04.04.18
UKRIA 2018 Apology & Statement
It is with deep regret that I address the disappointing content in both of our live acts at UKRIA on Thursday 22nd March 2018 and offer my most sincere apologies accordingly.
Whilst the awards ceremony itself was a huge success with record numbers of attendees, entries and winners the entertainment we chose was a huge disappointment for us and a proportion of our guests.
The organising committee and I unreservedly apologise for our poor judgement of the entertainment we chose for the event. These decisions were made by the organising committee alone, of which I chair.
I am deeply saddened by the foul language and sexist remarks used by the evening’s host and actors of the live action stunt show. I can assure you that this content was most certainly not in the script and does not reflect the values and opinions of UKRIA, Rail Technology Magazine and its owners and employees of Cognitive Publishing Ltd.
Formal complaints have been submitted to both the host and the stunt performers expressing our deep concerns.
Overlooking the anniversary of the Westminster attacks was a deeply unfortunate oversight on our part and for that we unreservedly apologise. In hindsight, even if the act had been the fun, comedic skit we had requested it still would have been inappropriate.
UKRIA and Rail Technology Magazine have, for a great many years, championed diversity in the industry, not just because it’s important to our audience and the industry itself but it’s important to us as employers. This was the fifth year for UKRIA and we are always acknowledged positively for (amongst many other things) our attention to diversity, equality and inclusion on many levels in rail. On this occasion I exercised poor judgement, most definitely unintentionally in relation to the so called entertainment and I’m saddened that we have unwillingly subjected our guests and ourselves with the views of “tawdry performers” that neither you nor we believe in or condone, for which I take total responsibility and apologise unreservedly.
We’d also like to extend an apology to members of the audience who had sportingly agreed to participate in what was supposed to be nothing other than a fun part of the evening. They had absolutely no prior knowledge of the disparaging content that was to be delivered and there was no intention to cause them concern, embarrassment or for them to be associated in any way with a performance of this nature .
To assist in making amends and help compensate for my poor judgement I intend to donate the returned fees for the acts to funds that have been set up for the London Westminster Bridge attack, the Manchester Arena attack and the campaigners for Women’s Rights charity the Fawcett Society.
I welcome suggestions from the industry for alternative charities to be considered as beneficiaries which you can do so via email. I suspect I will have to fight for the return of these fees so in the meantime I will make these donations from my own pocket.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the rail industry at large for its warm words of wisdom, empathy and ultimate support during the last difficult ten days. The many kind words we have received serve as a reminder to me and my team as to why we are so proud of our rail industry and its people.
My only hope is that the industry at large afford myself and my team the opportunity to draw on our otherwise unblemished reputation to date and put this error right.
In spite of the extremely poor start to the event it would appear that the following awards ceremony during the remainder of the evening was well received and I, along with many others in the industry, feel that we shouldn’t lose sight of the recognition and ultimate celebration of the hard work and tremendous achievements of the many men and women in our rail industry.
Once again I am so very sorry for our poor judgement and you have my assurance and those of everyone here that there will never be a repeat of circumstances remotely akin to those on 22nd March. A huge although painful lesson has been learned.
Yours Faithfully,
Roy V Rowlands
Managing Director