Sport and Wellbeing

Police wellbeing is a regular topic on our news pages.

Last month we reported on a number of initiatives from organisations including Oscar Kilo and the Police Fed to proactively improve wellbeing.

This month we are pleased to provide readers with information on how TeamPolice makes it easier for officers to become involved in sport and improve both mental and physical wellbeing.

The organisation has a huge membership, so read on and remember to checkout their website for further information and inspiration!

TeamPolice, in collaboration with Police Sport UK (PSUK), has been set up as an innovative new approach to attract significantly more funding for sport and activity in policing, thereby enabling serving and retired police officers, police staff and their families greater opportunities to get involved and become active.

Sport and physical activity are critical to the wellbeing and health of all who serve in policing and never has this been more important than now as we begin to emerge from a global pandemic and realise the impact this has had on physical and mental health. However, taking part in sport is often expensive and, in some cases, beyond the means of people and their sports or social clubs. All funds raised through TeamPolice are transferred to Police Sport UK.

Through an innovative commercial sponsorship scheme, TeamPolice is focused on putting money into enabling increased participation in physical activity through a comprehensive range of sporting competitions at local, regional, national and even international levels.

Boasting a membership of over 300,000 serving police officers and staff and retired officers and staff, plus their immediate families, PSUK provides social and recreational activities for all members.

National Police Sports Awards and dinner

Last December, TeamPolice and PSUK hosted the first National Police Sports Awards and dinner in Manchester. Almost all UK police forces were represented by their Chief Officers, and it provided a fantastic opportunity to recognise and celebrate some remarkable achievements and contributions individuals have made to police sport.

Among the award winners were Sammy Spall and Dawn Wood. Sammy, a police staff employee from Devon and Cornwall, took it upon himself to promote and negotiate the establishment of 38 gyms across the Devon and Cornwall force area.

Essex police officer Dawn rowed solo across the Atlantic from Gran Canaria to Barbados in 51 days. She became one of only seven women to have successfully completed this mammoth mission and took the title of being the second fastest in history to do so.

There were also awards of excellence presented to individuals who have supported and worked to make sport happen in policing and in the communities in which they live and serve.

Members and supporters of TeamPolice can enjoy a broad range of engagement and marketing opportunities through sports fixtures alongside other events, including the NPCC Annual Sports and Wellbeing Awards and the TeamPolice Annual Golf Day.

Making sport more accessible

Across all forces, there are individuals with the drive and passion to make sport a core part of all of our wellbeing. Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner and Chair of Police Sport UK, Matt Jukes says: "Police Sport UK welcome our partnership with TeamPolice. I want to see sport being accessible for all in the service and the wider police family, not only supporting those who compete at elite level and regularly take part in sport, but also to help and encourage those who want to just start some physical activity. Sport is a great way to engage with our communities, and promote good health and wellbeing"

Retired Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police and Chair of TeamPolice, Bill Skelly, says:
"TeamPolice is actively promoting police wellbeing with commercial sponsors and grant giving organisations to generate cash that is funnelled into police sport and healthy programmes at a grass roots level. We have already channelled hundreds of thousands of pounds into Police Sport UK and individual Forces with donations and the wonderful 1TeamActive family fitness sessions. I am delighted that the Police Federation is helping us spread our message and I look forward to some great partnership work in the future."

To learn more about the important work being done by both TeamPolice and PSUK, please visit:
www.teampolice.uk