Welsh Lead 'honoured' to be judge at prestigious volunteer awards

5 July 2023

The Welsh Lead and Special Constabulary Lead for the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) says she feels honoured to have been asked to be part of the judging panel at this year’s Lord Ferrers Awards.

The Lord Ferrers Awards recognise outstanding contributions made by Special Constables, police support volunteers, volunteer police cadets and others who give their time to support policing.

Nicky Ryan will be judging this year’s prestigious awards, which will see a total of 12 individuals and teams honoured.

Speaking about her role Nicky said: “As Specials Constabulary Lead for PFEW, it is a real honour to have been asked to be part of this year’s judging panel at the Lord Ferrers Awards.

“Special Constables - and all volunteers who give their time to support the Force - bring with them something unique to policing. They all come from different backgrounds and come with their own skill set. We learn from them, just as much as they learn from volunteering with the police.

“Volunteers are remarkable people and they deserve to be recognised - they are the unsung heroes within the Force. I’m sure these awards will highlight the innovation, skills, knowledge and talent that so many of our volunteers offer.

“I hope that the Welsh branches get behind their volunteers and put as many forward for an award as possible.”

Nominations opened on Tuesday 7 June and will close at midnight on Wednesday 12 July.

The awards will recognise achievement in the following categories:

Ferrers Special Constabulary – an individual award open to Special Constables who have demonstrated a sustained and significant contribution
Ferrers Special Constabulary – a team award open to teams of Special Constables who have demonstrated a sustained and significant contribution
Police Support Volunteer – an individual award open to individual Police Support Volunteers who have demonstrated a significant and sustained contribution
Police Support Volunteer – a team award open to teams of Police Support Volunteers who have worked together to make a significant and sustained contribution
Volunteer Police Cadet – an individual award open to individual Volunteer Police Cadets who have demonstrated a significant and sustained contribution to youth-led social action in support of policing and/or their communities
Volunteer Police Cadet – a team award open to teams of Volunteer Police Cadets who have worked together to make a significant and sustained contribution to youth-led social action in support of policing and/or their communities
Employer Supported Policing Award - open to all organisations that support their local police force by facilitating their employees to volunteer in policing.
Leadership Award - Open to individual Special Constables, Police Support Volunteers and Volunteer Police Cadet Leaders who have demonstrated a significant and sustained contribution to leadership
Innovation Award – Open to Special Constables, Police Support Volunteers, Volunteer Police Cadets or any other volunteer involved in policing. The award recognises innovative contributions volunteers have made in support of policing and/or their communities
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) Volunteer – Open to OPCC volunteers who have demonstrated a significant and sustained contribution
Volunteering in Partnership Award – Open to Special Constables, Police Support Volunteers, Volunteer Police Cadets or any other volunteer involved in policing. This award recognises volunteers who have demonstrated a significant and positive contribution to working with others in partnership for the benefit of their communities
Longevity Award – an individual award open to Special Constables, Police Support Volunteers, Volunteer Police Cadets or any other volunteer involved in policing. This award recognises volunteers who have demonstrated a longstanding and an exceptional contribution to policing and/or their communities over the course of their volunteering service of 30 years or more.