Page 8 - WMPF Federation Oct-Nov 2018-flip_Neat
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Peggy becomes





       national equality lead








               est Midlands Police Federation
               representative Peggy Lamont is
       Wlooking forward to helping the
       Police Federation of England and Wales
       become more diverse and representative.
          Peggy had only been a member of the
       Federation’s new National Board for a few days
       when she landed the role of equality lead but
       is unfazed by the role she is taking on.
          “I decided to stand to become a member
       of the National Board as I have always
       wanted to be able to contribute to the
       political conversation around the future of
       policing. I was ready for a new challenge,”
       says Peggy, who has been a local Federation
       rep for around 10 years.
          “I am hoping I can use the negotiating
       and advocacy skills I have learned so well
       within West Midlands Police Federation at a
       national level. I am looking forward to
       working with my regional colleagues from
       Staffordshire, West Mercia and Warwickshire
       as well as maintaining my relationships and
       friendships in the West Midlands.
          “I put myself forward for the equality
       lead position as I have had a thorough
       grounding in this area over my time within
       the West Midlands branch. I feel I have a
       good practical grasp of the issues and will be
       able to support colleagues across the
       country as they help their colleagues.
          “I will help the Federation fulfil its
       ambition to become a more diverse
       organisation and will contribute to tackling
       national equality issues.”
          Peggy joined the Force in 2001 – it was
       just at the time of a large recruitment drive
       and at a peak time for encouraging more   Peggy Lamont, the new national Federation equality lead.
       women to join the police service.
          She started her career at Chelmsley   She explained: “I had always been interested      “I was a bit of a mouse when I became a
       Wood on the old response team before   in being a Federation rep but decided to put   Fed rep! It seems impossible now, but I had
       moving to the rural section on a     myself forward after being told that as a   a really difficult start to my policing career
       neighbourhood team and then, after the   part-time officer I wouldn’t be able to build   and, combined with my disability, I was
       birth of her children, moved into the Contact   up a sufficient portfolio for promotion. I have   finding it very hard. Gathering the courage
       Centre.                              been qualified since 2003. I saw it as both a   to advocate effectively for my colleagues
          A few years later, Peggy decided to act   chance to get involved in wider policing   was probably the hardest part of becoming
       on her ambition to become a workplace   decisions being made and to help my   a functional Fed rep, but so worth it.
       representative for the Federation.   colleagues and I was right.             “I can honestly say West Midlands Police
                                                                                 Federation has helped me re-build my
                   I will help the Federation fulfil its ambition                confidence in myself and given me amazing
                                                                                 support to fulfil my potential which I didn’t
                   to become a more diverse organisation and                     feel was going to happen in Force. I am so
                                                                                 grateful to the Federation as a whole for all
                   will contribute to tackling national equality                 the training opportunities and for being my
                                                                                 ‘policing family’. I have made some life-long
    “ issues.                                                                    friends and done things I never would have
                                                                                 imagined.”
                                                                                    Peggy was the first female secretary of

       08    federation October/November 2018                                     www.polfed.org/westmids
                                         “
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