Campaign to honour fallen police officers

PC Ian Woodward, a Lancashire police officer who was killed on duty in 1987.

The campaign aims to raise money for a memorial to fallen police officers – and they would love the public’s help.

The appeal, launched by the UK Police Memorial Trust, is aiming to raise the final £1.5m for a £4m project which will pay tribute to more than 1,400 men and women who have been killed on duty.

The launch is exactly eight weeks to the day since PC Keith Palmer was killed in Westminster.

If the campaign is successful a physical memorial, inscribed with the 1,400+ names, will be built at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The project will also include a digital memorial that will be accessible all over the world, an educational programme for use by schools and colleges and a ‘living memorial fund’ which will support the families of those killed on duty in the future.

The campaign to raise £1.5m for a memorial to fallen officers has been backed by the widow of a Lancashire officer who was killed in 1987.

Lin Woodward, whose husband PC Ian Woodward(pictured right) was shot after confronting a poacher near his home in Chorley, is urging members of the public to show their support for the UK Police Memorial project. Lin, 62, said: “My family and I are all in agreement that we need a national memorial such as this where officers and staff killed in the line of duty can be honoured, remembered and commemorated all year round.

“Ian was brave and kind and wouldn’t have thought twice about trying to intervene where he saw wrongdoing. For that bravery I lost my husband, his children lost a wonderful father and his grandchildren have missed out on ever getting to know him.

“Now my hope is that this memorial will become a reality and that Ian’s sacrifice will not be forgotten.”

Ian’s name is one of the 1,400 planned to be included on the memorial.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Bates, of Lancashire Constabulary, said: “We at Lancashire Police are proud to be lending our support to this national campaign, which will honour the dedication, courage and sacrifice which has been made by so many of our colleagues.”

Anyone who wants to know more about the UK Police Memorial, make a donation or get involved should visit www.ukpolicememorial.org