Press Statement On Friday 7 February 2025, Specialist Group International (SGI) proudly welcomed Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal @RoyalFamily to our headquarters in Dorking, Surrey. Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence This event marked not only a royal visit but also celebrated a significant milestone for SGI—the 30th anniversary since the company’s founding. The royal visit recognises the company’s reputation for outstanding service in areas including specialist rescue, underwater search, water safety, and specialist security. Our work supports the emergency services, government agencies, and the public at large, underscoring SGI’s role as a national leader in specialist response capabilities. Highlights of the Day During the visit, the Princess Royal experienced a series of engaging and informative demonstrations. • Demonstrations and Equipment Displays: The Princess Royal witnessed a rope rescue demonstration and was given an up-close look at the company’s extensive range of specialist search equipment. These tools, which are used for land, water, and air searches, reflect SGI’s commitment to innovation and excellence in search and rescue operations. • Tour of Facilities: A comprehensive tour of the SGI headquarters was arranged, including a visit to the 24/7 Control Room. This offered insights into the operational backbone of SGI’s emergency response services and highlighted the organisation’s readiness and sophistication. • Lucas Dobson Water Safety Campaign: Lucas Dobson Water Safety | An important part of the day was dedicated to raising awareness about the Lucas Dobson Water Safety Campaign. The campaign, established in memory of six-year-old Lucas Dobson who tragically drowned in 2018, aims to promote water safety and prevent further tragedies. The Princess Royal learned more about this vital campaign and met Nathan Dobson, Lucas’s father, whose personal loss has inspired other significant community impact and safety initiatives. Several teachers and students from schools who have received free lifejackets as part of the water safety campaign were also proudly in attendance and gave testimony to the Princess Royal about the positive impact that the water safety initiative has already made. • Commemorative Plaque: A special plaque commemorating the Princess Royal’s visit was unveiled during the event. This plaque will hold pride of place in the main office, serving as a lasting reminder of the honour bestowed upon SGI by her visit. Significance and Gratitude For Specialist Group International, the visit was not only an honour at the highest level but also an affirmation of decades of dedicated service. The company’s multifaceted operations—from search and rescue to innovative safety campaigns—have been recognised. The presence of the Princess Royal lent further credibility and visibility to SGI’s work, reinforcing our commitment to saving lives and supporting the emergency services for many years to come. More pictures on our SGI Facebook facebook.com/share/18WFP7uzG…

Daisy & Duke meet the RNLI 🛟🐾 While the @RNLI lifeguards were setting up on the beach this morning, Daisy and Duke got to meet some of the amazing team — who were very interested in our two four-legged friends! 🐶🐶 They’re only 9 weeks old, but these two little Belgian Malinois have big ambitions — they’re aspiring rescue dogs and will be starting their training as they grow. 🐾🛟 It was also a great opportunity to remind ourselves of the incredibly important job the RNLI lifeguards do every day — keeping people safe in the water and helping prevent tragedies. The sea can be beautiful but it can also be unpredictable. Please listen to the lifeguards, swim between the flags, keep an eye on children and never underestimate the power of the sea. A huge thank you to all the RNLI lifeguards and volunteers who work so hard to keep us safe. ❤️ Stay safe, enjoy the beach and look after each other. 🌊🛟 #RNLI #RNLIlifeguards #WaterSafety #BeachSafety #RespectTheWater #DaisyAndDuke #BelgianMalinois #RescueDogs #StaySafe #Lifeguards #perranporth #cornwall

Yesterday, SGI was proud to take part in the 999 Services Day at Selsey Lifeboat Station. Alongside the RNLI, HM Coastguard, Police, Fire and Ambulance Services, SGI demonstrated some of the specialist search and rescue equipment we use on operational deployments. Despite the exceptionally hot weather, the event provided a great opportunity to engage with members of the public, answer questions and give people an insight into the work we do. A special thank you to Jon, who represented SGI throughout the day. He did an outstanding job setting up our display, demonstrating our equipment and talking to visitors. Jon is a former Sussex Police Underwater Search Unit diver with a wealth of operational experience. After retiring from Sussex Police, he joined SGI, where he now works as one of our divers and dive supervisors. Jon also looks after all of our operational diving equipment, ensuring it is meticulously maintained, fully serviced and ready to deploy at a minute’s notice whenever we receive a call. A big thank you to the organisers, all the emergency services who took part, and everyone who came along to support the event. Community engagement is an important part of what we do, and we hope the day inspired a few future rescuers along the way. @Selseylifeboat #SGI #SearchAndRescue #999ServicesDay #SelseyLifeboatStation #RNLI #HMCoastguard #EmergencyServices #CommunityEngagement

