Martyn Allen, Technical Director at leading UK charity, Electrical Safety First, was this year’s worthy winner of IER’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognises dedication to the electrical retail industry.
Martyn leads Electrical Safety First’s electrotechnical team as an impartial centre of excellence for the safety of electrical installations and products. The Charity, which is recognised by Government and industry as the leading campaigning charity and technical authority on home electrical safety, also represents consumer safety interests on a range of British, European, and International Committees.
Originally trained as an underground electrician with British Coal, Martyn worked in engineering risk-management with Royal and Sun Alliance for 16 years, before joining the Electrical Safety Council (the fore-runner of Electrical Safety First), in 2006. He is a Chartered Electrical Engineer and Corporate Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
“Our Lifetime Award is given to the individual, who, in the opinion of his or her peers, has demonstrated a life-long contribution to the electrical retail industry and continued support for the independent sector”, explains Linda Dorling, IER’s Events Manager. “Martyn was such a natural fit for this award – in fact, he was my nominee! – that our judges unanimously voted him as the winner.”
The Award, the highlight of the event, was sponsored by Beko. Teresa Arbuckle, Beko’s MD for the UK and Ireland, echoed Linda’s view. “ Martyn is highly respected within the industry, bringing long-standing technical expertise and consumer safety knowledge to his wide range of collaborations. He takes his role at Electrical Safety First very seriously and has championed consumer safety for decades. Over the years, the industries he has worked with, and the consumers he has helped educate on product usage and maintenance, are both the better for it. It gives me personally – as well as Beko – great pleasure in giving Martyn his much-deserved award.”
While such recognition came as no surprise to industry figures, one person was completely blindsided – the winner himself! “I was speechless!” said Martyn. “But I am truly delighted at receiving this award. As well as a personal award, it is also an indication of the value the industry puts on consumer safety as a key part of sustainable business.”
