Police riders raise more than £13,000 for charity

Police officers and staff raised more than £13,000 during a charity bike ride to support the families of fallen colleagues.

Forty-five riders from across the East Midlands took part in the three-day 170 mile ride which finished in Staffordshire on Sunday.

After setting off from Leicester on Friday 28 July, the riders, including Chief Constable Kate Meynell, stopped at Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire HQs before carrying on their journey.

After three challenging and fun days in the saddle they joined colleagues from across the country for a service of remembrance at the UK Police Memorial at the National Arboretum.

The ride, now an annual event, was again completed by survivor Tracy Walker, her daughter Rebecca and son Matt to mark the twentieth anniversary of the death of Ged, a popular dog handler who was killed on duty in 2003.

The fundraising total was also given a final boost by Nottingham Forest FC, who kindly donated a signed shirt for a staff auction.

Chief Inspector Paul Lefford, organiser of this year's East Midlands Chapter ride, said: “This is a wonderful event that brings people together from across the police family. COPS is a cause close to our hearts and I am delighted that so many colleagues turned out to support them.

“One hundred and seventy miles is a long way for anyone to ride, so I was especially proud of those participants who were completely new to this kind of endurance riding.

“We often talk about the police family, and this event is really a reminder of what that means in practice.

“It was a tough few days with some mixed weather and challenging conditions, but we all supported each other and ensured this year’s ride was a resounding success.”

Further donations can be made at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chapter9put