Sussex Police Charitable Trust

Steve is a Temporary Superintendent responsible for Gatwick Airport and Armed Policing in Surrey Police and Sussex Police. He has been a Trustee of the SPCT for a number of years and served on many of its sub-committees, including Chair of the Executive Committee (now Funding Panel). He was the Deputy Chair of the Trust before being elected as Chair in 2020.

He has seen the great work of the Trust from a number of perspectives and says it is a humbling experience to see the level of challenge some of our colleagues face. Steve feels that it is a privilege to work within an organisation that supports our colleagues in that hour of need.

Lee joined Sussex Police in 1984 and during a 36-year career he served as an officer in a variety of roles including Roads Policing and Special Branch Ports Unit and later as a member of staff.

He has been a Trustee of the SPCT for a number of years and is currently the Vice Chair of the Trustee Board and Chairs the monthly Funding Panel meetings. In addition, he is involved in the Finance and Investment Committee and conducts a yearly internal audit for the Trust.

Lee feels that working for the Police has always had the feeling of being part of a bigger family and the work of SPCT is an extension of that in the help and support that it is able to provide to its members.

Having joined the force in 1986, Mark was a career frontline constable in deepest West Sussex until he became involved with the Police Federation. He became a divisional Fed rep in 1999 and was elected as a full time Fed rep in 2004.

He then became the Secretary and Conduct Lead in 2006 and held those positions until he retired in 2017 after 31 years with Sussex. He then took up the role of Police Federation Office Manager which he currently holds.

Mark was a member of the SPCT Executive Committee from 2004 before becoming a Trustee in 2011.

Ahmed joined Sussex Police (then the Sussex Constabulary) on 5 February 1973. Following his promotion to Sergeant in 1984 and his subsequent election to the Sussex Joint Branch Board, he took an interest in welfare issues, first as a welfare liaison officer, and was one of the early members of the Sussex Police Charitable Trust’s Executive Committee.

Following his election as JBB Secretary in 2000, he became the Trust’s Vice Chair. After his retirement from the Sussex Police in 2004, he kept in touch first as a member of the Executive Committee and shortly thereafter as a Trustee.

He is a keen supporter of the Trust and through his work as a member of NARPO he has helped raise monies to help the support the Trust in its valuable work.

Sue has been working for Sussex Police since April 2004, joining the then Press and Public Relations Department with responsibility for media liaison for Brighton and Hove Division. Sue has held a number of roles in that particular field, Sue is currently a Senior Communications Manager within Sussex Police’s Media and Communications Department with a remit of internal communications.

Having been a Trustee for some years, Sue chairs the Fundraising and Publicity Committee. She brings her experience of developing and delivering communications, with the Trust Manager and team, to help publicise the charity, increase and maintain membership numbers and to encourage fundraising ideas and opportunities.

Sandra is now retired from Sussex Police, which she joined in the Criminal Justice Department (CJD) working with the Case Administrators and Witness Care teams. Her last role was within Restorative Justice, working with harmed people and the harmer.

Sandra became a Trustee whilst in CJD. Throughout her career in Sussex Police and in retirement she has promoted the good work of the Trust and encourages all she meets to join, explaining the benefits and help and advice that can be given to Trust members. Sandra has seen the help that is given by the Trust team and Trust Advisers, who she says are compassionate, professional and so helpful.

Jason knows from experience that any and all of us might one day need the support given by the SPCT, and he is proud to be a Trustee of our brilliant charity.

As a mental health first aider, Jason speaks to staff every day and knows that many of our colleagues and friends are sometimes not in their perfect health. If ever you need help or support for you or your family, do not be too proud to ask for it.

Emma joined Sussex Police in 1989 and served on each division across the force, including the control room and Professional Standards Department, before retiring in 2019. Emma served as a member of the Executive Committee for a number of years before becoming a Trustee in 2017. She is also a member of the Publicity and Fundraising Committee.

Prior to her retirement, Emma worked with a number of officers and staff who had been supported by the Trust and has seen how much of a positive difference it can make to them and their families. She believes that employees of Sussex Police are lucky to have the Trust to turn to in times of need, hardship and distress, and would strongly encourage anyone who is not yet a member to join.

Joel has worked in Sussex Police since 2004. He is a Detective Inspector in Public Protection and has worked in a number of different roles. He became involved with the Trust when it was instrumental in supporting his family through a personal loss and its impact.

As a result, he wanted to support the charity and ensure colleagues were able to access the same consummate help it affords. Joel is currently Deputy Chair of the Funding Panel and Chair of the Bungalow Committee. Joel is Public Protection representative for Enable and a Positive Action Ally. His ethos is ‘Be kind’.

Julia joined Sussex Police in May 2019 as Assistant Chief Constable for Local Policing and is now the Deputy Chief Constable. She is passionate about supporting the officers, staff and volunteers who work so hard to protect the public in Sussex and really values her role as a Trustee. In her previous force she was an executive member of a similar board.

Julia brings a strategic awareness of the force and wider policing issues, with the ability to promote awareness of the excellent work the Trust provides as they make a real difference to families and individuals.

Sarah joined Sussex Police as a Contact Handler in January 2018. Later she joined the Safety Camera Team. Her background is in policing, having been a Special Constable and Police Constable.

She has worked in the charity sector and has undertaken numerous volunteer roles. She holds a qualification in volunteer management. She decided to become a Trustee as a way of giving something back to the SPCT, who supported her during a recent major illness.

She is a member of Enable and will soon complete her training to volunteer with Albion In The Community’s Speak Up Against Cancer campaign.

Steve joined Sussex Police in 2002 and has been stationed in West Sussex. He joined CID in 2005, working from Shoreham, then went to Major Crime where he stayed until 2015. From there, he joined Adult Protection.

Since the start of his policing career, Steve has paid his contributions to the Charitable Trust. He joined the police to help others and feels that this is just an extension of that, helping anyone from the policing family who finds themselves in difficulties. Steve says that being a Trustee enables him to share his own life skills as part of decision making and hopes that this can ultimately help change a person’s life.