York, 18th March 2026 – The Milner Hotel in York played host to the prestigious PSUK Annual Sports Awards Dinner last night, bringing together Chief Constables, senior officers, elite athletes, and dedicated volunteers from across UK policing to celebrate outstanding achievement in police sport.
Held in conjunction with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and generously supported by headline sponsor Motorola Solutions, the black-tie event recognised individuals and teams whose commitment to sport exemplifies the transformative power of physical activity in supporting officer and staff wellbeing.
An Evening of Recognition
The formal programme, opened by Chief Constable Rachel Kearton (Suffolk Constabulary) and Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine (Northumbria Police) – Joint Chairs of Police Sport UK – set the tone for an evening that honoured decades of service, international athletic achievement, and innovative approaches to equality and inclusion in police sport.
Gavin Stephens, Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, and David Shorland, UK & IRE Sales Director at Motorola Solutions, delivered closing remarks that reinforced the strategic importance of sport as a wellbeing initiative across all 43 UK police forces.
Award of Excellence
Four exceptional athletes received Awards of Excellence in recognition of their sustained performance at the highest levels of competition:
Aimee Ramm (Surrey Police) joined Leicestershire Police in 2006 after competing at senior national level and GB Championships. In 2007, she became British Senior Champion in the 100m freestyle and broke the individual world record for the 100m freestyle in the 25-29 age group at the National Masters Championships. For the last 19 years, she has been part of the GB Police swim team, holding British, European, and World masters individual records. In 2025, nineteen years after joining the police, she won the 50m open freestyle at the Police National Championships, making her the fastest female police officer/staff in the country. She now serves as Surrey’s Force Strategic Lead for Wellbeing and GB Team Manager for Police Swimming.
Louise Blizzard (Cheshire Police) has maintained an exemplary running career for over 30 years within PSUK and recently in Masters events representing England. A long-standing member of Warrington Athletics Club and Cheshire Police, she has been a key performer for Cheshire Constabulary spanning well over 20 years, winning the veteran category countless times and contributing to numerous team wins. Louise has completed the London Marathon over 30 times, with a personal best of 2:54 in 2004, and has completed an impressive 394 parkruns. Despite overcoming significant personal health challenges, she continues to volunteer extensively as a welfare officer, organiser, and engagement officer.
Louise McInnes (Police Scotland) joined Strathclyde Police in 2007 with a basketball career that included representing Scotland as a Cadette, winning the Dobbing Cup (Scotland vs England) for the first time in 40 years, and selection to the GB youth squad. She was a member of the first PSUK Women’s Basketball Team to participate in the USPE finals in Sheffield 2009, where the team won bronze and Louise was named in the All Star 5. In 2019, she was part of the SPRA West team that won the PSUK women’s basketball finals and was named in the All Star 5. In 2024, she was named Most Valuable Player when the team won again. She served as Vice-Captain for the 4th USPE in Heraklion, Greece 2024, and has become assistant coach to the PSUK GB Women’s Basketball Team.
Christopher Jones (South Wales Police) joined South Wales Police in 1999 and participated in his first PSUK Championships in Sheffield in 2001. Before his police career, Chris represented Wales at the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada (1994) and Kuala Lumpur (1998), making finals in both, and represented Great Britain at the World Student Games in Sheffield in 1991. Upon joining the service, Chris won the 100 metres backstroke and was selected for the GB Police Swim Team at the European Police Swimming Championships in Montpelier 2001, where he won gold in the 4×100 medley relay. Chris dominated PSUK Championships, remaining undefeated for 15 years in the 100 metres backstroke, winning this event into his 40s. He has consistently been selected to represent GB Police Swim Team at European Championships in Spain and Ukraine.
Volunteer of the Year – Sponsored by Nuix
Glynis Perks (Sussex Police) received the Volunteer of the Year award for her incredible dedication to police swimming spanning five decades. Glynis joined the Sussex Police Cadets in September 1975, aged 17, and her first PSUK National Championships was in 1976 at Blackpool Derby Road Baths. Since then, she has competed at almost every PSUK swimming Championships, with only a few exceptions including 1984 when working on the Brighton bombing, two years whilst having her children, and 2018 following her retirement.
During her swimming career, Glynis became the Sussex Team Manager, a role she continued for many years into her retirement. She played a pivotal role in hosting two PSUK Championships in Sussex, coordinating the entire events and positively promoting police sport. Glynis is the linchpin of the Sussex swim team and has held a role on the National committee since 2016, a role she continues to perform today. She has also spent many years as a key member of the Sussex lifesaving team. This year, Glynis reaches her 50-year milestone for volunteering, competing, and promoting police sport.
The Neil Braithwaite Community Award – Sponsored by Magnet Forensics
Raffi Aghanian (North Yorkshire Police) received this award for his outstanding contribution to community sport and police wellbeing. As Secretary for Wrestling and Judo, Raffi keeps these sections vibrant through constant liaison with clubs, encouraging entries, and ensuring fair representation. His commitment is both administrative and personal – he competes when needed, mentors novices, and communicates relentlessly to widen participation.
Well known for “never sitting still,” Raffi is also a keen cyclist and runner who has, at his own time and expense, paced student officers and recovering colleagues to help them build confidence and pass the Job-Related Fitness Test (JRFT). Since retiring from the Special Constabulary in 2015 after 20+ years’ service, Raffi has continued to represent North Yorkshire Police, frequently travelling solo to events to ensure the force is represented.
