‘It’s all about being seen and heard’: Fed rep’s commitment to members as ‘conduit’ between colleagues and Force

7 September 2026

Eight years on from stepping into her Federation duties, branch workplace representative Claire Yates says she is thankful she listened to the colleagues who told her she would be an ideal fit for the role.

A vastly experienced constable, Claire was working on response in Ipswich when she decided to stand for election as a Fed rep with a chorus of support behind her.

She was almost two decades into her policing career at the time and had already shown an ability to lead and look out for her fellow officers in various capacities across Suffolk Constabulary, including as an acting sergeant and in the tuition of probationers starting out in the Force.

On multiple occasions, this had prompted those around Claire to tell her she was the sort of person they would like to see champion their best interests from a position of real influence – and in 2018, she decided it was finally time to act on this glowing endorsement.

 

Workplace representative Claire Yates.

 

“I think one of the main reasons I was told to consider becoming a Fed rep was because I’ve always been good at holding uncomfortable conversations with people in the Force – for myself and on behalf of other people,” she said.

“I’ve always naturally felt compelled to do that, because I think it’s important to act as a voice for someone else if they feel unable to use their own for whatever reason.

“The other side to it is simply wanting to keep the Force accountable, especially if there is an expectation that an officer simply won’t question a decision or instruction, even if it goes against regulations. A culture which relies on that to manage people isn’t right, so I’ve always been passionate about cutting that out where it exists.”

And Claire has taken this proactive approach to another level in her capacity as a Fed rep, where she continues to be motivated by her dislike for unfairness, which she described as ‘one of the very few things that I get genuinely annoyed by’.

Vital help

She has provided vital help to branch members with the likes of flexible working arrangements, returning to work after long-term absence, grievances and general career advice, as well as in more formal settings such as post-incident procedures (PIPs).

For the 47-year-old, acting as ‘a conduit between individual officers and the Force’ allows her to realise ambitions of helping those who feel isolated in the profession.

“Policing is relentlessly challenging, and it demands a lot of resilience, self-belief and sacrifice – but if nothing else, I want to give officers the breathing space or the platform to find that within themselves once more,” she continued.

“For instance, if you’ve been out of work for a long time, the chances are you’ll need a helping hand to get you back in. If this involves getting reasonable adjustments put in place, I am more than happy to negotiate that with the Force.”

Difficult conversations

Currently a community beat officer in the Bridge area of Ipswich, Claire pointed out that her willingness to engage in difficult conversations does not always mean holding crunch talks with her employers.

Instead, she says there is often a much softer side to this capability – particularly when it comes to colleagues' wellbeing.

Providing branch members with outlets for their emotions has inspired much of her recent Federation work, which has included appearances out in the ‘Feels on Wheels’ welfare van.

She said: “Over the last few years, I have felt a much bigger Federation drive around wellbeing, which I have been proud to do my bit towards.

“No matter how hard it may be, mental health is a topic we must discuss and be open about. Thanks to the national Fed’s work, we now have a much better idea of the numbers around suicide in policing, and it’s everyone’s responsibility to help tackle it.

Welfare van

“The welfare van has allowed us to take our care out to members – rather than waiting for them to come to us – and this provides regular opportunities for chats about anything that may be on their mind, big or small.

“It also gives us a chance to better inform officers who aren’t fully aware of their entitlements and regulations, which can go a long way to preventing exploitation and improving wellbeing.

“For me, it’s all about being seen and heard in policing, because no one wants to give everything to the job only to feel like they don’t matter enough.

“As long as I am in this role, I will use it to stand by our members and do everything I can to make sure no one feels like this.”

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