Blue Light Whistle Blowers was established to support those who work and/or live with Blue Light employees to report misconduct and to deal with it quickly before any further harm can happen.
So often in life, we are witness to something that seems ‘off ‘. It doesn’t just happen once or twice and our human hardwiring, which is there to keep us safe, is triggered.
It can feel hard to know what to do in those times, and it is often a lonely place to be.
We understand that many people are reluctant to speak up because of the fear of retribution by the perpetrator, a lack of understanding about some of the procedures such as Police Professional Standards, or the fact that they don’t think they will be believed.
We will listen to you
The charity provides a listening ear and will document those instances for you.
Investigation all detail is considered and the charity adhere to this while providing helpful non-judgemental safe space to express whatever has been witnessed or experienced. And when the time is right, action will be taken with the relevant Blue Light Organisation whether a constabulary, ambulance Trust or Fire Service.
Our aim is to stop people like David Carrick a Metropolitan Police armed officer who used his role to put fear into his victims and commit sexual offences against 12 women over 20 years, many of these victims were too afraid to say anything.
Sadly, all three blue light services have let victims down, especially women. In 2022 Assistant Chief Fire Officer Byron Standen, a senior officer at Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service retired on full pension, weeks after being found to have sexually harassed various female staff. An investigation by ITV News into South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, raised similar concerns about the sexual harassment and abuse of women.
Figures show that dozens of ambulance workers have faced action over sexual assault in the past few years, while paramedics account for one in three cases of tribunal action against care professionals. But one survivors group warned the figures were just the “tip of the iceberg”. It comes after a spate of cases in which abusers have used positions of power in the emergency services to carry out attacks. (Source: The Independent February 13 2023)
Matters are compounded by those who are partners of blue light workers. They are intimately connected to those they are reporting. These blue light workers will often tell those they are abusing that their word will always be believed over those of the victim. Understandably women in this position will also be fearful of the response they will receive from other blue light workers possibly based within the same organisation as their partner.
Blue Light Whistle Blowers supports victims and helps them prepare for speaking out. We recognise that whilst some victims will be happy to report wrongdoing, others will need emotional support and could be very fragile. We will never force victims to speak out until they are ready but we will keep a record with the victims’ consent to help preserve a journal. We will also work with other partners like sexual assault centres which will capture and preserve evidence until the victim is ready to bring charges.
About Our Trustees
Chair – Philip Allott
Philip is a legal consultant and data protection specialist who is also a company director of a legal compliance company and other national and international companies. In 2015 he stood for Parliament in Halifax and got within 428 votes of winning the seat. A former council group leader, town mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner, he is also the author of two books, ‘Business to Business Marketing’ and ‘The Donkeyman.’
Scrutiny – Katherine Cox
Katherine Cox has over 35 years of employment within the education sector, Kathy is an experienced education manager and classroom practitioner. She has expertise within the field of special education and disability and is passionate about supporting the most vulnerable children and young adults in society. Kathy hopes her involvement with the Blue Light Whistle Blower’s charity will enable the voices of those affected by bullying and victimisation to be heard.
IT support – Guy Phoenix
Guy is the Owner and Group Managing Director of the Fresh Mango Technologies Group of Information Technology companies, with offices in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and Yorkshire (Leeds, Ripon and Gargrave). He is also the owner of a digital marketing agency in the British Virgin Islands and was a key advisor to several BVI companies in the aftermath of the catastrophic Hurricane Irma in 2017. In recent years an additional focus for Guy and his IT businesses has been cyber security.
Communications – Adele Winkley
Adele is a business consultant and intuitive Reiki Master. Adele has two decades of corporate and small business experience and offers business alignment consultancy on positioning through purpose and values, & copywriting. She is a fully trained CNHC registered Global Reiki Master-Teacher enabling her to deliver in-depth personal development, and is an independent Reiki & Guidance therapist at Neal’s Yard. Passionate about applying well-being to move through and beyond life’s challenges, Adele works on clearing and balancing; her approach centres on teaching to develop a greater understanding and expression of nature, situation and power.
Volunteer engagement specialist – Jasbir Singh
As a volunteer engagement specialist, Jasbir has helped organisations to find innovative ways of recruiting and engaging with volunteers. With over two decades worth of experience working with volunteers and voluntary organisations, including volunteering at national and local level for numerous charities. He has also been a member of various panels and advisory groups for charities and other organisations, advising them on how to get the most out of their volunteers and ensure that strong governance is in place to improve the institutional performance of the organisation.
Parliament – Bob Blackman MP (Supporter not a Trustee)
Bob is the Member of Parliament for Harrow East. A former leader of the Conservative group on Brent council, he previously served as a Member of the London Assembly (MLA) for Brent and Harrow between 2004 and 2008. He has a record for standing up for the less fortunate, and successfully put through the House of Commons a private members’ bill to tackle homelessness in partnership with national homelessness charity, Crisis. After receiving all-party support, it became law in 2017. Bob is chairman of the 1922 Committee.