The Chair of the Scottish Police Federation, David Threadgold, has been appointed as a Trustee of the newly established Police Remembrance Trust.
The Police Remembrance Trust, which was formed by the merger of National Police Memorial Day and the Police Roll of Honour Trust, pledges to ensure that the sacrifices of police officers in the UK and Ireland are never forgotten.
David said: “As Chair of the Scottish Police Federation I’m honoured to be a Trustee of the Police Remembrance Trust – it allows me and others to pay testament to the sacrifice that’s been made by cops across Scotland as part of the bigger picture. It’s a very humbling charity to be part of.”
National Police Memorial Day is marking its 20th anniversary this year, and will remain an important date for the police family. Preparations are underway for a special weekend in Cardiff on 23-24 September; in 2024, the service will be held in Scotland.
The memorial day – alongside the annual Scottish Police Memorial service in early September – is a vital opportunity for the policing service to remember fallen colleagues, said David.
He said: “Due to the nature of our roles and the circumstances that we find ourselves in, there is a real camaraderie and friendship that exists in policing. When you get significant numbers of police officers together to remember their colleagues, there is a real power – the feeling is palpable in the room.
“It reminds you just how important it is to be part of the police family, but also never to forget those who have passed. A family member of a fallen colleague is invited to light a candle of remembrance at the service, which is a very personal moment for them.”
David said that the merger of the two police remembrance charities means resources will be streamlined and that the new Trust is “dedicated to making their activities as meaningful and impactive as they can be”.
The Chair of the Police Remembrance Trust is Reverend Canon David Wilbraham MBE. As well as maintaining National Police Memorial Day, other priorities for the Trust are to build on the efforts to establish a Welsh Police Memorial, and continue working in partnership with the new UK Digital Police Memorial.