Welcome to 90 Seconds with Jeremy Scott, a quick dive into the world of Old Dunstonians RFC

Jeremy, can you start by telling us about your role there?  

Absolutely, I’m currently serving as Chairman at Old Dunstonians, overseeing rugby club committee and other senior officials as well as liaising with the overall sports club committee.

Can you give us a brief overview of the club and its history?

Old Dunstonians RFC is an alumni community for former pupils and staff of St. Dunstan’s College in London and while it originally catered to former members of St. Dunstan’s College, it now welcomes all members from the local area. The club has a rich history and attracts both experienced and aspiring rugby players to both play and enjoy the social side of the club.

How are the ODs performing this season? 

This season has been a challenging one for us on the pitch. We’ve seen some great performances on the field, across all levels and age groups –  the team has been working hard to achieve our goals.

Stadium Support Services has been a key shirt sponsor for Old Dunstonians for five years. How has their support impacted the club during this time?

Stadium Support Services has been an invaluable partner for us. They’ve been our main shirt sponsor, providing financial support that has significantly contributed to the growth and success of the club as well as helping out with upgrades to our facilities and infrastructure.

Can you tell us more about their involvement with the Old Dunstonians?

Certainly, Stadium Support Services has been more than just a sponsor. During the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, they went above and beyond by conducting regular COVID sprays, ensuring the safety of our players and supporters. Additionally, they also generously donated marquees, allowing our fans to enjoy the games comfortably under shelter. Their commitment to compliance and community well-being has truly set them apart.

It sounds like an incredibly successful partnership, thanks for sharing, Jeremy.

Thank you for having me. It’s always a pleasure to talk about the great things happening Old Dunstonians, not to mention the support we receive from Stadium Support Services.

Interviewed by Amy Miles, The Dugout E-Zine with Jeremy Scott, Chairman at Old Dunstonians Rugby Club.

Building Sustainability at Stadium Support Services

While sustainability has always been at the heart of Stadium Support Services, the introduction of the Head of Sustainability role signifies a dedicated effort to streamline ideas and make a substantial impact on our partners and prospective clients.

In my new role, I provide guidance on best practices, innovations, and opportunities in sustainability, aiming to benefit the long-term interests of both our company and clients.

With experience in sports stadiums and large corporations, I understand the challenges faced by Facility Management (FM) leads—time constraints, limited access, cost considerations, and the need for buy-in. Overcoming these challenges is crucial, especially for projects that may not have immediate business benefits but are integral to our overarching sustainability goals.

The sports industry, along with other sectors, is undergoing a transformative shift towards environmental sustainability. We are passionate about contributing to this movement by facilitating sustainable initiatives and encouraging clients to embark on their sustainability journey.

Whether it involves implementing rainwater recapture systems, practicing sustainable land management, or addressing specific environmental goals, our aim is to play a crucial role in advancing sustainable practices.

By incorporating measures such as installing water saving devices and collaborating with eco-conscious suppliers, we aim to create a ripple effect that transforms into a tidal wave of sustainability.

If you are planning a project and want to approach it with a sustainability focus, get in touch: Dermot@StadiumSupportServices.co.uk

How was 2023 for Stadium Support Services?  

We are coming off the back of our best-ever year of growth so morale is high and I couldn’t be prouder of what the team has delivered.

So, tell us about the key highlights from last year… 

We had some great wins, from renewing our cleaning contract with Farnborough Exhibition Centre and securing a four-year facilities management contract with Queen’s Park Rangers FC (QPR). We have also developed partnerships to deliver man-safe systems, anti-slip and stadium seat restoration and in doing so broadening our service offering.

We have also delivered some world-class projects in our stadium division at venues such as Birmingham City Football Club, QPR and Wembley, all within very tight timelines. Our property division has also gone from strength to strength, doubling in size and where we continue to work with valued clients such as CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield and Equans.

How would you describe Stadium Support Services in a nutshell? 

We are a facilities management company, specialising in stadium and mass spectator venues. Utilising our in-house teams, we can deliver projects from reactive and planned maintenance, through to fabric works and full refurbishments.

As stadium specialists, used to working in live environments, ensuring rapid turnaround is essential to our success and a commitment to going above and beyond is embedded in our company DNA.

