BBC Senior Producer: “I was the BBC producer working with the Chiron Team in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester for the UEFA cup broadcasts yesterday (14th May 2008) and just wanted to express how fantastic they were. That also goes too for the other Chiron teams who came to join us as the situation deteriorated. It was the Chiron CPOs who were the first to predict the trouble and rioting that happened and they were incredibly quick to get us to our safe location so we could offer live shots as the trouble started out. If we had delayed by five minutes we would probably have been caught in the middle of it (given the bottles and cans chucked at the stage area we had been at just minutes after we'd got to the safe location!). The Chiron team managed to get us extra kit from the satellite truck which was in the middle of the rioting so we could continue broadcasting, found a way for us to go and gather material safely on the ground during the rioting and to provide lives on the ground later in the evening. A couple of the Chiron team also looked after another BBC staff member who had gone there without security and got caught in the middle of a group of the protesting football fans. They made sure she was safe for the rest of the evening. It was an incredibly long day but they really made the difference to allow us to cover a difficult situation well and safely.”
BBC Regional Producer after a ‘short notice’ request for a CPO to ‘back watch’ a
TV crew in a rough pub: “Thanks -
“It’s only when making an insurance claim does anyone read the small print on an insurance policy, and then they know if they've had value for money!”
Senior BBC Regional producer:
“The security minders you provided for Newcastle's match on Saturday were excellent. All of my crew were very impressed with their professionalism and they really made our lives much easier.”
BBC Producer News & Current Affairs: During the BBC's coverage of G8, I had the pleasure of working with a Chiron backwatcher at various demonstrations we attended. On Monday at the Faslane, Clyde Submarine Base; on Tuesday, at Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre and at the Murrayfield Stadium 'Long Walk to Justice' Concert on Wednesday. He was a delight to work with. The extra pair of eyes and protection he provided for cameramen in crowds was invaluable. I know they speak highly of the reassurance Bob's presence gave them in sometimes volatile situations. His approach was quiet, but highly professional. To have him close to the satellite truck when crowds were pressed against BBC vehicles was also a great reassurance to our engineers. on my thanks and admiration to him.
