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We Ride for those who died - Police Unity Tour 2023
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.
7 August 2023
For officers around the country, the last weekend in July is one of the first booked as leave each year.
Image courtesy of Thomson Duff
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 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 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 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 command base in Chelmsford on January 5, 2017, and Katy McMurray – daughter of Police Constable Alan McMurray who died on February 4, 2006, after being struck by a vehicle at the scene of an RTC.
The service was closed by police whistles followed by a flyover by a National Police Air Service helicopter dipping its nose above the families to salute and honour the fallen officers.
COPS Chief Executive Tim Buckley said: “This annual event for the families of officers that die on duty is an extraordinary affirmation of the power of people to rebuild their shattered lives. This year marked our 20th anniversary, and we brought more survivors together than ever to remember and celebrate their fallen officers.
“Seeing the bonds of peer support and life-long friendships forged through the pain of such a terrible loss is the whole reason COPS exists, and it is a privilege and honour to be part of the charity and this experience.”
Christine Fulton MBE, survivor, co-founder and life vice president, said: “ When we started Care of Police Survivors, we never imagined it would be a big charity. We thought it would just be the recently bereaved wanting to be involved. And it took us quite by surprise how families would contact us for officers' deaths from such a long time ago.”
Following the service, colleagues, friends and families walked together down ‘The Beat’ a promenade lined with trees dedicated to fallen officers from every UK police force. It is usually 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 dates for next year’s tour are already confirmed as the 26-28 July.
Details of how to sign up can be found here .
Such is its growing success; the demand for places and wish to support the tour has become overwhelming and so the UK tour has now formed a number of chapters in line with the American tour.
We ride for those who died. We will never forget them.
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Police Unity Tour Scotland. Tour begins in: 97 days 09 hours 37 minutes. The 2024 ride is due to take place from Thursday 25 July 2024 until Sunday 28 July 2024. If you would like to join us then click on the register button below. This year every rider will need to create their own Just Giving page before registering.
Police Unity Tour Scotland. The routes. Day 1 - Gretna to Lancaster. Day 1 sees us leaving Gretna, after the briefing, at around 09:30 as one group. We head towards Carlisle then Penrith, as riders find their feet the group leaders will decide how best to split the group.
Police Unity Tour Scotland. Team Profiles. Scott McCreadie. Chapter Lead. I am Scott McCreadie a traffic cop based down in Dumfries and Galloway. This is the 6th time I've taken part in the Unity Tour. The Tour is very enjoyable with a couple of very hard days that don't get any easier. There is always good banter and it's good to meet ...
Police Unity Tour is a not-for-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and while fundraising for participation in the tour, members must comply with all federal, state and local laws governing such fundraising. The Police Unity Tour is a completely online application process.
More. Unity Tour Scotland's Reels. 398. 612. Unity Tour Scotland. 1,306 likes · 4 talking about this. Official account for the Scottish Chapter of the UK Police Unity Tour.
Welcome to the Scotland ride registration page Please fill out the form below to register for the Police Unity Tour. Make sure you have set up your JustGiving page to track your fundraising - if you have not done this how-to instructions are included on this page. If you want a guide to completing the form click here.
Official channel of the Scottish Chapter for the UK Police Unity Tour
A New Chapter . Due to the increasing popularity of the UK Police Unity Tour, we're forming chapters. Chapters are arranged geographically and will allow new and existing tour members to link in with each other - increasing team spirit whilst making arrangements for the tour much easier for everyone.
Home for the Scottish Chapter of the UK Police Unity Tour
Unity Tour Scotland Reels. 1,312 likes · 439 talking about this. Official account for the Scottish Chapter of the UK Police Unity Tour.. Watch the latest reel from Unity Tour Scotland...
Unity Tour Scotland. 1,305 "mi piace" · 30 persone ne parlanu. Official account for the Scottish Chapter of the UK Police Unity Tour.
7 August 2023. 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. Image courtesy of Thomson Duff.
Welcome to the home of the 2024 UK Police Unity Tour fundraising event for the Care of Police Survivors (COPS) Charity. 26th July - 28th July 2024
Our History. In 1997, Florham Park (NJ) Police Officer Patrick Montuore had a simple idea: organize a four-day bicycle ride from New Jersey to Washington, DC to raise public awareness about law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty, and to ensure that their sacrifice is never forgotten. With that, the Police Unity Tour was formed.
Unity Tour Scotland. Patiktukų: 1 299. Official account for the Scottish Chapter of the UK Police Unity Tour.
History. In 1997, Florham Park (NJ) Police Officer Patrick Montuore had a simple idea: organize a four-day bicycle ride from New Jersey to Washington, DC to raise public awareness about law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty, and to ensure that their sacrifice is never forgotten. With that, the Police Unity Tour was formed.
All the rides are listed on the right. Registration for the 2024 Police Unity Tour is open for certain rides. Please visit our Facebook, Twitter & Instagram pages for more information and to be the first to know when the other ride's registration opens.
The National Memorial Arboretum. Each year, the Police Unity Tour concludes at the National Memorial Arboretum, a national site of remembrance in Lichfield, Staffordshire to coincide with The Care of Police Survicors Annual Service of Remembrance. There is hosted the UK Police M emorial honeouring those who lost their lives serving and protecting communities across the UK.
Police Unity Tour Scotland. Report this post Report Report
Care of Police Survivors have announced that their 2024 Memorial Service will take place at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire on Sunday 28th July 2024.. Therefore the UK Police Unity Tour, now in its 12th year, will start on the Friday, 26th July 2024 and arrive to coincide with the memorial service on the Sunday.
History of Chapter 1. In May 1997, the Police Unity Tour was organized by Officer Patrick P. Montuore of the Florham Park Police Department with the hope of bringing public awareness of Police Officers who have died in the line of duty and to honor their sacrifices. What started with 18 riders on a four day fund-raising bicycle ride from ...
Register for the 2024 Police Unity Tour Donate to the Police Unity Tour To enquire on further ways you can support the Police Unity Tour please contact us. We would be thrilled to hear from you. Please also take the time to visit the Care of Police Survivors website to find out about the extraordinary work they do.
Police Unity Tour is a not-for-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and while fundraising for participation in the tour, members must comply with all federal, state and local laws governing such fundraising. The Police Unity Tour is a completely online application process.