Global manufacturer of crowd control barriers Mojo Barriers has sponsored Buckingham New University’s crowd management and security studies training centre.

The Mojo Barriers Education and Training Centre was opened by the University’s vice-chancellor, Dr Ruth Farwell, and Patrick Jordan, Mojo’s managing director, in December, in the company of many distinguished guests from the security, crowd management and close protection industries. It is the world’s only centre for training staff indoors on using pressure sensing equipment with the revolutionary Barrier Load Measuring System (BLMS), the most technically advanced piece of crowd management safety equipment in use at major music and sporting events today.

The BLMS is the only commercially available crowd barrier that can measure load at specific points in an audience where there are people pressing against it, and, with the help of specifically developed software, it can collate information to help improve site design for subsequent events or can be used for real-time assessment of audience behaviour.

The launch featured a full demonstration of the BLMS, enabling guests to witness the benefits of the system at first hand. Mojo has donated the BLMS to the university for the purposes of educating others in its use. As well as providing BLMS instruction to Buckinghamshire New University crowd management, music and events students, the centre will also offer training to event organisers and Student Union representatives from other universities, as well as corporate training where required.

Buckinghamshire New University is considered to have outstanding credentials in the area of crowd/event management and research. The Centre for Crowd Management & Security Studies is dedicated to making events across the world safer places to be, and its purpose is to help promote the creation of a safer concert and security environment. In addition, to providing a research/study centre, it offers work-based Foundation Degrees and Short Courses in areas such as Music, Entertainment and Live Events Management, as well as programmes of study in crowd management, and events and festival management.

The Centre for Crowd Management & Security Studies works with and is supported by institutions and businesses all over the world, and is involved with many major events including VE day in London, Knebworth, Glastonbury and the V2 Festival.

Dr Farwell welcomed the opening of the Centre, saying: “It demonstrates Buckinghamshire New University’s commitment to making technological advances at an international level and within the wider context of public safety at major events. It’s a really exiting project and I am very interested to see it in operation! “

Meanwhile Mojo’s Jordan commented: “It is a privilege to work with the team at Buckinghamshire New University. The understanding of crowd dynamics at events has developed a lot in recent years and it is exciting to be part of a team that is continually pushing that development, with a view to making concerts and events safer for audiences. The BLMS has already offered us some fascinating insights as to what audiences actually experience at a range of events and I hope that this new Centre will help in the area of audience safety.”

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