However, in recent years we have taken this approach and applied it to other sectors, such as heritage, leisure and commercial property.

What is your vision for the business in your new role as Managing Director? 

Our people are critical to our success, one of my biggest priorities is to foster a culture that provides our team members with opportunities for growth, development, and a desire to remain with the business. I firmly believe that by prioritising the needs of our employees, they, in turn, will deliver excellence for our clients.

As a company, I want us to continue to stay ahead of the curve, presenting our clients with innovative approaches to problem-solving and collaborating with them on a solution-focused strategy.

Through ongoing staff training and research into new technologies, we will continue to build expertise in our field and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s to come.

Interviewed by Amy Miles, The Dugout E-Zine with our Managing Director Scott Hudson.

The sponsorship agreement not only solidifies their role as the official facilities management partner but also signifies their extended commitment to supporting the club.

Scott Hudson, Operations Director of Stadium Support Services, shared his enthusiasm for the partnership, saying,

“We’re excited for the sponsorship deal with QPR. As a business headquartered in West London, we have close ties to the local community. Coupled with the fact that many of our employees are devoted QPR supporters, it makes us eager to continue strengthening our collaboration with the club.”

The agreement encompasses a range of benefits for both parties. Key highlights include:

High Visibility Branding: Stadium Support Services will have a strong presence with pitch-side branding and digital exposure, ensuring their brand is showcased prominently during QPR’s matches and events.

Stadium Support Services Lounge: An additional aspect of the partnership is the creation of an exclusive lounge, located in the southwest corner of the stadium. With unrivaled views across the pitch, the lounge will offer a vibrant environment for attendees.

Joseph Noble, Commercial Director at Stadium Support Services, commented,

The new lounge will provide a fantastic opportunity to bring together our family, friends, colleagues, and prospective clients in one of the most atmospheric stadiums in the country.”

Thanks for sitting down with me Joe, let’s get into it, your 90 seconds start now! As experts in stadiums, could you outline your primary areas of specialisation within this field? 

We’re a multi-faceted company that handles cleaning, maintenance, and rope access services and are uniquely positioned to tackle any project within stadium environments, no matter how complex.

Our standout strengths can be summarised in three areas: efficient fit-outs with short timelines, rapid maintenance response via agile in-house teams, and the ability to access any part of the seating bowl or grandstand, regardless of complexity, thanks to our skilled rope access division.

Can you tell us about your rope access team? 

Absolutely, our rope access division, overseen by Daniel Scott (IRATA L3), has facilitated projects like painting the grandstand metalwork under the roof at the KIA Oval and conducting maintenance on the large screen at Twickenham Stadium.

Dan and the team excel in navigating complex areas so there is nowhere they can’t get to. We also know that groundsmen prefer to avoid heavy machinery on their pitches, making rope access the perfect choice.

Is it just stadiums that you look after? 

We began almost two decades ago with a primary focus on serving stadiums. As our clients shifted across different sectors like office blocks, leisure centres, and heritage sites, we evolved alongside them.

Our expertise in meeting tight event-related timelines has played a crucial role in our success across all divisions. In truth, the services we provide aren’t significantly different— maintaining a stadium or an office block, for instance, involves more similarities than you think.

The main contrast often lies in the central feature, with a stadium featuring a pitch while an office block typically includes a courtyard.

What’s the latest at Stadium Support Services?

We’re thrilled with the strides we’ve made this year, particularly witnessing our team’s continuous growth. This summer has been exceptionally busy, with off-season projects taking place at several UK stadiums including Wembley, QPR, and Birmingham City.

As the season gets underway, our attention turns to ensuring compliance and addressing reactive maintenance needs for all the clubs we partner with.

Can you share some highlights from the summer projects?

This summer has proven to be our most productive yet. We’ve completed over 30 projects, which included a variety of tasks. These ranged from installing anti-slip seating bowl tread nosings at QPR to restoring colour-faded seats at Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

The scope of work extended from enhancing customer experience kiosks at Wembley to significant fit-out projects in player areas at Birmingham City FC.

Interviewed by Amy Miles, The Dugout E-Zine with our commercial director Joseph