During COVID lockdowns, Raffi became a familiar figure on internal channels for his home-workout videos, filmed to motivate colleagues to stay active and protect their physical and mental health. At 69, he remains fitter than many half his age and endlessly generous with that experience. Raffi has deep roots in community sport as a regular at Paragon Cycling Club, member of Scarborough Judo Club, stalwart of parkrun, and member of Scarborough Athletics Club.
Team of the Year – Sponsored by XMA
The Women’s National Police Football Team received the Team of the Year award for an exceptional year defined by outstanding sporting achievement and powerful commitment to supporting women in policing and inspiring women and girls in communities across the UK and Ireland.
The journey began with a crucial European Qualifying match against the Hungarian National Women’s Police Team. In a tense contest that ended in a penalty shoot-out, the team secured victory and qualification for the European Championships in Lohne, Germany in June 2025.
In March, a vision for a new ‘Four Nations’ tournament was formed, bringing together teams from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland to showcase footballing talent and elevate the profile of women in sport and policing.
At the European Championships in Germany, the squad competed against Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Their determination paid off: finishing second in the group, they progressed to the Semi-Finals for the first time in team history. Although they narrowly missed out on reaching the final against France, they concluded the tournament as semi-finalists – an unprecedented achievement that also secured automatic qualification for the next Championships.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Award – Sponsored by Sopra Steria
East Midlands Women’s Police Football Club received the EDI Award in recognition of a groundbreaking collaboration between five police forces – Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire.
Established in the summer of 2025, the initiative brought together forces that either lacked representation in police football or faced the loss of existing sections. The result is a unified, inclusive, and sustainable model for women’s football across the East Midlands.
Ten individuals – two from each force area – were recognised for their active involvement in the running, development, and day-to-day management of the club.
The team competes nationally in the Emergency Services Football League and participates in local, regional, and national tournaments including annual PSUK events. The committee’s commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion is evident in their work organising community-focused fixtures, charity events, and inclusive opportunities, including an exhibition match with the England Women’s Deaf Football Team and plans to involve local girls’ teams to inspire young people and promote positive visibility of women in policing.
Sports Person of the Year – Sponsored by Salesforce
Rob Sparkes (Humberside Police) received the Sports Person of the Year award for outstanding personal performance, team contribution, and positive influence on broader participation.
Rob started running for Humberside in 2023 and has been a revelation. He has won every Northern Police Cross Country fixture he has attended and won the PSUK National Cross Country Championships in 2024. He has played a key role in Humberside being team winners in the Northern Police Cross Country League for the last two seasons.
In March 2025, Rob placed third in the PSUK National Cross Country Championships, earning him a spot on the PSUK Team for the European Cross Country Championships in the Netherlands – the first time Humberside has had a runner compete at international level. Rob helped the national team place third overall and put in a superb individual performance.
Rob also successfully defended his British Police Fell Race title in May 2025, winning in Helvellyn by a significant distance on a very challenging course. Beyond his outstanding personal and team performance, he has proved to be a catalyst for further participation at local force level, regional level, and national events, serving as the spearhead for grassroots participation.
Partnership and Support
The evening was made possible through the generous support of sponsors who recognise the strategic value of investing in police wellbeing through sport:
Headline Sponsor: Motorola Solutions sponsored the overall Police Sports Awards
Drinks Reception Sponsor: boxxe Tech Solutions
Individual Award Sponsors: XMA, Magnet Forensics, Salesforce, Sopra Steria, and Nuix
Their partnership enables Police Sport UK and Team Police to deliver competitive opportunities, recognition programmes, and wellbeing initiatives across all 43 UK police forces.
Looking Ahead: 2026 Event Calendar
The awards evening also provided a preview of Team Police’s ambitious 2026 calendar, featuring competitive finals, strategic leadership events, and partnership opportunities:
- Men’s Rugby Finals Day – Wednesday 22nd April 2026, Sale FC Rugby
- 5th Annual TeamPolice Golf Day – Wednesday 24th June 2026, The Warwickshire Golf Hotel & Spa
- National Cricket Final – Thursday 3rd September 2026, Leicestershire CCC
- National Tennis Finals – 13th-15th September 2026, Delta Hotel Tudor Park, Kent
- Salesforce Tower Evening – Wednesday 14th October 2026, London (theme: “Becoming an Employer of Choice Through Sport”)
- Boxing Evening – Thursday 12th November 2026, Hilton Hotel, Woking
Why Sport Matters
The PSUK Annual Sports Awards Dinner serves as a powerful reminder of sport’s role as a strategic wellbeing initiative across UK policing. Beyond physical fitness, sport builds resilience, creates connection, fosters culture, and provides platforms for officers and staff to thrive both personally and professionally.
As demonstrated by last night’s award winners, sport enables individuals to achieve excellence, volunteers to serve their communities for decades, and forces to collaborate in creating opportunities where none previously existed.
Team Police and Police Sport UK remain committed to making sport the number one wellbeing initiative in UK policing, supporting the 300,000+ members of the policing family across all 43 forces.
For more information about Team Police, Police Sport UK, or partnership opportunities, visit www.teampolice.uk
Gallery
