Celebrating International Women’s Day: Making a difference for members

9 March 2026

Making a difference in supporting Federation members helps Julie Fleming feel proud in her role.

Julie Fleming is West Midlands Police Federation’s co-lead for equality and diversity and has spoken about her work in recognition of International Women’s Day (IWD) yesterday (Sunday 8 March).

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality.

Theme

Its theme this year is Give to Gain which it is hoped will emphasise the ‘power of reciprocity and support’.

For Julie, giving to others through supporting Federation members has enabled her to gain a new perspective on policing.

“I no longer directly serve the public, but I support our officers and the Force in order to indirectly provide best service to the public,” says Julie, who first joined West Midlands Police in 2002. 

“I have gained a new lease of life taking on this role. Prior to taking this up, I had probably hit a wall a bit motivation wise. I felt it was becoming difficult to feel like I was providing a positive service and ‘making a difference’ when I felt policing had become more reactive than proactive.

“Now, even though some of the cases I deal with are upsetting and can be challenging, I do feel like I gain pride in the fact that I am now making a difference again in supporting our members, the officers and Specials who day in, day out are out serving and protecting the public.”

Having spent most of her career working in Coventry, Julie became a West Midlands Police Federation workplace representative in 2018 and took on the full-time equality co-lead role in 2020. 

Understanding

“I feel that my length of service means that I bring experience in understanding the pressures on officers across various roles, but also the increased pressure the organisation may feel due to public scrutiny,” she explains.

“All of this impacts the demand on the police. I have a good understanding of the mental health impact this can have, and I can draw upon recent health conditions I have experienced myself to provide support and empathy, while guiding officers towards what they can ask for from the organisation.

“I am also realistic in my approach as to what is reasonable for both the officer and the organisation. I am at the stage in my service and the age where I feel empowered to speak out when required. The Federation, and WMP, have gained someone who is fair, realistic and reliable.”

Find out more about International Women’s Day.