Gratitude is a free public art installation of 51 beautifully sculptures, each unique design created by artists from across the UK. Securitas is the only security company sponsoring a sculpture and it is extremely proud to represent the industry as it expresses gratitude to every security officer and engineer and recognises the role they played as key workers during the pandemic.
In expressing gratitude, Securitas also wants to honour those employees and key workers the country has lost along the way.
It hope that the sculpture will help raise awareness of the important role security professionals play, and the contribution they make, in keeping people, property, and local communities safe every day of the year. And through Gratitude, Securitas wants to thank them all for their selfless commitment, while facing the challenges of living with COVID-19.
Raising the profile of security professionals
In a recent survey, security officers were ranked 9th out of 10 essential services (just one place above traffic wardens), prompting Rick Mounfield, Chief Executive of the Security Institute to comment “The public seems unaware of the critical roles security officers play in supporting the police …. the average citizen in the UK pays little to no attention to what a security officer is doing.”
Sponsoring Gratitude is just one way it can help educate others about the important role of security officers
Securitas wants to change this public perception. Sponsoring Gratitude is just one way it can help educate others about the important role of security officers, and over the coming weeks, it’ll share some of the personal stories of its people to highlight how the challenging roles they undertake to keep the local communities safe.
Contribution of frontline workers
Shaun Kennedy, Country President, Securitas UK, commented, "Security professionals are the unsung heroes of the global pandemic. They were on the front line from day one, helping to keep people and property safe and secure. That’s why Gratitude is such an important event – it’s our way of saying thank you to security professionals across the UK.”
“It’s also a great way for us to help change people’s perceptions of the role of security officers and help the general public understand the huge, often unseen, contribution our people make to society."
After the Birmingham art installation, Gratitude will move to Manchester and then to Edinburgh. The final installation will be in London in early October, after which the sculptures will be auctioned to raise money for NHS Charities Together.
