‘An amazing, inspirational and genuine lady’

16 March 2023

West Midlands Police Federation deputy chair Sam Hughes died yesterday. She was 53.

Sam, who joined the Force in 2003, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and on returning to work the following year worked in PPU at West Bromwich within the review and allocation team.

But, with typical selflessness, she was keen to help others and in 2020 she became a Federation workplace representative with a determination to use her own experiences of working in domestic abuse, response, neighbourhood roles and public order situations, to support colleagues with the issues and demands they were facing.

Sam also wanted to share the highs and lows of returning to work after her treatment to help others in similar situations, putting together a booklet of tips and advice for anyone diagnosed with a serious illness which was circulated around the Force and promoted nationwide.

She became deputy chair of West Midlands Police Federation in December 2021 and was intent on developing the branch’s wellbeing support, particularly in relation to mental health which she could see was becoming a major issue.

Sadly, she was only a short time into her new role, when she was given a further cancer diagnosis.

Tim Rogers, secretary of West Midlands Police Federation, commented: “Sam was an amazing, inspirational and genuine lady. She came into the Federation role with a firm desire to use her own experiences to help others. Sam always thought of everyone else.

“It is heartbreaking that her life has been cut short. She will be sorely missed and our thoughts are with her husband, Shaun, her two children, wider family, friends and colleagues.”