Ranger Jon recognised with long service award

A long-serving Cathedral Quarter ‘ranger’ who has walked 40,000 miles while patrolling the streets of Derby has received a long service award.

For the last 16 years, Jon McKenzie, 44, has been welcoming visitors and supporting local businesses working as a ranger for the Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District, which is based in the University of Derby’s Cavendish Building.

Jon walks more than six miles a day and is a familiar face on the city’s streets.

His role is to support businesses and work closely with organisations like Derbyshire Police and Derby City Council’s Street Pride team.

He said: “The rangers are an important resource in the area for sharing information, welcoming visitors, and tackling issues that affect the businesses in our BIDs.

“We play a crucial role in Derby. We’re often the first uniformed person on the scene – whether there has been a crime committed, an act of anti-social behaviour or a health-related emergency.

“We are actually like the fourth emergency service.”

Recently, Jon was presented with a long-service award by Brad Worley, manager for the Cathedral Quarter BID and St Peters Quarter BID.

Brad said: “It gives me enormous pleasure to present this certificate to Jon.

“We are enormously grateful for the work he does, and he really is a valued member of the team.

“Over the last 16 years, Jon has built up a strong relationship with businesses in his BID.

“He is a friendly face on the street and someone the people of Derby have come to rely on.”

Jon recalls that one of his first jobs as a ranger in 2010 was preparing for the late Queen’s visit to Derby.

He said: “I had to assist the police and ensure that Derby was fully prepared to welcome her.

“We were looking down manholes and sealing them up for security reasons and on the day, I helped to control the crowd. Lucky for me, I did catch a glimpse of her. It was an amazing start to my new job.”

Jon says watching the city grow and develop has been a key highlight of his career.

He said: “When I accepted the job as a ranger, I didn’t really know what to expect. I was new to Derby and had no idea exactly what the city was all about.

“Now I can’t imagine doing anything else and I’d like to think that I’ve been here long enough to call Derby my home.”