The Customer
The General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England. Formerly the Church Assembly, the General Synod came into being in 1970 under the Synodical Government Measure 1969 and took over almost all the powers formerly exercised by the Convocations of Canterbury and York.
Synodical sessions are held every year in London and in York, where members meet to consider and approve legislation affecting the whole of the Church of England, formulate new forms of worship, debate matters of national and international importance, and approve the annual budget for the work of the Church at a national level.
Gough & Kelly has worked with the General Synod since 2010 to ensure a safe and secure environment for all attendees at the annual synodical session in York.
Project requirements
The five-day synodical sessions take place at the University of York in July each year. Members of the public can also attend and view sessions from the public gallery. The nature of the topics discussed means that the event occasionally attracts activists or peaceful protests – around climate change issues, for example – which require an experienced security team to manage.
Our solution
Our long-standing relationship with the General Synod means we have an in-depth understanding of this key event in the Church of England calendar. Each year, we deploy an experienced team of SIA-approved personnel to make sure security procedures are followed by everyone who attends the synodical sessions and ensure the respectful handling of any sensitive situations.
Our work includes managing all internal and external access and control points, manning all areas of the event, enforcing strict access and ID card policies as well as managing public viewing and media attendance.
The fact that we have been retained to support such a high-profile event for well over a decade reflects the ability, experience, and approach of the Gough & Kelly team.
The future
The General Synod has appointed Gough & Kelly to manage security for the 2025 events, continuing a twelve-year partnership. The 2025 sessions are scheduled for York from 11-15 July and London from 17-19 November.