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Pilgrims FCO SAFE and SAFE Plus+ Course
Joining Instructions
Welcome
We are pleased to confirm that you have been allocated
a place on one of the following courses:
To complete the course delegates must be:
• Keen and enthusiastic
• Physically able and willing to participate in all
• SAFE Course – Security in Fragile Environments.
aspects of the course
A three day course.
• Prepared to train outdoors in the heat, cold and rain
• SAFE Plus+ Course – Security in Fragile Environments • Willing to crawl around in the dirt in some scenario
plus the additional one day Hostile Environment day.
training
A one day course.
• Happy to participate in some controlled physical
contact during some scenario training
The course will take place at Pilgrims Specialist Training
Centre, located at the Orchard Business Centre RH1 5EL,
During the course you will be required to complete and
Surrey.
pass several practical assessments. At the end of day 3
you will also be required to complete a multiple choice
Pilgrims Group is an established United Kingdom
examination.
Exam questions will be based on key
security risk management company specialising in the
points covered during the theory and practical sessions
provision of training to media, NGO’s and corporate
completed during the course.
personnel deploying to hostile and challenging
environments. Our instructors have exceptional
Clothing and Equipment
operational and training experience that is current.
The course has a physical element and part of the training
takes place outdoors. We recommend that you bring
For more information on Pilgrims, see our website at
suitable clothing which is sensible and comfortable.
www.pilgrimsgroup.com.
During scenario training, fake blood may be used to
Pre-deployment training is a crucial element to a successful
simulate injuries. Fake blood can stain clothes so we
posting or visit to countries considered to be fragile or
suggest you do not bring anything that you mind
hostile environments. The main objective of this course is being stained. However it does normally wash out.
to ensure that you are properly prepared to deal with a
You are required to bring the following equipment
wide range of situations that you may face when working
listed below to enable you to carry out the practical
in a challenging location. It is designed to equip and
training delivered on the course which is set in a rural
qualify you with the necessary knowledge and training
environment. You will be expected to carry out the
thus allowing you to operate both safely and effectively.
practical training during potential adverse weather
The course is set in the fictitious country of the Federal
conditions so the following is essential:
Republic of Lugaria. You will arrive in and be based from
• Jeans and/or cargo trousers suitable for outdoor
the town of Loznica. The country is in turmoil at present
training
with the Lugarian Freedom Fighters (LFF) controlling
•
Long sleeved shirts or tops
large parts of the country and the Lugarian
• Fleece jumper or sweater
Government Forces (LGF) holding onto only the southern
• Wet weather clothing, trousers and jacket
parts of the country. You will be issued all necessary
• Warm clothing, hat and gloves
paperwork and will be provided with the necessary
• Indoor footwear, trainers or shoes
country and information briefs when you arrive.
• Outdoor footwear, walking boots or sturdy shoes
• Day sack or small rucksack capable of carrying 8kg
Course Programme
(REQUIRED for SAFE PLUS course only)
This is a residential course and may run into the early
evening. Please do not plan any meetings or telephone Note: It is not recommended that delegates wear flat
calls to take place during the course. You must attend
soled training shoes for outdoor activities.
all sessions. Failure to do so could result in your
In addition:
departure to post being delayed. The hotel has free
• Smart casual clothing for dinner
Wi-Fi access, across an unchallenged network.
• Notebook and pen
We aim to make the course as realistic as possible
• A small torch
reflecting the conditions you may face at Post.
• A watch
The 3 or 4 day course is comprised of theory teaching
• Water bottle
lessons and outdoor practical sessions and includes
• Eyewear
realistic medical, security and safety scenarios.
• Sunhat and sunscreen (Seasonal)
Any specialist training equipment will be provided
by Pilgrims.
© Pilgrims Group Ltd 2014
10-08-14
Pilgrims FCO SAFE and SAFE Plus+ Course
Joining Instructions
Continued
Accommodation and Timings
Accommodation will be booked automatically for you
via the online booking system to coincide with your
chosen dates. *Two nights of accommodation are
included within the SAFE course. One night of
accommodation is included within the SAFE Plus+
course. If you require any additional nights, they are
to be booked and paid for by the delegate direct
with hotel.
