Honouring 75 Years of the International Police Association (IPA) and Our Fallen Colleagues

As the International Police Association (IPA) celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2025, the Essex, London Met and Region 6 Branches are proud to participate in the annual Light the Lakes event. This year’s climb is a unique opportunity to honour fallen colleagues while celebrating the IPA’s remarkable legacy of fostering friendship, collaboration, and support among policing communities worldwide.

Light the Lakes has become an established event in the climber's diary where Police Officers, colleagues and friends climb the 214 Wainwright peaks in the Lake District to raise money to support COPS (Care of Police Survivors).

COPS provides peer support, counselling, mental well-being and respite services to help surviving family members of police officers and staff who have died on duty rebuild their lives. They work with hundreds of families from across the UK – all of their services are provided free of charge and for as along as they are needed.