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08 Aug 2025
05 Aug 2025
🚲 LIZ HONOURED TO TAKE PART IN POLICE UNITY TOUR![]()
Cambridgeshire Police Federation chair Liz Groom admits it was a very emotional moment when she joined more than 500 other riders in this year’s Police Unity Tour (PUT) to ride into the National Memorial Arboretum ahead of Sunday’s annual Care of Police Survivors (COPS) Service of Remembrance.![]()
Liz, who first rode in the PUT seven years ago, plans to retire next year but decided she wanted to complete the ride just one more time.![]()
The tour involves police officers, staff and supporters cycling from forces across England and Wales in a three-day ride to the arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire. The Cambridgeshire team set off from Force Headquarters at 9am on Friday and reached Drayton Manor Park near Tamworth on Saturday so they could join up with other PUT chapters to ride en masse to the COPS service on Sunday morning.![]()
The Cambridgeshire contingent was made up of 11 riders, including Chief Constable Nick Dean who, like Liz, wanted to complete the PUT ahead of his retirement and together they have raised £9,200 so far.![]()
“The Police Unity Tour is one of the highlights of the policing year and has two key aims – to raise awareness of our fallen colleagues and to raise funds for COPS, the charity dedicated to helping their families rebuild their lives,” said Liz.![]()
‘It’s a cause that means a huge amount to me so it was a very emotional moment to ride into the arboretum at the end of the tour, knowing how much it meant to everyone at COPS but also to all those who have found its support so critical.”![]()
Each cyclist taking part in the PUT wears a specially engraved wristband dedicated to the memory of a police officer who has died in the line of duty.![]()
Liz’s was dedicated to Cambridgeshire PC Andy Newbery who was 34 when he died on 5 February 2003 after suffering multiple injuries when he was struck by a passing car as he prepared to protect the scene of an earlier accident. She also rode in memory of – and wore a band for – retired Detective Sergeant Liz Cooper, a colleague and friend, who passed away on 26 June after a brave battle with cancer. She had only retired 14 months previously.![]()
“Andy was also not only a police colleague, he was also a friend so it was a particular honour to be able to ride in his memory and to also remember Liz Cooper,” Liz explained.![]()
FULL STORY: bit.ly/45cPYC8