Andy Cox receives UKROED award at end of epic run
We send our congratulations to Det Ch Supt Andy Cox, who completed a 200km (124-mile) run from London to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to raise money for a road safety charity.
UKROEd’s Head of Stakeholder Engagement and Communications Jon Robertson was at the Arboretum to present Andy with the award for outstanding leadership in road safety during the COVID-19 pandemic (see below picture). This was one of seven awards announced during a virtual event at the end of April.
Det Ch Supt Cox, who is head of crime at Lincolnshire Police, was joined along his nine-day journey, by local runners and relatives of the victims of road crashes.
He started on 15 May at the site of the first ever fatal road collision in the UK, near Crystal Palace.Journey’s end was at the Arboretum’s RoadPeace Wood, which has been planted in memory of those who have been killed in road crashes.
Det Ch Supt Cox said he was keen to raise money for the charity, especially after the pandemic led to fundraising events being cancelled.
“RoadPeace does an amazing job to support seriously injured people and bereaved families, helping them come to terms with their loss and supporting them through such a terrible experience,” he said.
Nick Simmons, chief executive of the charity, said he was “immensely grateful” to Andy for his efforts, and highlighted the need to reduce the number of deaths from road crashes.
“Road deaths have stayed at the same level since 2010, at around 1,800 people killed in Britain every year – which equates to five people killed every day.
“The devastation caused by these crashes is preventable, and we are grateful that DCS Andy Cox is using his voice to call out society’s tolerance to road danger.”
