Officers to take part in charity triathlon

Alicia and Andy Smith

A group of officers from the Greater Manchester Police will be taking to the water, bikes and pathways in a mini-triathlon for charity.

Husband and wife duo police constables Alicia and Andy Smith will be heading up the group of five on 26 June for the event to raise money for still-birth and neo-natal death charity, Sands.

Alicia Smith, a detective at the public protection unit for Rochdale Division is taking part in the event following the death of her twins Maily and Aston who were born 23 weekspremature last June.

She said: “Within an hour of the twins being born they died.
“It was surreal because it was both the happiest and saddest time for me.
“The support from Sands since that time has been amazing and I don’t know what we would have done without them being there to listen to us.”

“This mini-triathlon is a chance for us to help other families who have suffered a similar tragedy and to ensure that they too can receive such amazing support.”

Joining the two are PCs Alison Molyneaux, Ian Bell and Chris O’Brien who are based at Rochdale Division and David Grimshaw who works at Tameside Division.

They will complete the mini triathlon which is made of a half-mile swim, 12 mile cycle and 3.1 mile run.

They hope that as well as increasing Sands’ profile they can raise money for them.

PC Smith said: “We frequently attend meetings for the Oldham branch of the charity and they are currently looking for funding to build a unit within the new maternity complex at The Royal Oldham Hospital for parents whose babies sadly die.

“The unit will give parents the opportunity to spend time with their babies, away from expectant and new parents and babies without feeling further sense of loss of emptiness.”

Sands was established in 1981 by bereaved parents to support those affected by the death of a baby.

They are working to improve the quality of care and services offered to bereaved families and promote research and changes in practice to reduce the loss of a baby’s life.

To sponsor the group visit: www.justgiving.com/oldhamsandstriathlon.