For a number of years, Specialist Group International (SGI) has been proud to support the British Association of Women in Policing (BAWP) Awards, recognising the outstanding contribution that women make to policing across the UK. This year, SGI was honoured to be the main sponsor of the awards, which celebrate excellence, leadership, dedication and service within the policing profession. Congratulations to all of the winners, finalists and nominees, and in particular to Chief Superintendent Dee Perkins of Bedfordshire Police on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award 2026. A fantastic achievement and well-deserved recognition of a distinguished career. Supporting organisations such as BAWP is important to us at SGI, and we remain committed to recognising and celebrating those who dedicate their lives to public service. @BAWPUK @bedspolice #bawp #womeninpolicing #police #policing

RT @BAWPUK: Our Lifetime Achievement award winner… Chief Supt Dee Perkins @peter_faulding @bedspolice

A few photos from the latest water safety school visits. Tuesday’s visits to Sandwich Junior School in Kent and Pangbourne Junior School near Reading were another great success as part of the Lucas Dobson Water Safety Campaign. It has been a successful few weeks of lifejacket donations and water safety talks, reaching hundreds of children and helping them understand the dangers that water can present, particularly during the summer months. Between the two schools, 24 lifejackets were donated for children and families to borrow free of charge, just like library books. By making lifejackets readily available, we hope to encourage safer enjoyment of our rivers, lakes, canals and coastline. As we head into another hot weekend, please take care around water. If you’re boating, paddleboarding, kayaking or taking part in any water activity, wear a lifejacket. It could save your life. Education is one of the most powerful tools we have in preventing drownings. Teaching children about water safety from a young age helps them make safer decisions and could one day save a life. A huge thank you to the pupils and staff at Sandwich Junior School and Pangbourne Junior School for making the visits so enjoyable. Enjoy the sunshine, respect the water, and stay safe. #WaterSafety #LucasDobsonCampaign #LifejacketsSaveLives #RespectTheWater #WaterSafetyEducation

Ex-detective Mark Williams-Thomas has revealed what it was like to expose Jimmy Savile. Hear his full story: youtu.be/VMo4ejKp1ls?si=DRL7…

Today I flew for two hours and forty minutes to two fantastic schools to deliver water safety talks and donate life-saving equipment as part of the Lucas Dobson Water Safety Campaign. lucasdobsonwatersafety.com/ My first stop was Sandwich Junior School in Kent, followed by Pangbourne Junior School near Reading. Between the two schools, I donated a total of 24 lifejackets that children and families can borrow just like library books, helping to make water safety equipment accessible to everyone. With the hot weather and summer holidays approaching, it is more important than ever to educate young people about the dangers of water and how to stay safe around rivers, lakes, canals and the coast. A simple piece of advice or the availability of a lifejacket can make all the difference. The Lucas Dobson Water Safety Campaign is funded entirely by my company, Specialist Group International Specialist Group International - SGI and I am proud to continue delivering these talks and lifejackets to schools across the country. Please enjoy the summer, but remember to respect the water and stay safe. #watersafety

🚁🌊 Another Busy Day Promoting Water Safety 🌊🚁 Today I delivered a series of water safety talks and handed out 16 free lifejackets as part of my ongoing water safety campaign. With the hot weather we’re currently experiencing, it’s more important than ever that people take extra care around water. lucasdobsonwatersafety.com/ Warm temperatures often encourage families, children and young people to head to rivers, lakes, quarries and the coast to cool off, but water can be extremely dangerous. Please remember to supervise children at all times, wear a lifejacket where appropriate, and never underestimate the effects of cold water shock. After a long but rewarding day, it was wonderful to be greeted by my grandson Jude when I got home. As you can see, he was straight into the helicopter cockpit, fascinated by all the instruments and controls. Seeing his excitement certainly made a great end to the day! Every lifejacket donated and every water safety lesson delivered is another step towards preventing tragedies and helping keep people safe around the water. Stay safe, enjoy the sunshine, and please be careful around the water. 🌊☀️🚁

