Police Unity Tour raises £200,000 for COPS

6 August 2024

The Police Unity Tour raised more than £200,000 for Care of Police Survivors (COPS) charity this year.

Care of Police Survivors supports the families of police officers and staff who have lost their lives on duty.

The Police Unity Tour – hundreds of cyclists who had ridden from across the country to the Arboretum in memory of fallen officers – arrived at the COPS Service of Remembrance on Sunday July 28.

Cleveland Police Federation Treasurer Pete Lilley (pictured centre) was one of those riders. He said: “We’ve cycled down from Humberside over the last 2 days. Come through some beautiful weather, beautiful countryside, and seen some great sights and some actual brilliant pieces of endurance from some of the riders who’ve battled their way through and got here with the support and help of everyone else in the team. It’s been absolutely amazing.

“It’s just a collaboration of everyone who comes together and brings the commitment, the memories, everyone together – from the police family and support staff riders, survivors, remembering everyone who’s made the ultimate sacrifice.

“We need to remember the sacrifice that they’ve made and to just honour their sacrifice and how they’ve died keeping us safe, running towards danger when others would run away from danger.

“I’ve ridden in memory of Police Constable David Hague who was killed in 1982. He was shot by a male in Harrogate, along with one of his other colleagues, a police sergeant. It was one of the biggest manhunts in history, when that happened. A lot of police forces around that region hunting for this male.”