Fundraiser for Cleveland Police officers reaches £250,000
More than £250,000 has been raised in the space of a few hours for the families of Cleveland Police officers PC Matt Blades and PC Tom Clough, who were killed on duty on Saturday morning.
Cleveland Police Federation launched a GoFundMe page after the shocking and tragic sudden death of their colleagues – and the public have been inundating the page with their support.
Money from the fundraising page – which was only launched at 5 pm on Sunday – will be split between the officers’ families in the coming weeks as they seek to navigate their devastating loss.
The page can be accessed here https://www.gofundme.com/f/pc-matthew-blades-and-pc-thomas-clough
“We are simply staggered by the public’s reaction to this fundraising request – and would like to thank each and every person who has kindly donated. It means so much,” said Lauren Somerville, Chair of Cleveland Police Federation.
“We are a small force, and the death of our colleagues has been felt deeply… we are completely numb. Matt and Tom were not just colleagues… they were friends, teammates and valued members of the policing family.
“If some good can come of this… and the officer’s families can see such a phenomenal show of support from the public and police family towards them – and their future lives can be made just that little bit easier – then that is a small something that will keep us all going in the toughest of times.”
PC Clough, 38, and PC Blades, 37, died when a Volkswagen Passat collided with their marked armed response car on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Lauren added: “The tragic loss of Matt and Tom has had a profound impact on colleagues across the force and the wider policing family.
“They were both dedicated and committed Police Officers who left their families and went to work to serve their community and protect the public.
“But they did not return home to their families. They leave behind heartbroken loved ones who will struggle to come to terms with the loss. We will be here to support them as long as they need.” Matt was married with two sons. Tom leaves behind a partner.
In addition to supporting the officers’ families, the Federation is offering support to colleagues across the force.
Lauren added: “The coming days and weeks will be unimaginably hard and incredibly emotional for those who knew Matt and Tom and also for the wider police service.
“As the immediate shock begins to settle, we know that many colleagues will continue to need support – and we are committed to ensuring that help remains available for as long as it is needed.”