🚁 Water Safety Education Saves Lives 🌊 This week, as part of the Lucas Dobson Water Safety Campaign, I visited five schools across Suffolk to deliver water safety education and donate 40 free Baltic lifejackets and buoyancy aids in partnership with @sizewellc I founded the campaign in 2019 with the support of Lucas Dobson’s father, Nathan, following the tragic drowning of six-year-old Lucas in the River Stour. Since then, I have worked tirelessly in my spare time, travelling to schools across the UK in my helicopter loaded with lifejackets and buoyancy aids, delivering vital water safety messages to thousands of children. lucasdobsonwatersafety.com/ The helicopter helps create an unforgettable experience for the children while reinforcing lessons that could one day save their lives. Each school received a 30-minute presentation, and the lifejackets can now be borrowed by families just like library books, giving more children access to potentially life-saving equipment. As Founder and CEO of Specialist Group International (SGI), I am proud that we have supported the nuclear industry since 1999 and are now providing specialist services to the Sizewell C project. This important new power station will help deliver secure, reliable, low-carbon energy for future generations. Having been involved in locating and recovering many drowning victims throughout my career, I strongly believe water safety education should form part of the National Curriculum. If just one child remembers these lessons and makes a safer decision around water, then the campaign has been worthwhile. Thank you to the team at Sizewell C for helping make these visits possible and for supporting community safety across Suffolk. #watersafety #sizewellC

The Princess Royal has officially launched Challenger 5, the newest addition to the @TallShipsYT fleet! ⚓️ Designed as a ‘floating classroom’, Challenger 5 will give even more young people the chance to develop new skills, build confidence, and realise their potential at sea. ⛵️During a visit to Portsmouth, HRH met staff, volunteers, and young people involved with Tall Ships Youth Trust, a youth development and outdoor learning charity, and toured the new vessel before it sets sail on its first adventures.

Darren Downes has asked me to share this important message in memory of his son Ellis, who tragically drowned in 2016. With a high number of drownings reported this week, this water safety message is more important than ever. Please watch and share his video. #watersafety

A very important week for Specialist Group International - SGI, welcoming a key client visit and showcasing the rapid expansion of our specialist capabilities and continued growth across the business. Throughout the week the team demonstrated a wide range of operational capabilities including diving operations, marine support, protester removal, security operations and emergency response. The visit highlighted the professionalism, training, equipment and multi-role response capabilities SGI continues to develop to support clients and communities across the UK and beyond. Proud of the entire team and the hard work going on behind the scenes as SGI continues to grow and expand its specialist operational capabilities. 👏

A big thank you to all the brilliant doctors, nurses and healthcare staff who work to save lives and support wellbeing, as we celebrate the 300th anniversary of Guy’s Hospital. 👏 At the hospital’s Cancer Centre, The King spent time with chemotherapy patients, nurses and doctors. This year marks six decades of oncology at Guy’s, and the centre consolidates services once spread across 13 sites. At the King’s College Innovation Hub, His Majesty, who is Patron of King’s College London, heard how professors and students are using AI and robotics to treat patients, and to train the next generation of specialists who are shaping the future of cancer research.

Every year at this time I receive a heartfelt thanks from the parents of Ellis Downes thanking my team and I for locating and recovering their 16-year-old son Ellis from the River Thames in Abingdon in 2016. Sadly there was no underwater search teams available. Surface searches could not locate Ellis, so the family contacted Specialist Group International - SGI to assist. Ellis was located and recovered 40 minutes after SGI entered the water. policeprofessional.com/news/… Many people do not realise is that continuous government cuts are decimating the UK’s underwater search capability. Thames Valley, Sussex, Norfolk and North Yorkshire Police underwater search units were all scrapped around mid 2000 to save money. Across huge parts of the country, from the South East all the way up to Nottingham with the exception of Suffolk and the Metropolitan Police there are now no dedicated police underwater search units left. When specialist teams disappear, families suffer. Time is lost. Opportunities are missed. In many cases, volunteers and independent specialists are left trying to fill a gap that should never exist in the first place. Ellis’ case is one I will never forget. His family’s strength over the years has been incredible, but no family should have to face uncertainty because critical emergency search resources have been cut to the bone. This has to change. Underwater search capability is not a luxury it is an essential public service. Ten years on and many tragic deaths later nothing has changed just more cuts to the emergency services. This is just one family, there are many more. In loving memory of Ellis Downes.

Only one candidate out at the polling station tonight greeting voters as they arrived. Young Tyler Dewey from Reform standing there in person, shaking hands and speaking to people face to face. Whatever your politics, that takes commitment and courage. #reform @Nigel_Farage