Yaffy Sponsors the UK Police Unity Tour

Yaffy sponsored the UK Police Unity Tour 2024 and provided water bottles and t-shirts for all riders and support crew in the Police Scotland chapter, a valued Yaffy customer.  

The 2024 UK Police Unity Tour saw over 420 riders cycle from their individual force areas, over multiple days, to the National Arboretum in Staffordshire, fundraising for the Care of Police Survivors charity - a charity dedicated to helping the families of police officers who have lost their lives whilst on duty.

Police Scotland's chapter included 19 riders and 4 support team members. Officers were waved off by Chief Constable Jo Farrell in Gretna. The cyclists travelled 240 miles over 4 days; 72 miles on day 1, 103 miles on day 2, 50 miles on day 3, and 15 miles on day 4. 

On day 3, Saturday 27th July, the Police Scotland chapter joined riders from all other chapters in Tamworth, Staffordshire where they rode as a collective to Drayton Manor Park. Here, riders met survivors and families of police officers who have lost their lives whilst on duty, all of whom are supported by the Care of Police Survivors charity. COPS kids spent the day enjoying Drayton Manor Park, whilst the adults had the opportunity to take part in workshops or sit and relax and catch up with friends, old and new.

On day 4, Sunday 28th July, riders cycled to the finishing location of the tour, with all 420 riders cycling in mass to the National Arboretum, a national site of remembrance in Lichfield, Staffordshire for the Annual Service of Remembrance. The UK Police Memorial honors those who lost their lives serving and protecting communities across the UK.

The grove is lined with chestnut trees, paying homage to the original wooden policeman's truncheon made of this variety of wood.  Each tree represents an individual police force.

Throughout the ride, each cyclist wore a metal bracelet engraved with details of an officer who lost their life. Following the Annual Service of Remembrance, these bracelets were given to the families of their loved ones.

"Meeting the riders and hearing some of the reasons why they were so passionate about this charity was quite a sobering experience. It was clear that it didn't matter how much pain they endured through the ride, they were doing it for the survivors.

One of the officers was riding for his brother who had died in service. He wore a blue wristband with his brother's details on it and told me it gave him strength, inspiration, and motivation to keep going when the ride was getting tough.

It isn’t until you hear these personal tributes firsthand that you realise that all of the officers were riding for something, someone, where so many sacrifices had been made.

I would like to personally take this opportunity to thank Ian and Scott from Police Scotland for allowing Yaffy to contribute. We are honored and humbled to have supported such an incredible charity."

Business Development Manager, Yaffy Vince Rippon

What is the UK Police Unity Tour?

The primary purpose of the Police Unity Tour is to raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty.

The secondary purpose of the UK tour is to raise funds for Care of Police Survivors, a UK charity dedicated to helping the families of police officers who have lost their lives on duty.

What is COPS?

Otherwise known as COPS, Care of Police Survivors is a UK, registered charity dedicated to helping the families of police officers who have lost their lives whilst on duty.

The charity 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 as they rebuild their lives. Only another survivor can fully understand what new survivors endure, that shared experience is the basis for the charity's peer support programme.