Police Mutual supports local Devon projects nominated by Police family

Police Mutual, the not-for-profit financial services provider, revealed that it had provided just under £2.1m in 2017 towards wellbeing initiatives which help improve the lives of its 200,000 Police family members across the country with Devon one of the areas which benefitted.  

“Wellbeing is at the heart of what makes life happy and satisfying. We know that one of the easiest ways to improve wellbeing is to be part of a supportive community, because a strong support network helps make individuals more resilient, content and fulfilled. The wellbeing initiatives we run – from financial education sessions and health screenings at our BeFit4Life roadshows, through to Force for Good – have a positive effect on Police Mutual members and their families, as well as the people they interact with through work and their local communities” says Stephen Mann, Chief Executive of Police Mutual.

Since 2015 when the award winning1 national community sponsorship programme Force for Good began, 16 projects have received funding in Devon and Cornwall and today Police Mutual announces the 2018 Devon recipients with four initiatives sharing £1,000. They are:

The Admiral Swim Pool Brixham – nominated by a retired police officer who is a trustee of the charitable company that runs the pool for a programme that aims to save lives and injuries by teaching sea skills

Integr8 Bideford, a football programme which was nominated by the team coach who is also a partner of a serving officer in the Ministry of Defence police force 

Devon Freewheelers EVS – this was nominated by a retired police officer and active volunteer and rider for the charity which provides a weekday out of hours and 24/7 weekend service supporting the NHS in delivering essential Blood, Samples, Medication and Donor Breast Milk to hospitals throughout Devon 
Donation to the United We Stand project, run by Street Factory CIC based in Plymouth, designed to get young people off the streets.

Tracey Naismith, a Specialist Problem Solver who nominated the United We Stand project says, “Each year, Street Factory teaches hip hop dance to hundreds of young people. It’s an amazing way to get close to ‘difficult to reach’ youngsters and a great way to teach them the respect and discipline involved in hip hop. Police Mutual’s Force for Good grant will help them to create a new educational centre and hip-hop theatre in a former industrial building in Millbay.”

Retired Police Officer David Cook nominated Devon Freewheelers EVS, which he also volunteers for. He says, “Devon Freewheelers has been running as an official charity for nearly 10 years. We don’t receive any government or lottery funding, so we rely wholly on donations and corporate sponsorship. The Force for Good grant will allow us to purchase essential new blood transit transportation bags for the first time since the charity started.”

In the last two years (2016 and 2017) Police Mutual has delivered locally:

115 Financial Education courses in Devon and Cornwall Police stations, reaching members of the Police family with tools to help them manage their finances.  

The BeFit4Life roadshow visited Exeter Police Station offering financial and health tools, tips and wellbeing support to just under 300 Officers and Staff at their place of work, and at the same time providing them with a free breakfast and lunch.

Stephen Mann concludes: “Our focus on improving the lives of those who protect us is our way of showing support for what members of the Police do which is why giving back to our members will remain at the heart of everything we do, and why we strive to go even further in 2018.”