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Police volunteers who have supported victims of domestic abuse, challenged mental health stigmas and helped tackle modern slavery were honoured at an awards ceremony yesterday.

The Lord Ferrers Awards – which is in its 26th year – celebrates the contributions of Police Support Volunteers, Special Constables, Volunteer Police Cadets, and volunteers supporting the work of Police and Crime Commissioners.

Winners received awards across ten categories at the ceremony at Lancaster House in London, attended by the Minister for Crime, Policing and the Fire Service Kit Malthouse.

Minister for Crime, Policing and the Fire Service Kit Malthouse said:

Volunteers are highly valued members of the policing family.

They bring different skills to the police service and give up their time to serve the public and help protect their communities.

This year’s winners do a remarkable job, whether it is inspiring more women and ethnic minorities to join the police, supporting the vulnerable or making our streets safer.

Former BBC News presenter Sir Martyn Lewis hosted the event.

The winners are:

Ferrers Special Constabulary – Individual Award: Olaniyi Opaleye, Kent Police

Olaniyi Opaleye has served in Dartford for more than 20 years, connecting the police with churches, mosques, communities and inspiring others from under represented backgrounds to join the police.

Ferrers Special Constabulary – Team Award: Central Motorway Police Group, West Midlands Police and Staffordshire Police

The Central Motorway Police Group have assisted in the arrests of 700 people involved in vehicle crime thieves and have been supported the seizure of millions of pounds worth of stolen property, cash and drugs.

Ferrers Special Constabulary – Leadership Award: Laura Hart, Merseyside Police

Laura is the most senior female volunteer in Merseyside Police. She has led female officers on patrol and held conferences to increase the representation of women across the Special Constabulary.

Ferrers Volunteer Police Cadet – Individual Award: Hasan Hussain, West Midlands Police

Hasan has educated children about the life of Stephen Lawrence and passed down his legacy to the next generation by planting a tree in his memory.

Ferrers Volunteer Police Cadet – Team Award: Eden Valley Cadets, Cumbria Constabulary

The Eden Valley cadets have encouraged their community to talk about mental health with banners across the entire county. Starting in a small town, the team won the backing of a local charity, enabling them to have banners in every major town in Cumbria.

Ferrers Police Support Volunteer – Individual Award: Claire Hopkins, Avon and Somerset Constabulary

Claire has applied her unique understanding of modern slavery to produce a new template for frontline officers. This document has helped Avon and Somerset Constabulary identify more victims of modern slavery.

Ferrers Police Support Volunteer – Team Award: Streetwatch, Northamptonshire Police

Streetwatch is on patrol twice a week in Wellingborough to tackle fly tipping, car theft, drug dealing, burglary and anti-social behaviour. They also lead monthly litter picks which take more than 100 bags of rubbish off the streets.

Ferrers Employer Supported Policing Award – Fast Stream, Metropolitan Police

The Civil Service Fast Stream provides 15 days’ paid special leave each year for Special Constables’ training and duties and recognises the transferable skills it brings to the Civil Service.

Ferrers Technical Innovation Award – Greg Stevenson, Lincolnshire Police

Greg has used his skills and expertise to ensure Lincolnshire officers can capture and preserve digital evidence on the front line by developing a bespoke policing app for android phones.

Offices of Police and Crime Commissioners – Volunteer Individual or Team Award: Strive Volunteers, Greater Manchester Police

Strive Volunteers work with victims of domestic abuse across Manchester, visiting homes to support families at an early stage. They work in a non-judgemental way to tackle the root causes of conflict. They have made over 3000 contacts and have supported 840 individuals and families.

The Charity Commission has today published the results of its pre-inquiry and class inquiry work into charities that failed to file financial information with the regulator for 2 or more years in the last 5 years.

The ‘double defaulter’ inquiry has resulted in a total of £51,615,231 of charitable income being accounted for, and 97 charities addressing their failure to file and submit their outstanding annual documents.

The inquiry used information gathering powers 51 times to obtain bank records and financial information of the charities. In 2 cases, the inquiry identified wider governance concerns and opened separate inquiries.

Investigators provided charities with regulatory advice and guidance about the trustees’ legal duties to file important financial information. The exercise revealed 28 charities had ceased to exist or do not operate, and have therefore been removed from the register of charities.

Amy Spiller, Head of Investigations Team at the Charity Commission said:

I am pleased that our intervention has resulted in charities putting right their default, and that we have been able to account for significant sums which charities can use to do good and make people’s lives better.

Generous donors have a right to be able to see clearly how their money is being spent, and be assured that they are going to their intended causes. This inquiry should serve as a reminder to all charities of the need to comply with their important legal duties, or inform us if they are no longer operating.

We are committed to informing public choice about charities. Charities must lead the way here and evidence how they are delivering on their charitable mission and purpose through financial information that they make available. This is vital if charities are to meet legitimate public expectations around transparency and accountability.

The full report is available on GOV.UK.

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. All registered charities must provide financial information annually to the Charity Commission. More information on the requirements for different charities are set out in the [report].
2. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work read the about us page on GOV.UK.

He will join the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on 25 November from Brunswick Group LLP, where he was a Partner advising clients on mergers and acquisitions, regulation and public policy matters.  

Stuart brings with him a wealth of knowledge from past roles in Whitehall and the wider Civil Service, including as a Special Adviser at 10 Downing Street and Head of Government Affairs at Ofgem.

He will have overall responsibility for our strategy, external communications, devolved nations and English regions activity, working with our Director of Communications & Strategy and Director of UK Nations & Scotland.

Reporting directly to CEO Andrea Coscelli, Stuart will be a member of our Executive Committee and will attend Board meetings in an advisory capacity.

Published 16 October 2019