Cathedral Quarter (CQ) BID has become the first organisation to achieve BlueZONE accreditation. Developed by Belfast based Staff Training NI & Staff Nursing Ltd, BlueZONE is a new accreditation scheme that recognises spaces and organisations that demonstrate excellence in three key areas – Safety, Security, and Wellbeing.
CQ BID and Staff Training NI have been working together for several years on a range of safety and wellbeing initiatives which are independently assessed and evaluated. The BlueZONE accreditation is not only a part of this ongoing partnership but a commitment to continued delivery on excellence in Safety, Security, and Wellbeing in the CQ BID area.
BlueZONE is an independent mark of trust for places that put people first – proving they go above and beyond to protect safety, security and wellbeing for everyone who visits or works there. Spaces must meet clear standards, share real evidence and pass an expert assessment. Scores and reports are published openly, giving people the confidence to choose places that truly care. Accredited spaces are authorised to display the BlueZONE mark and QR code, which provides access to a live report.
CQ BID has a long-standing commitment to improving safety across the district for businesses, workers, residents, and visitors. As part of their 2021-2026 business strategy, their aim is to be the safest, cleanest, greenest place for people to live, work and visit. This has included training of 100s of Cathedral Quarter employees in areas ranging from Emergency First Aid, AED use, Mental Health & Wellbeing awareness, Trauma-Informed Practice and Naloxone (opioid overdose reversal) training. These initiatives equip members with the practical tools to respond confidently to emergencies, support vulnerable individuals, and promote a safer community environment. In addition, CQ BID has been working to install a network of defibrillators throughout the area, with the aim to ensure they’re within accessible reach to everyone.
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly said:
“Within the Belfast Agenda, the city’s key strategic plan, there is a collective commitment from city partners to ensure that Belfast is a welcoming, clean, safe and inclusive city. This BlueZONE accreditation demonstrates that Cathedral Quarter BID is actively prioritising these issues by investing in training and other initiatives that will create a safe and secure environment to live, work and visit. I would therefore like to congratulate the team on all the work they have put into becoming the first organisation to demonstrate that they have reached the required standard.”
Cathedral Quarter BID Manager Damien Corr added:
“Cathedral Quarter BID’s BlueZONE accreditation will help us to prioritise not just compliance, but care. BlueZONE is about creating spaces where people feel safe, respected, and supported. In addition to the 100s of CQ employees we have trained, we’re proud to announce that we are about to install the last of our network of defibrillators which means that anyone working or visiting Cathedral Quarter will be no more than 200 metres from a lifesaving device that is available 24hrs each day. Safety is literally within the grasp of all visitors to Cathedral Quarter.”
Chris Lindsay, Training Manager from Staff Training NI commented:
“Staff Training NI has worked closely with Cathedral Quarter BID over the several years to support safety and wellbeing across the district. The BlueZONE application now offers a formal pathway to consolidate and recognise these efforts under a nationally benchmarked framework. This is not just a checklist or a marketing badge. This is a standard that sets a new expectation.”
For more information on CQ BID and how you can get involved visit www.cathedralquarterbelfast.com or follow CQ BID on Facebook and Instagram #CathedralQuarterBID. For further information on BlueZONE visit http://www.bluezone-certified.org/