We could all do with remembering that…

Each week when I sit down to write these articles I think… alright then, what’s new?

And then I think… oh god.

‘New stuff’ is ‘news’, isn’t it? News has a pretty bad rep right now, which is totally fair. Five minutes of scrolling is all it takes to feel like the world’s unravelling in front of our eyes.

I’ve been trying – with varied success – to limit my intake a bit. Not total ignorance, of course (there’s no sand pouring in my ears!), but a bit of self-preservation doesn’t go amiss.

But then again, I also like to think ‘news’ doesn’t have to be bleak and worrying. Maybe if we all made a deliberate effort to find and share uplifting stories… that’d be a solid start.

So, in that spirit, here’s something a bit more positive.

Last week was a big one for us. It was National Business Crime Reduction Partnership Awareness Week. Not the catchiest title in the world, but bear with…

BCRPs are essentially the glue between businesses, police, and local authorities. They help share intelligence, coordinate responses, and (crucially!) give businesses a collective voice when it comes to tackling crime.

We marked BCRP Awareness Week with two Fight Back events – one in Derby on the 17th and another in Bristol the very next day. A bit of a whirlwind, but the sort of whirlwind you don’t mind being caught up in.

The turnout and level of engagement was amazing at both, with people asking questions, sharing experiences, and radiating optimism in a time we really rather need it. So here’s a positive news flash for you…

Things tend to work better when people talk to each other – which still feels surprisingly rare. That’s the whole point of Fight Back events, just as it’s a huge modus operandi for BCRP.

Talking of talking to each other – we’ve just released a fascinating podcast episode featuring Lisa Maslen, Superintendent at City of London Police and heavily involved in the National Business Crime Centre. Check that out if you get a moment.

As an industry – in fact, as a species – we spend plenty of time talking about how bad things are but far less time talking about what to actually do about it. Odd, right? On the podcast, Lisa spoke to us about actively dealing with theft and resale, about the importance of reporting crime (unglamorous but non-negotiable!), and how coordination is always at the fore of her thoughts.

The podcasts have generally been pretty great. Most of the people we’ve had on don’t do heaps of podcasts, and I’ve had a few in contact directly to say “thank you for to the Smoke Screen team for putting me at ease throughout the whole thing”. Just a sprinkling more positivity for you there. Props to Jack and Scott for their work there.

Anyway, it was fitting that Lisa joined us at the Bristol event. We also linked up with Sophie Jordan there – CEO of the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships. Sophie’s role at NABCP involves setting and maintaining consistent operational standards for BCRPs. I promise that’ll be the last acronym I’ll subject you to.

Sophie summed the day up rather nicely in a glowing post afterwards, calling our live fogging demo “a definite highlight” that “made an impression”. The van has a knack for doing so. Good news all round.

By the time you read this, we’ll have followed up those two Fight Back events with another up in Newbury. There’s no rest when you’re rallying against negativity.

So yes – it’s been a busy few weeks. But stepping back from it all, that’s not really the point.

The crux of all this: people are working together! It’s not all doom and dread. There’s progress and there’s solidarity and we are proud to be a part of it.

This sort of stuff doesn’t make headlines. It doesn’t sell papers or stir controversy or stop the average person in their perpetual scroll. It probably never will. But it’s happening. And if you’re looking for something vaguely resembling good news…

That will do nicely.