A late breakfast is available at the Holiday Inn, on a
Monday morning, at your own expense.
If you wish to drive to the venue directly on the first day,
please arrive no later than 10.45am. You should inform the
course organisers no later than noon on the previous Friday.
Course Timings
Pick Up
from Hotel
Training Ends
Transport back
to hotel
SAFE Course
Day 1
1030hrs
*1815hrs
Day 2
Day 3
0730hrs
0730hrs
*1815hrs
*1730hrs
SAFE Plus+ Course
Day 1
0730hrs
*1700hrs
*No later than
On all days transport will take you back to your hotel.
You must check out of your room on the morning of
your final day of training, and store your luggage at
the hotel. You will be returned to the hotel after the
course finishes.
Please do not arrange for pick up/taxi collection before
the outlined times.
Travel and Directions
The attached travel and hotel information document
gives details on travel by car and rail services from
Central London.
Contact Details
Please feel free to contact the training team at the
following email address at any time prior to the course:
[email protected]
Should you run into any problems, please telephone our
24 Hour Operations Centre, based in our Woking HQ, on:
+44 (0)1483 228760
Key Points to Remember
• All the information required to complete the course
is available on the www.safeguardelearning.com
home page as printable pdf’s.
• All non-training related accommodation is to be
booked and paid for by delegate direct with hotel.
• Minimum system requirements for
www.safeguardelearning.com and the booking
system is Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) 2006 or higher.
• Bring a valid, hard copy purchase order (PO) to the
training centre on the first morning of the course.
If you are from the MOD, a UIN number will suffice.
The FCO are not required to bring a PO with them
to the course because FCO have a central PO quoted
as ESD.
• Ensure your clothing and footwear is appropriate for
outdoor and classroom training. Ground conditions
at the training area can be challenging, especially
during inclement weather.
• Pick up will be at 10.30am on day 1 of the course
from the Holiday Inn, Gatwick Worth.
You will not be able to check-in at the hotel until
2pm on your check-in day. If you arrive at the hotel
on the Monday morning please be dressed in your
training clothes, ready to begin the course.
The course is intense and designed to develop
lifesaving skills. Please arrive rested and with a sense
of humour. You will enjoy the experience!
We look forward to seeing you on the course.
– STAY SAFE
Pilgrims Training Team
Cancellation
For delegates, although the cost of this course is covered by your
organisation, you and your line manager have a formal responsibility
to ensure that you are able to take up your place.
Cancellations made less than 5 working days in advance of the
course will result in the full course costs being charged to your
Post/Department. This relates to both SAFE and SAFE+.
However, this will only apply if you are unable to find a suitable
replacement, or your place cannot be allocated to an individual on
the waiting list held by Estates and Security Directorate within the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In order to do this, ESD will
need to be notified of your intention to cancel and will be able to
advise if such a reallocation is likely. Substitutions can be made
within 7 days of the start of the course, without incurring any cost.
Medical clearance must be in place to support this change.
Cancellation due to illness should be supported by a medical
certificate in which case an exception may be made.
ESD can be contacted by email at [email protected] stating
SAFE course cancellation in the subject line.
© Pilgrims Group Ltd 2014
10-08-14
Pilgrims FCO SAFE and SAFE Plus+ Course
Joining Instructions
Continued
FCO Internal Guidelines
It is essential that you are able to demonstrate a basic
level of fitness as this will be tested during the course
through a series of scenario based exercises. There will
also be a supervised and timed fitness test. If you are
doing the Close Protection module, you must
complete the attached ‘RPS Fitness to Attend SAFE+
CP Form’ with a recent blood pressure reading to
obtain the necessary clearance from RPS before the
start of the course. We have a duty of care to ensure
that this form is completed before you attend. The
latest this clearance can be completed is one week
before the start of the course. If you do not obtain this
clearance your place on the course will be withdrawn.
