Avon and Somerset Police Federation launch new welfare van for officers and staff

19 April 2022

A new welfare van will provide hard working Avon and Somerset Police officers and staff with a much-needed space to rest, shelter and get hot food and a drink when they’re policing major incidents.

The van has a toilet, fridge, microwave and seating, and will offer hot and cold drinks, hot food and snacks. It also has seating where officers can enjoy a well deserved rest and mobile phone charging points.

Avon and Somerset Police Federation Chair Mark Loker said the new van was brilliant news for Officers and a demonstration of how colleagues’ welfare was a priority to the Federation.

Mark said: “The Avon and Somerset Police Federation Welfare Van will at long last provide relief to those deployed at scenes or other operations/events for long periods of time where there is no toilet, or welfare provision.

“Avon and Somerset Police Federation has funded the purchase and coachbuilding of our very own Welfare Van specifically for staff and Officers alike, a first for the South-West region.

“The primary objective of the welfare van is to provide a place for staff at scenes of incidents to have the ability to take a break from the scene/event with the necessary provisions of seating, microwave, toilet, wash facilities, snacks, water boiler, phone charging points and heating. Snacks, water, tea, coffee etc are all onboard making it possible for immediate deployment.”

Mark added: “Our new welfare van will provide hard working Avon and Somerset Police Officers and staff with a much-needed space to rest, shelter and get hot food and a drink when they’re policing major incidents or protecting and preserving crime scenes.

“I've seen too many times our members and colleagues going out on scenes or protests where Cops’ welfare was not a primary concern and our members were not properly looked after.

“Unfortunately, they are often out for exceptionally long periods of time and all too often unable to go to the toilet, unable to have hot drinks/water or shelter from inclement weather.

“So we made it our priority to get a Welfare Van, which will be available to our members and staff deployed to major incidents, like missing person enquiries, negotiator call outs, protests, any sort of scene or incident where large numbers of Police Officers are going to be for a long time.

“It should shock some that often officers are unable to even go to the toilet, but with the toilet onboard, the van really does look after our colleagues at any event or at any scene where they are deployed.”

Mark concluded: “I’d like to thank the Force and the Chief Constable for supporting our initiative and whilst we have purchased it and paid for its conversion the Force are supporting us through fuel, servicing, insurance and back-end support such as force wi-fi and airwave charging points.

"Supervisors will be able contact the FIM for the on call Fed Rep for the van, for instance if there’s been a major road traffic collision where they know their Officers will be on the scene for many hours.

“The van will be available 24/7, booked through the Federation office info.avonsom@polfed.org or via the Force Incident Manager or Force Duty Officer for the on call Fed Representative.”