, we’re supporting GB-based partners with their Northern Ireland sites, alongside our usual packed schedule of service contracts.
And big news – we’re gearing up for a Northern Ireland-wide rollout of extinguisher replacements on behalf of a UK partner for a major retail chain. A large-scale programme that underlines the confidence others place in Diamond to deliver at scale.
Training and Knowledge-Sharing
Training has been in full swing too. Paul Doherty and I delivered a fire warden course, and we’ve just launched our autumn training dates. It’s fantastic to see organisations really investing in their teams’ fire safety knowledge.
We also hosted the brilliant Nimbus team in Belfast. Their innovative connected fire alarm technology is a game-changer, and we’re rolling this out to our engineers and clients.
Industry Leadership
August was also about giving back to the industry. I joined the judging panel for the Women in Fire Safety Awards – the calibre of entries was inspiring – and I can’t wait to be back in London this September to give the opening address as last year’s UK Woman of the Year.
Looking further ahead, I’ll be joining a panel at the NI Safety Group conference in November, alongside the Security Industry Association and our client The Odyssey, to discuss Martyn’s Law. Figen Murray will also be presenting – her story is one that stays with you and she is incredible. If you are responsible for safety within a venue, you will not want to miss it. For a quick introduction, here’s a helpful video: Martyn’s Law overview and what you need to know | ProtectUK.
Growth and Development
Diamond is growing! We’ve appointed a Junior Sales Executive who will join us in October to strengthen our safety products and training division, and we’re delighted to welcome Josh, our new apprentice, who has just started his journey with us. Building the next generation of talent is something I’m really passionate about.
And in between all the projects and planning, there’s been plenty happening personally too – from sharing my first podcast interview (thanks for all the lovely feedback) to being on the inaugural A320neo flight to Rome – in August Steve and I enjoyed a cruise round the Greek Islands with our families, which was amazing! We also squeezed in a ladies’ wellness day at Lucille Cassidy’s retreat and rounded off the month in style with the most special of evenings at the ICC Belfast with Van Morrison and Ronnie Wood. Huge congratulations to Rob McConnell and the brilliant team at ICC Belfast on delivering such a fresh, world-class concept that truly elevates the concert experience.
September is my favourite month of the year and it is shaping up to be another packed month of networking and industry events – with two trips to London for DSEI and the Women in Fire Safety Awards, followed by the IoD Annual Dinner here in Belfast. Lots of opportunities to connect, share ideas, and keep building momentum!
Angela
