I am Anna and I have worked for West Yorkshire Police at Calderdale since 2006. I was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in March 2018 and my current role is the NPT Valley Sgt for Team 1 in the Calder Valley and Engagement Lead for the district. Prior to my current role I worked at Halifax for twelve years. I have two children; a daughter aged 11 and a son aged 7. I’m a single parent working full time and understand the complexities facing officers and staff, especially when it comes to juggling home life with working shifts, returning to work, and developing your career. As a female in my mid-forties, I am working with other colleagues to increase awareness of the issues associated with the menopause and support for staff in our workplace.
I feel I can offer positive guidance to others based on real life experiences and significant challenges that I have faced both personally and professionally. I have acquired knowledge and developed coping strategies particular in relation to issues to do with maternity; flexible working; managing a family and family break up and subsequent anxiety and stress management. I have always been in uniform front line departments and as a result attended a variety of traumatic incidents. I maintained public order training for fourteen years and I have worked all over the force and country as a result. I have also been a victim of a serious assault and a sexual offence at work. As a result of my experiences and time serving with West Yorkshire Police. I really hope to be able to help make a difference to others and the retention of staff.
As part of building my resilience I attended the wellbeing course at the PTC in Harrogate in October 2018 and can truly say (no cliché intended) it was a life changing experience. At that point in my life, I was going through an exceptionally difficult divorce, trying to manage working full time as a newly promoted Sergeant and learning how to be a single parent to both a 2 and 6 year old child. Whilst attending the PTC I learnt techniques for coping strategies, sleep therapy, relaxation techniques, self-care work, alongside counselling and wellbeing support. This really helped kick start my physical and mental recovery and I still refer to these techniques now even six years on.
In May 2023 I sustained a sports related knee injury. After months of physio, reviews, and rehab related therapy I attended the physio course at Harrogate PTC in March 2024 to aid my recovery. I was quite sceptical of what the course would achieve as I had not noticed any real significant improvements in my condition and believed I was now approaching the point where I would need knee surgery to resolve the pain and lack of flexion. During the two weeks of the physio course, I met with my physio Nev every day and followed advice regarding lower limb rehab, Pilates, stretching and yoga. Over the period that I was at Harrogate the flexion in my right knee returned to normal and the stability in the knee is much improved due to the focused work. I no longer believe I need knee surgery and since returning to work I have now felt ready to complete my officer safety training again – something which I have had to be restricted from for 6 months. Similarly, to the wellbeing course the physio course at this point in my life has really supported my recovery from a lengthy injury.
I would recommend both courses as an option to staff to seriously consider as part of a recovery programme for an array of physiological/physical issues. My positive experience has led me to sign up to be an Ambassador within my force so that I can be in a position to help refer staff to the Centres as part of my peer/welfare support.
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