Free hot drinks for officers during the winter

21 November 2023

West Midlands Police Federation deputy chair Jase Dooley has welcomed an offer from supermarket chain Asda for police officers to grab a free cup of tea or coffee during the winter months.

Asda is inviting on-shift and in uniform emergency responders - including police officers - to get a free hot drink from more than 330 Asda stores, cafés, and Express stores.

To claim the free drink while on shift, officers can help themselves to a hot drink from either the in-store café or self-serve machine and take it to the till where an Asda colleague will process it free of charge.

The offer is for one drink per emergency responder and runs from 1 November to 31 December.

Jase, who is also the branch welfare lead, said: “Our members are only human and have to rest and refuel.

“However, the nature of the job means they’re not always able to get back to their station to do that - and that’s also least because many of their rest facilities have been taken away over the past 10 years or so.

“So this is a really nice gesture to allow our members to pop in for a hot drink.

“And if you see an officer taking a hard-earned break, then do say ‘hi’.”

Hayley Tatum, Asda chief people and corporate affairs officer, said: “This initiative is a token of our appreciation for the tireless work that our emergency responders are carrying out in the communities in which we operate.

“Whether on duty, enjoying a break or finishing a shift, we invite them to pop in, say hi and grab a cuppa.”