A significant milestone has been passed in Manchester as work continues to protect people from terror attacks.
More than 1,000 people have now taken part in the Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) training which aims to equip staff across the city with skills to identify and mitigate potential risks, and respond in the event of a terror attack. Run in partnership between Manchester City Council, CityCo and Counter Terror Policing North West this training was brought in to support the Council’s adoption of ‘Martyn’s Law’ - named in honour of Martyn Hett, who lost his life during the Manchester Arena Terror Attack. This was done ahead of the Central Government’s plan to implement a ‘Protect Duty’ requirement for venues. When the new law is passed, it will make it a requirement for venues across the city to improve their security procedures and risk assessments and be better prepared to respond in the event of an attack. . The Council has been incredibly proud of the response from business across the city, who have shown a great willingness to take on board the principles of Martyn’s Law ahead of their legal duty to do so. With support from Martyn’s mum, Figen Murray, close to 500 venues and now more than 1,000 members of staff, have committed to playing their part in Making Manchester safer.
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods said:
“The work done around Martyn’s Law has been some of the most important the Council has ever embarked on. “The Manchester Arena Terror Attack left an indelible mark on our city, but it does not have to define our future. We never want to repeat that terrible night again which is why ACT training is so vital. “I am so proud of the venues who have already signed up and recognise what a fantastic achievement it is to have trained more than 1,000 people. However, there is always more work to be done and I am confident in the coming months even greater numbers can be reached.”
Gareth Worthington, CityCo’s Night-Time Economy Officer, said:
“CityCo and Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District are proud partners of the ACT Awareness training roll-out. It has been brilliant to see the take-up from our business networks, with nearly 500 companies and more than 1,000 city centre employees now trained – an important milestone for Manchester. “We would like to thank Figen Murray OBE for her dedication in bringing Martyn’s Law into legislation, and her continued support of these training sessions. Any businesses requiring training can book at cityco.com.”