Policing comes together to remember fallen officers and raise funds for charity

25 July 2025

The fundraising team.

The Nottinghamshire Police family came together for a bike ride in memory of fallen officers and to support the Care of Police Survivors (COPS) charity.

More than 40 cyclists, each wearing the collar number of Sergeant GrahamSaville, took part in the event and raised a total of £2,424 for COPS.

Graham’s wife Jo and family saw off the riders from Ravenshead. The route took them towards Gunthorpe, through East Bridgford and Car Colsten before looping back round through Screveton, Hoveringham and Epperstone.

The cyclists included the family of PC Ged Walker, who was killed in the line of duty in 2003. His wife Tracy, son Matt and daughter Becca took part. Elaine Dean, the sister of PC Christopher McDonald, who was killed on duty in 1978, also joined the riders.

The cyclists were welcomed home by Graham’s family and members of the Larch Farm Scouts, where Graham’s children attended.

Police Unity Tour

The cycle ride was a precursor to the 180-mile Police Unity Tour ride, which takes place next weekend (1 - 3 August).

Superintendent Paul Lefford, the Nottinghamshire lead for the PUT, said: “Because we do the PUT each year, and as Graham was a keen cyclist, we looked at how we could remember him while raising additional funds for COPS as part of the wider PUT fundraising.

“We also looked at how we could get more people involved in the PUT, or maybe create something for people who didn’t want to cycle the full 180 miles over three days.

“So that's why we started the local Graham Saville ride last year.

“We linked in with the Scout group his children were in the Cubs at, and they came in and handed out all the medals and staffed the stalls at the afternoon event.

“To have so many people come and support the event – not just riders but also from the local community and wider policing family – was fantastic to see.”

Refreshments

Paul added: “Thank you to all those who rode or supported the event, as well as the Nottinghamshire Police Sports Social Club, PC Chris Holloway and Kelly and Kelvin from the wellbeing team for supporting the riders and providing well-needed refreshments on what was a very hot day.”

Attention now turns to the PUT on the weekend of 1 August, when Nottinghamshire Police cyclists will be joined in the East Midlands Chapter by colleagues from Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.

The Nottinghamshire team will set off from Force headquarters on the Friday morning. On the Saturday,  police chapters from across the UK meet up at the Snow Dome in Tamworth. They then cycle to Drayton Manor together to meet the bereaved families of fallen officers who will be there as part of the COPS survivor weekend event.

A service of remembrance is held at the National Memorial Arboretum, where the ride finishes on Sunday morning. 

Paul said he was inspired to take part in PUT by a trip to Washington in 2012.

Emotional

“Law enforcement in America have a national police week where they pay tribute to their fallen officers,” he said.

“They bring all the families from all parts of America to Washington. The families are met at the airport, they have a guard of honour, and are driven into the city with a blue light escort.

“Having seen what they did for their officers it made me think that I wanted to be involved in our Police Unity Tour, and that’s how I got involved.”

Paul said it was ‘emotional and humbling’.

“The PUT is a physical experience because it’s challenging over three days, but it’s an emotional experience too,” he said.

“Especially when you pull into Drayton Manor, where you meet all the families. Then to be at the final service ceremony on the Sunday, with all 43 forces there, to pay our respects and to listen to the families of the fallen officers, it’s very humbling.”

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