A YORK security business which started its own training division and works with volunteers to help bring safety to the city's streets if hoping to secure a place on the shortlist of this year's Press Business Awards.

Eboracum, described by director Carl Nickson as being a "local growing security company with a passion for supporting other local business", is hoping to impress judges in the Small Business of the Year category.

Based in Peter Lane, and employing on average a team of 29, the business has provided security services for a number of the city's event including Illuminating York 2014, the Jorvik Viking Festival, as well as for customer City Of York Council and Fenwick, and has won the contract for the upcoming Great Yorkshire Fringe comedy festival this summer.

Mr Nickson said: "Financially we have had significant growth of turnover and profit.

"Our vision is to be recognised as one of York’s best established security company by promoting our support for local business in the overall goal of crime prevention."

Mr Nickson said Eboracum is working to achieve its vision though "the promotion and delivery of best practice within the security industry through the provision of innovative, tailor-made security solutions", as well as "promoting and encouraging employee professionalism and development through continual training and development."

To this extend Eboracum recently incorporated a training department called Eboracum Training and became an approved training centre with three awarding bodies, meaning it can deliver national qualifications in York.

Through this centre the Eboracum team delivers free conflict management to the York Street Angels, a Church-led initiative working with One Voice and Churches together in York, with volunteers who want to help make York city centre a safer place.