POLICE UNITY TOUR POLICE UNITY TOUR 2023
WE RIDE FOR THOSE WHO DIED
For the past 11 years the Police Unity Tour has brought hundreds of officers from all forces together to pay respects to their fallen colleagues
For officers around the country, the last weekend in July is one of the first booked as leave each year. For the past 11 years the Police Unity
Tour has brought hundreds of officers from all forces together to pay respects to their fallen colleagues. The event is a cycling tour with each regional chapter cycling at least 200 miles to the National Memorial Arboretum, raising money for Care of Police Survivors (COPS) , a charity that supports the families of fallen officers. The tour concludes with a service of remembrance attended by survivors, police officers and the wider police family. The weekend is an emotionally charged tribute to fallen officers that unites police forces across the country and this year was no exception. Forces around the country are divided
into chapters, there are 12 chapters across the UK. Each chapter takes a different route to the Memorial Arboretum and most take three days in total. There are some chapters however that cover considerable distances and start earlier in the week. Saturday afternoon is where the chapters first convene, and they do so at the Tamworth Snowdome. Once all together the 400-strong procession of cyclists make their way to Drayton Manor theme park where bereaved families of fallen officers are treated to an exclusive day at the park. Upon the arrival of
All photos: Thomson Duff, PUT Official Photographer
family members attended the service with more than 1,200 people attending in total to pay their respects. Police motorcycle club the Blue Knights kicked off proceedings
“It is here where those who held it together during the service can no longer hold in their emotions and the reality and grieving of those who have lost officers comes to the surface.”
the tour at Drayton Manor, a ceremony is held before the chapters separate again for the evening. The final day of the tour is marked with a memorial service at the National Police Memorial in the National Memorial Arboretum.
This year more than 300 bereaved 32 | POLICE | OCTOBER | 2023
with a procession of more than 200 motorcycles. They were followed by around 400 police officers who had cycled the length and breadth of the country to raise money for COPS. Each rider and support team member wore a bracelet with the name of a fallen
officer from their chapter engraved - each year these are given to the families to show their officers are never forgotten. The event, now in its 11th year, has raised more than £1.2 million for the charity. The tour saw new riders this year including survivors, who were keen to join the tour and raise money for COPS who supported them through their
personal tragedy. During the service the Roll of Honour paid tribute to the officers who died on duty during the past 12 months. We heard stories from; Caroline Cox – sister of Inspector Mark Estall who died suddenly at the Essex Police operational policing
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