A recent blood pressure check and reading is an
essential part of the form. Without one, RPS will not
process your form and clearance will not be granted.
Please complete the form promptly and send it directly
back to RPS either by post, email or fax.
If you have any medical, fitness or mobility concerns, a
recognised disability under the provisions of the
Disability Act 2010 and may need Reasonable
Adjustments to enable you to attend, please contact
the Health & Welfare Team in HRD and let ESD
Training Team know as soon as possible.
Medical clearance is required for all officers going on a
posting or a visit overseas. Under the FCO Healthcare
Contract, you are now able to obtain medical
clearance on-line. The process is known as Employee
Health Risk Assessment (EHRA). Full details, and access
to the on-line form, can be found on FCONet – HR
Medical Clearances page:
http://www.fconet.fco.gov.uk/Human+Resources/Over
seas/Medical/MedicalClearance.htm.
Receipted UK travel may be claimed. The FCO has a
strict policy on using taxis, and public transport should
be used. If you choose to self-drive, significant mileage
claims will be subject to scrutiny against the cost of
rail travel. We recommend that you get agreement
f r o m ESD prior to making a long car journey. As ESD
reimburses your travel claims, please note that
without exception, all claims must be receipted
and justifiable to both internal and external audit.
The course and accommodation are provided on a
full board b as is , but this does not include d r in k s
which should be purchased at your own expense. If
you choose t o eat elsewhere in the evening, or to
take room s ervice, these expenses will not be
reimbursed. Vegetarian or other specific dietary
requirements can be arranged as long as the hotel
and Pilgrims training team are notified in advance,
either directly or using the section provided on the
booking form.
© Pilgrims Group Ltd 2014
Please note there is no longer an entitlement to a £5
daily allowance for miscellaneous items (see FCO
Guidance HR Vol. 3 Ch. 7).
To claim back y o ur e x p e n s e s , FCO d e l e g a t e s
should claim expenses via PRISM i-Expense and be
forwarded to Ann Herd (appears on PRISM as
Theresa Ann Herd) for authorisation. You must
send a copy of the expense claim and copies of the
receipts to Ann Herd, OAB 101A.
Your original
receipts should be retained by you for 3 years in
accordance with audit guidelines.
FCO Services delegates should complete a paper claim
as ESD do not have a Profit Centre Code (a mandatory
field on PRISM for FCO Services Staff). The paper claim
should include the following charging codes:
Company: 01
Budget Holder: 014554
Account Code: 619120
Beneficiary: 014554
Objective: 991008
Paper expense claims should be sent to Kim Atkinson
and/or Libby Nithavrianakis (job share), along with
original receipts, at SG/101A, ESD, OAB.
If you wish to make a claim using your FCO corporate credit
card please ensure that you send a copy of the appropriate
paperwork to Ann Herd (SG/101A, ESD, OAB).
PRISM i-Expense claims should go to Ann Herd in OAB
SG/101A for authorisation, with a copy of the expense
claim and copies of the receipts. Your original receipts
should be retained by you for 3 years in accordance
with audit guidelines. Paper expense claims should go
to Libby Nithavriankis / Kim Atkinson along with original
receipts, also in OAB SG/101A.
If you wish to make a claim using your FCO corporate
credit card please ensure that you send a copy of the
appropriate paperwork to Ann Herd.
Non-FCO delegates should make expense claims to their
parent department. If you have any questions, please ask.
All claims should be made within 3 months of the course.
Claims can only be paid into UK bank accounts. Please
note that the course and accommodation are provided on a
full-board basis. Vegetarian options can be catered for as long
as they are notified as part of the booking process, by ticking
the appropriate box and stating dietary requirements.
10-08-14
Pilgrims FCO SAFE and SAFE Plus+ Course
Joining Instructions
Continued
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any
queries a b out t h is course or would like any additional
information.
Kind Regards
Security Awareness & Training Team
Estates & Security Directorate
OAB SG/101A
© Pilgrims Group Ltd 2014
10-08-14