National Police Bravery Awards: Fed members recognised at ‘special’ ceremony

16 July 2025

 

Northamptonshire Police’s nominees for the 2025 national Police Bravery Awards were among those honoured at a ceremony held in London.

Courageous PCs Anna O’Donoghue and Callum Simpson were nominated for their heroic efforts saving a driver trapped inside a burning car following a crash at a petrol station.

The pair travelled to the capital and first enjoyed an exclusive reception with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper at Downing Street. The pair then attended the awards ceremony later that evening.

Reflecting on her bravery awards experience, Anna said: “It is hard to believe the actions of myself and Callum have been recognised.

Overwhelming

“Hearing the different winners from the regions was very emotional and almost every story had me tearing up. I felt honoured to listen to every officer standing on stage and to meet many of them in person.

“The unsettling reality of the job absolutely hit me – it was an overwhelming but incredible night.

“It was lovely to be given the opportunity to share the event with our loved ones, who felt honoured to be a part of it all.”

Callum echoed these thoughts, adding: “It was a very special day and so good to see everyone get the recognition they deserve.

“In the incident we were nominated for, like all others, we were just doing our jobs. There are a lot of challenges out there for a police officer, but here we are, on the line of duty day in, day out, and we will continue to do that for the safety of the public.”

Highlight

The nominees paid tribute to branch chair Sam Dobbs and the Federation for their hard work in making their time in London enjoyable and comfortable through the arrangement of travel, food and accommodation.

Sam said: “There’s a reason the bravery awards is referred to as a standout highlight of the policing calendar. It allows and encourages us all to pause and just appreciate the incredible things police officers do all over the country.

“I was honoured to once represent the Federation at another ceremony, and I’m thrilled that Anna and Callum were able to have this experience – they are an absolute credit to us and the Force.”

Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet and Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone also attended the event. 

Anna and Callum were part of the Region 4 category at the ceremony, which was won by officers at Leicestershire Police.

Winners

This year’s overall winners were Sergeant Gregory Gillespie, PC Luke Holden and PCSO Timothy Parry from Merseyside Police. They were honoured for their courage in confronting and detaining a man who had killed three children at a dance class in Southport on 29 July 2024.

Ceremony proceedings were kicked off by Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) chair Tiff Lynch.

She welcomed guests by saying: “Police officers across England and Wales step forward each day with unwavering dedication, never knowing what challenges they may face.

“In the face of uncertainty, danger and adversity, they act with courage and professionalism – not for accolades or applause, but because they truly believe in their duty to protect others.

“Tonight, as we celebrate the 30th Police Bravery Awards, we come together to recognise those whose actions have gone far beyond what is expected.”

Praise

Anna and Callum were reunited with the Home Secretary at the ceremony, where they could discuss their nomination with her in more detail.

Ms Cooper’s speech followed on from Tiff’s, which briefly touched on Anna and Callum’s actions as she praised nominees ‘trying to rescue individuals trapped in the most terrible of situations’.

She said: “We often talk about the way in which you have to run towards danger when the rest of us get to walk away – but you also have to run towards the trickiest and most difficult situations that the rest of us can’t solve, and when everybody else has given up, it’s you that have to pick up the pieces.

“So, I just wanted to say a huge thank you, because we owe you a huge debt of gratitude for being the ones we call when everything else has gone wrong.

“I want to thank you too in relation to the impact and the consequences that this can have for all of you, because there's a price to be paid for doing such a difficult job.”

 

Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson MBE was also in attendance and had her own message of congratulations to nominees: “To every single nominee – you deserve all the plaudits and praise you receive. Regardless of whether you won or not, I hope you are all feeling incredibly proud of yourselves. For all that you have done and continue to do, thank you.”

Additionally, a video message from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer featured on the night.

Incredible

He addressed guests by saying: “As Prime Minister, I get the chance to meet and learn from amazing people – people like incredible police officers and staff up and down the country. Those who go out of the way to keep our communities safe,” he said.

“I know that again and again last summer, we saw the incredible spirit of public service in our police as so many of you stood firm against disorder, facing bricks, kicks, burning bins, and violent mobs in order to keep our communities safe.

“It’s that spirit of public service that all of you at the Police Bravery Awards embody in bucket loads, because when faced with life-threatening risks, or an acutely distressing situation, most people would run or back away.

“You are a credit to yourselves, your families, your forces, and our country. Thank you for everything you do.”

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