Companies, can you do your bit for safer roads?

Companies are being urged to show their support for road safety by sponsoring a senior police officer who is embarking on an 200k run to raise money for road crash victims and their families.

Det Chief Supt Andy Cox, who is raising money for RoadPeace, will complete the ambitious challenge during Global Road Safety Week, which runs from May 17-23, 2021.

He is keen to hear from companies that would like to sponsor this worthwhile cause or would like to take part in all or part of the nine-day event.

The event will provide marketing and PR opportunities for companies that get behind the challenge.

Poignantly, he will start running at the location of the first ever UK fatal road collision, near Crystal Palace, in London, and end at the National Memorial Arboretum, in Staffordshire, which provides a symbolic and comforting place for bereaved families.

Det Chief Supt Cox, who is the national lead for fatal collision investigation, reporting to the National Police Chiefs’ Council, became well-known in 2020 when he led a social media campaign to reduce speeding.

During the first UK lockdown, he became an unofficial national spokesperson for road safety, which saw his Twitter followers increase by 10,000 in just a few months.

Det Chief Supt Cox, who is Head of Crime at Lincolnshire Police, has been interviewed on a number of occasions by Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2, LBC Radio’s James O’Brien and by Vanessa Feltz on BBC Radio London.

Most recently, the senior police officer also appeared live on the BBC Crimewatch television programme, where he spoke about his upcoming challenge.

The route he will take:

May 15 – Crystal Palace to Brent Cross, London – 24km

May 16 – Brent Cross to St Albans, Herts – 24km

May 17 – St Albans to Dunstable, Beds – 20km

May 18 – Dunstable to Bletchley, Berks – 22km

May 19 – Bletchley to Towcester, Northants – 23km

May 20 – Towcester to Kilsby, Northants – 27km

May 21 – Kilsby to Wibtoft, Warks – 20km

May 22 – Wibtoft to Sibson, Leics – 21km

May 23 – Sibson to National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffs – 26km

He has already raised almost £7,000 of his £25,000 target, but he is asking for companies to help him to increase this amount.

He said: “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.

“They also play a key role in advocating for road safety change and in doing so seeking improvements across the system, to help prevent future collisions and to improve the experience and processes for those who sadly have been affected.

“Following the pandemic and the cancellation of many fundraising events, RoadPeace needs our support more than ever right now.”

Companies that would like to sponsor the event can contact info@roadpeace.org as soon as possible to secure a sponsorship package.

Donations can be made to Det Chief Supt Cox’s sponsorship page here.

Updated on: 29 April 2021