Police Unity Tour 2025: Northamptonshire chapter will be the 'biggest yet'

30 July 2025

Northamptonshire chapter lead Simon Randall says he is looking forward to the Police Unity Tour ‘more than ever’ this year as the 2025 event approaches.

On Friday (1 August), 30 cyclists representing the county and the Force will begin their 200-mile journey to the National Memorial Arboretum in Lichfield, Staffordshire, in tribute to police officers who have died on duty.

Raising money for the Care of Police Survivors (COPS), the team will be joined by nine support staff in the biggest team the chapter has had since it became an independent team of riders.

Simon traditionally rides in memory of Andrew Harper, a Thames Valley officer who was killed on duty in 2019. This year, among the staff supporting the Northamptonshire Chapter will be two survivors – Andrew’s mother and stepfather.

 

Northants PUT chapter 2024.

 

Simon said: “As the date gets closer and closer, I am becoming really excited for the Tour.

“This will be my eighth year leading our chapter, and it’s just as much of an honour now as it was in the first year, but there is definitely a different buzz this time around.

“We are looking forward to getting on the road and riding through the miles as a team, supporting each other, remembering our fallen colleagues, and of course, supporting the incredible work of COPS.

“With our biggest group so far as a dedicated Northamptonshire chapter, it should be a very memorable weekend.”

As always, the chapter will depart from Force headquarters on the Friday of the PUT and take some familiar stops on route to Lichfield.

Drayton Manor

This includes a visit to Drayton Manor theme park, where, as in previous years, riders will meet with more survivors and relatives of the fallen officers they are paying respects to.

And on Sunday (3 August), will come to the opportunity to mark these lives formally, through COPS’ annual Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum, bringing an end to the PUT for another year.

“Other late colleagues we will be cycling for, include PC Alex Prentice, Sergeant Paul Keany and Inspector Ashley Moore. We will never forget the sacrifice they made for our profession and we hope to do their families proud once again,” Simon added.

After making her PUT debut last year, Sergeant Lorna Clarke is set to return to the saddle and says she is looking forward to another momentous occasion.

“When I signed up for 2024, I of course wanted to remember fallen colleagues, but my real connection to the ride was seeing it as a physical challenge, which I thought I needed for myself,” Lorna explained.

“From then on, I have kept up with cycling and I now feel physically and mentally fitter than ever, so I can say the PUT has given me a lot in just a year of being involved.

Pride

“Not only do I have that, but I’m also going into this year with a better understanding of the cause behind it all. What the ride achieves is incredible, and you can see from the survivors how much it means to them.

“At the memorial service, I remember being able to feel their sense of pride – it’s an emotional time but one I think should be on every officer’s bucket list to experience.

“And the weekend as a whole is just amazing. It’s demanding and tiring, but the sense of achievement you feel at the end is massive, so I’m very excited for that moment again.”

With both individual and team fundraising efforts taking place in the build-up to the PUT, Simon revealed the chapter is ‘creeping up’ towards their target of £12,000.

All proceeds will go towards the chapter’s 2025 PUT fundraiser, which you can donate to by visiting its JustGiving page.

Team Northamptonshire is set to depart for day one of the PUT at 7.30am from Force headquarters on Friday (1 August) with colleagues welcome to wave them off as they embark on their journey.

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