Equality lead Emma ‘immensely proud’ to be nominated for inaugural Fed rep award

8 October 2026

Branch equality and wellbeing lead Emma Arthurs-Newman has reacted to being nominated for the inaugural ‘Fed Rep of the Year’ award set to be handed out at the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) Annual Conference.

Emma has received her nomination in recent weeks and will go up against officials from every other regional Federation branch, with a judging panel to determine who will be selected for the first-ever edition of the award.

For the 48-year-old, however, being crowned winner could only ever represent a bonus to the appreciation she already feels after being put forward for such a title.

Making this recognition all the more satisfying for Emma is that it comes at a time when she is approaching a decade of association with Suffolk Police Federation as well as 23 years in the profession altogether.

“Honestly, my happiness around the nomination is already at its maximum – there’s nothing that could make me feel more honoured than I already do. I’m just thrilled to have been thought of in this way, and I have a lot of gratitude for that,” she said.

 

Equality and wellbeing lead Emma Arthurs-Newman

 

“When I first found out about it, there was the obvious shock, and then I just felt immensely proud. I usually tell people off for playing down their awards and achievements, particularly in a job like policing where you can sometimes feel undervalued, so I suppose I can’t be a hypocrite now when it comes to myself.

“But what I will say is that I could not do the work I do without the support of so many other people. I might be the one getting the attention here, but that is only happening because of the team I am so fortunate to find myself a part of.”

In addition to the Branch Board, Emma also paid tribute to the members who help make her Federation role so ‘fulfilling and rewarding’ – especially since serving these individuals became her full-time job midway through 2025.

“For such a long time, I got to make a difference for the public, and now I don’t, but I do get to make a difference for the police officers who protect the public,” she added.

Nominated

“To be nominated for an award which focuses on my commitment to them means a lot, and I hope they know how much of a privilege it is for me to continue dedicating myself to this position.”

Before she took on full-time Federation duties over 12 months ago, Emma spent more than eight years as a part-time workplace representative after joining the branch in February 2017.

It was during this time she also faced a major life change, finding a lump on her body while she was completing initial Fed rep training and subsequently being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Despite the challenging period she faced over the coming months, Emma decided to use her circumstances to raise awareness of the illness among her Force colleagues and eventually formalise this into a peer support network around cancer.

Positive

“Of course, it was a very difficult time, which turned things upside down for me, but it also created the perfect storm for me to turn my negative lived experience into a positive for others.

“It started with the encouragement of honest conversations and destigmatising talk of cancer in general, and then came actual awareness sessions and regular check-ins, including practical tools to help someone check themselves for signs, such as body part prosthetics.

“While I still have ongoing treatment, my tumour was removed in the September following my diagnosis. But despite what people say, your cancer journey never really ends, and I think mine has allowed me to be a better Fed rep – straight from the off, in my case.”

Promoting openness around cancer has become one of the many valuable activities performed by Emma in the Federation’s ‘Feels on Wheels’ welfare van, a project she has been central to in taking wellbeing support out to local officers instead of simply waiting for concerns and issues to be reported – or not voiced at all.

Proactive

This proactive approach has been an overwhelming success, increasing the Federation’s visibility and strengthening member engagement throughout the county area.

It has also cemented Emma’s reputation as a passionate, trustworthy and accessible source of help, which, combined with plenty of other instrumental work, made her the perfect choice to take leadership of the branch’s equality and wellbeing output last year.

Since then, the scope of her care has only been widened further, with the experienced officer having a beneficial impact in workplace matters around conduct, discipline and discrimination, both in specific cases and by building general expertise.

“In my career, I have always given 110 per cent to everything I have done. 23 years has gone quickly, but I still remember the shifts where it went a lot more slowly.

Be there

“There can be all sorts of reasons an officer may feel that way – some harmless and some not. I always want to be there when someone is feeling unhappy or like something is affecting their ability to do their job, because, let’s face it, there are plenty of risk factors around that in policing.

“For me, that’s where the real victories of being a Fed rep lie, although I am very touched by this award nomination, and I’d like to say a big thank-you,” she ended.

READ MORE: Fallen colleagues remembered at National Police Memorial Day.