Client Overview
The Great North Run is the UK’s second-largest marathon, attracting thousands of participants and spectators each year. Stretching from Newcastle to South Shields, it is a high-profile public event with a significant safety footprint. From elite athletes and celebrities to families and general spectators, the Great North Run requires expert crowd management, VIP protection, and sensitive welfare responses across a vast area.
Services Provided
Professional Security delivers a fully integrated event safety and security solution, including
Key Statistics:
Challenges
Post-Race Runner Welfare
Supporting runners at the finish line presents unique welfare challenges. Many participants complete the race dehydrated, fatigued, or in need of immediate medical attention and reassurance, requiring teams to respond quickly with emotional support.
Colleague Wellbeing During Critical Incidents
Although rare, serious incidents, including fatalities, can have a significant emotional impact on staff. Providing appropriate welfare support, structured debriefs, and access to wellbeing resources is essential.
Unpredictable Weather Conditions
Extreme weather creates additional operational pressure. During the 2023 event, conditions ranged from heatwaves to lightning storms, affecting crowd behaviour.
Our Solution
Collaborative Safety Approach
We work closely with the Great North Run team to ensure safety, dignity, and care remain central to every interaction across the event footprint.
Runner Welfare
Our teams are trained to identify early signs of distress at the finish line and act immediately, often becoming the first point of support for fatigued or unwell participants. This includes providing water, assessing symptoms, offering reassurance, and liaising directly with on-site medical teams to ensure swift escalation where required.
Staff Wellbeing
Through a proactive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), we support colleagues exposed to challenging or distressing incidents. Managers actively rotate staff from high-pressure areas, conduct welfare check-ins, and monitor for signs of fatigue or emotional strain to maintain resilience throughout the event.
Impact & Results
Our structured approach has delivered measurable improvements across operational resilience, welfare response, and overall event-day safety at the Great North Run. By strengthening collaborative planning with event organisers, implementing clear welfare protocols, and deploying experienced SIA and stewarding teams across the route, we have enhanced both runner care and crowd management standards.
The integration of radios, Body Worn Cameras, and real-time coordination has improved communication and incident response.
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