Thanks for taking the time to visit the Northants Police Unity Tour Page.

This year’s UK Police Unity Tour will be held on the 26th, 27th and 28th July 2024, Police Officers, Police Staff and Retired Officers will be cycling around the beautiful countryside of Northamptonshire before making their way to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The Northants Police Unity Tour will be covering 220 miles and will be raising money for COPS (Care Of Police Survivors) who help the families of fallen Police Officers who die in the line of duty. Each rider will be issued a blue memorial bracelet inscribed with the name and information of a Police Officer who died in the line of duty, which we will carry to the finish line. Whilst realising the dangers of policing, nobody expects to die in the line of duty. When such a tragedy does occur, the surviving family endures emotions including denial, bewilderment, anger and depression.

The police service does not have the resources to maintain support for these families beyond the immediate aftermath of the death. That is where 'Care of Police Survivors' comes in. Care of Police Survivors (otherwise known as COPS) is a UK registered charity dedicated to helping the families of police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, rebuild their lives. It aims to ensure that survivors have all the help they need to cope with such a tragedy, and that they remain part of the police family.

COPS enables survivors to help survivors. Only another survivor can fully understand what new survivors endure, and that shared experience is the basis for the peer support programme. COPS aims to build a network of survivors around the UK, developing the capability of having a local survivor as soon as required. The extent of help provided will be controlled by the new survivor. Sometimes an understanding listener is needed. Sometimes more practical help is required.

Whatever the need, COPS will be able to put survivors in touch with those who truly understand.

Our team is sponsored by Telford Mann, we are extremely grateful for their help and support for the second year.

In 2023 our incredible team raised a total of £10,000.

The Northants Police Unity Tour will be remembering the following fallen Northamptonshire Police officers:

- Police Constable Alex Prentice - E.O.W. 26 April 2022

Became unwell at his base station of Pytchley, and was taken to Kettering General Hospital where he later died.

- Police Sergeant Paul Keany - E.O.W. 11 March 2020

After arriving at work to take a handover from the day shift he collapsed and died of a heart attack.

- Police Constable Jason Hill - E.O.W. 29 April 2019

Finished work early due to illness, the following day collapsed and sadly died at his home address.

- Acting Police Sergeant Simon Lilley - E.O.W. 5 November 1991

Fatally injured whilst assisting with a traffic census on the A5 near Weedon in the early evening, when he stood in the centre of the road and signalled a motorcyclist to stop he was struck by the machine, the rider of which was under the influence of drink and was speeding.

- Police Sergeant John Beckett - E.O.W. 8 January 1985

Received head injuries in October 1976 when he was assaulted during the course of an arrest as a result of which he developed a brain tumour, was medically pensioned in March 1979 and subsequently died.

- Chief Supt Hubert Ward - E.O.W. 6 January 1977

Fatally injured in a road accident when his car went out of control, left the road and overturned in Kettering.

- Police Constable Roger Flawn - E.O.W. 29 January 1976

Fatally injured when his vehicle was in collision with a tree while travelling from the police hostel to report for early turn duty in Northampton.