Police plea to ‘pledge a pound’ to COPS charity in memory of fallen Northamptonshire officers

Police officers past and present will join colleagues from across the UK paying tribute to Northamptonshire colleagues who sadly lost their lives in service.

The team of eight is asking the public to back them by pledging a pound to the Care of Police Survivors charity (COPS).

More than a thousand participants will descend on the Lake District to light up the Wainwright Peaks in June as part of the annual fundraising event, climbing 214 summits on Saturday (June 18) before holding blue flares to the sky at 3am in memory of 18 fallen colleagues — including PC Alex Prentice, who died suddenly on April 26 this year.

Representing Team Northamptonshire is retired police officer Dick Eady, DC Mike Norris, PCSOs Charlotte Morris, Matt Taylor and Steph Bacon, police staff members Martin Gatiss and Debrha Stewart and Helen Franks from the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Former detective constable, Dick Eady, who leads the team, said: “We know it is a challenging time for everyone financially. However we’d like to raise as much as possible for Care of Police Survivors and are asking people to support us by pledging £1.

“This event is always poignant as we pay our respects to those who have died in service.

“As a force, we’ve sadly lost both officers and police staff over the past few years. All much-loved friends and colleagues who have left a huge hole in our policing family and we will be raising our blue flare in their memory.

“Over the years, the charity has helped hundreds of police families devastated by the loss of a loved one who has died on duty, including those who have lost their lives serving the people of Northamptonshire.”

COPS is a charity dedicated to helping families of officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, providing both practical and emotional support to ensure they have the help they need to rebuild their lives.

For more information about the event visit www.lightthelakes.org.uk or support the charity by donating to the team’s Just Giving page.