Why am I writing this blog

Hi. Let me start off by introducing myself. I am The Secret Steward. The reason for creating this blog (and associated streams) is to give people an insight into what sports grounds and other entertainment premises are really like, but more specifically the part of them which involves keeping people safe within them is really like.

However before that let me give you a bit of Background about me. I am someone with a background in Sports Ground Safety, Health & Safety, and Public Safety. I have worked for over 10 years on and off, in venues as large as over 70,000 people and as small as less then 1000 people. I have searched, monitored, advised, enforced, reported and ejected people. I have mainly worked in sports and entertainment venues, but have knowledge of others through work in regulatory enforcement. As a steward I am qualified to NVQ level 2 – basically what would be referred to as an ordinary steward. I will publish a piece at a later date on what this entails, as well as all other roles within the safety management structure. I am not SIA accredited – meaning I do not possess a security licence and am not specifically trained to carry out full body searches upon people entering venues.

That is not a list of everything I have done as either a steward or a regulator. But it should show you that I can be trusted to know what I am talking about. But I suppose the question is why am I writing it? The answer is complex but also very simple. Throughout my life I have garnered a lot of knowledge. Sometimes that knowledge is useful straight away, such as how to carry out a specific task or how to complete a certain activity. But sometimes that knowledge has no immediate apparent use.and simply sits, stored in our brains for years without ever being required. However, one day you could find yourself in a situation where that knowledge turns out to be useful, or even critical to your wellbeing. That is what the topics covered in this blog will hopefully give you – knowledge that can help both consciously and subconsciously when you might least expect it – say in sports ground or entertainment venue.

So this blog is not intended to be used as an alternative instruction manual for stewards, or a way for people to get around, or avoid following safety procedures. It is written to give you an understanding of what is being done of what is going on and why specific things are going on around you when you are in a venue in order to keep you safe, and to give you a better chance of keeping yourselves safe.. I also hope it may encourage you to look in more detail into the topics and subjects involved to both expand your knowledge and increase your awareness of an often undervalued industry.

Thank you and I hope you enjoy.

The Secret Steward