Reception first for 999 call centre in town

Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Alderman Gareth Wilson had the pleasure of visiting the BT Call Centre in Portadown to host a reception to mark their contribution to the local community.

This followed a request by elected members at a Statutory Council meeting to acknowledge the impact the Grenfell Tower tragedy in June had on the staff at the centre who were dealing with very distressing 999 calls.

The BT centre deals with a high volume of 999 calls from across the UK as it is the largest of six such BT centres.

The staff come from a large geographical area across Northern Ireland, many of whom have been working at the centre for more than 10 years.

Lord Mayor Wilson commented “When my Office contacted the centre to arrange a civic reception the manager explained that they couldn’t leave their desk for a prolonged period of time.

“I fully understood their position but was determined to show my support for their work and made a decision that I would go to them.

“Myself and my fellow elected members that visited the centre were delighted with the welcome we received from all of the staff and found the visit very informative, giving us a real feel for the day to day running of the centre and the many difficult situations they face on a daily basis.

“This is the first time we have held a reception at the recipient’s location and is something I plan on doing more of in the future.”