Force hosts charity football match to honour former Chief Constable

5 May 2022

Officers from West Midlands Police have played colleagues from Leicestershire in a charity football match held in memory of the county’s former Chief Constable Simon Cole.

The inaugural Simon Cole QPM Memorial Cup, which raised money for the Care Of Police Survivors (COPS) charity, of which Simon was a trustee, was held at the Tally Ho sports ground in Pershore Road, Edgbaston, in front of friends, family and former colleagues.

The event was organised by DC Dan Hitchmough, a member of the Guardian Task Force tackling knife crime and player-coach of the West Midlands Police football team.

DC Hitchmough said organising the match in honour of such a well-liked man had been “a privilege”.

“I didn’t have the opportunity to actually meet Simon as he’d moved on from West Midlands Police by the time I joined,” he said. “But I was aware of him, mostly through his work with Police Sport UK.

“I know he was a big rugby and Leicester Tigers fan and I’d often see him pictured on the website presenting some trophy.

“When I heard he’d died I was shocked and extremely saddened. I knew he was a very popular figure but didn't realise how much until I started organising the football match, alongside PC Jay Thomas of Leicestershire Police - everyone has been coming up to me telling me what a great bloke he was, or what a great boss and colleague he was.

“When word got out I was organising a football match I was struggling at first to find enough players. But as soon as they realised who it was for people have been knocking down my door trying to get involved.

“I now realise just how much Simon meant to so many people. And that was from those who knew him quite a few years ago. It just goes to show you the measure of the man. The impression he made.”

West Midlands Police Brass Band performed at the match and the Force also provided the Honour Guard.

Sergeant Ben Westwood, head of West Midlands Police Honour Guard, said: “It was truly fitting for us to be able to honour Chief Constable Cole’s service and pay our respects to his family, who were in attendance.

“One of our aims as the Honour Guard is to visibly show family and colleagues what impact their loved ones had on our Force and that they will forever be a part of our police family.”

More than 100 people turned up to watch the game, including Simon’s wife and children, with his son Ben joining in the match which Leicestershire won 6-0.

Simon began his career with West Midlands Police as a graduate recruit 33 years ago and rose through the ranks to become an inspector.

He then left to join Hampshire Constabulary before returning to his native Leicestershire where he became the UK’s youngest ever chief constable. He was the country’s longest serving chief when he stepped down earlier this year.

His body was discovered at his home in Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire, just 12 days after retiring from the position he held for 12 years. He was 55.

The Simon Cole QPM Memorial Cup will become an annual event with next year’s game taking place in Leicester.