PW_4_2021

Sports

Bluelight Cycling Club tour for COPS The Bluelight Cycling Club have completed their first charity ride, raising over £15,000 for the Care of Police Survivors Charity (COPS).

T he team of serving and retired police officers set off on Friday 4th of June from the Mall on a four day tour, covering a 270 mile route through Northampton, Cambridge and Surrey, finishing at the National Police Memorial in London. The riders were joined along the way by ambassadors such as Former England rugby players Martin Johnson, Austin Healy and Andy Goode, alongside Scottish Commonwealth Track cyclist Chris Pritchard. The team were also joined by Daisy Godfrey, a police survivor. Daisy’s father Ian was a serving officer when he lost his life aged just 30. Daisy has since dedicated her time to raise money for COPS. The event concluded at the National Police Memorial in the Mall, where Mrs Georgina Winner welcomed them, and Chief Superintendent Roy Smith from the Metropolitan Police laid a wreath for his fallen colleagues. Chief Superintendent Roy Smith paid tribute to the cyclists, saying : “ I was very pleased to be able to welcome back the Bluelight cycle club riders after their first four day event. They have raised an incredible amount of money for such an important charity. I was honoured to lay a wreath at the National Police Memorial to remember our fallen colleagues across the country. There can be nothing more honourable than remembering the lives of those who served in the same uniform and lost their life in the line of duty.”

Neil Tuner co-founder of the Bluelight Cycle Club said: “It has been an amazing four days, where we have managed to raise much needed funds for COPS. Thank you to everyone who participated and joined us on route. A special thank you to our ambassadors Andy Goode, Austin Healy, Martin Johnson and Chris Pritchard who joined us on our first tour to show their support to emergency service workers.” A minute’s silence was observed for fallen colleagues. The National Police Memorial was designed by Lord Foster and unveiled in 2005. It is there to honour all serving officers and those who have died in the line of duty. After the shooting of Yvonne Fletcher in 1984, Sir Michael Winner founded the Police Memorial Trust and donated £500,000 to the campaign for a national police memorial.

Georgina Winner and Chief Superintendent Roy Smith pay their respects

The Bluelight Cycling Club at the National Police Memorial

POLICE WORLD Vol 66 No.4, 2021

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