Video door entry and intruder alarms have been installed into the vicarage attached to St George in the East Church, by London-based Delta Security for a long-standing client, the London Diocesan Fund. That’s responsible for the maintenance of all 420 Church of England parishes within the M25, comprising about 600 properties. It has worked with Delta for eight years for its CCTV and access control requirements, on about 50 security projects per year.
Kenny Cathro, Head of Operational Housing at the Fund, says it is vital that church employees feel safe and comfortable in their own homes. He says: “Vicars can receive visitors at any time of day or night, from people organising weddings and funerals to troubled individuals seeking financial and spiritual support. It is therefore important that vicars have full control over who they let into their homes.”
Videx door entry system has been installed at the St George in the East Church vicarage, with an LCD screen that provides video footage of who is trying to gain access. The vicar can speak to the visitor via a handset if they wish, or do nothing, without letting the visitor know they are home.
A wireless Visonic intruder alarm system works with up to 60 wireless devices. Users can have remote access via a specifically-designed app.
Kenny says that key to the relationship with Delta Security is the high customer service: “I trust Delta to specify reliable and user-friendly equipment. Their responsiveness to enquiries is dependable, fast and efficient, and the engineers are professional and knowledgeable, getting the job done with the minimum of fuss.”
The 600 London properties included in the London Diocesan Fund’s remit vary in age, size and value. Hence it is important that security installations are each designed according to their own, he says. “The vicarage connected to the 16th Century St George in the East Church is a Grade II listed building, requiring sympathetic installation. Conversely, within London we have many modern vicarages in more built up areas that also require a bespoke approach. For me, it is about working with suppliers who are honest and straightforward in providing the level of security we need, at a cost we can afford – we have this in Delta Security.”
