Fed chair welcomes support of royal couple

18 May 2020

Hertfordshire Police Federation chair Geoff Bardell has thanked the Duke of Cambridge for a letter of support for members on the front-line during the coronavirus pandemic.

Geoff welcomed Prince William highlighting officers’ mental and physical wellbeing during the crisis and said: “We’re here to help.”

The Duke has written to the Federation on behalf of himself and the Duchess of Cambridge to thank officers for ‘the truly remarkable work that the police forces of the United Kingdom are doing, day in day out, to keep us all safe and keep the country going during these extraordinarily difficult times’.

Geoff said: “Our members will be delighted to have received such a strong letter of support from the Duke of Cambridge recognising their commitment to their communities and their bravery in tackling COVID-19.

“Our members are working tirelessly, often at their own personal sacrifice, to keep everyone safe, so to receive support from the royal family is a huge boost. We also welcome Prince William shining a light on members’ wellbeing and would remind them that we’re here to help.

“We’re working closely with the Force to do everything we can to promote officer welfare. Help is available, and I’d encourage anyone who finds themselves struggling to access support.”

Prince William wrote: “The willingness of emergency service personnel to work tirelessly to protect the interests of others is a source of tremendous pride for this country.”

He added: “Having spent the last few weeks speaking with members of the emergency responder community, I have heard first-hand about the challenges they are facing at the moment, but I have also been struck by their remarkable commitment and ‘can do’ attitude at a time like this.”

The Duke of Cambridge referred to his own service with the East Anglian Air Ambulance, and wrote ‘even in normal times, emergency responders encounter distressing events on an all too frequent basis’.

He added: “I know you take the wellbeing of your staff extremely seriously and I have heard about the helpful services provided internally to your teams, such as occupational health support and employee assistance schemes - all of which will be of vital importance as you support your staff through the weeks and months ahead.

“In addition to that support, I also wanted to make you aware of Our Frontline. It brings together a package of support from leading mental health charities working in partnership with Police Care UK, the Ambulance Staff Charity and the Fire Fighters Charity and offers confidential support tailored to a person’s need and preferences.

“We hope this service will complement existing provision and make a real difference in supporting the mental wellbeing of those on the front-line. I hope you will find it of interest.

“If there is anything else we can do to help at this time, please do not hesitate to let us know. In the meantime, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you and all your colleagues for your work, your determination and your courage. The country owes you all an enormous debt of gratitude,” he added.

National Federation chair John Apter has written back to the Duke of Cambridge to thank him for his support.

John wrote: “Policing during the COVID-19 pandemic is something none of us have experienced, but my colleagues have worked tirelessly to keep communities safe and alleviate the burden on the NHS.

“I am incredibly proud of those 120,000 police officers we represent across England and Wales who have selflessly risen to this challenge, despite their own family worries and concerns.

“In this time of crisis, please do not underestimate just how much your kind words will mean to police officers across the country. On their behalf, thank you for recognising their dedication, bravery and commitment,” he added.