PC’s self-defence classes for charity
Published: April 18, 2006
A NORMANTON police officer has helped raise more than £1,000 for a cancer charity by training teachers in self-defence and raffling off signed rugby balls.
PC Sean O’Connor, community beat manager for Normanton’s neighbourhood policing team, raised the cash for Macmillan Nnurses after they helped look after his father.
PC O’Connor, who can regularly be seen pounding the streets of the town, gave lessons to local teachers in self-defence, with his fee going to the charity.
He also contacted Super League sides Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Castleford Tigers and Featherstone Rovers, with players signing rugby balls to be raffled off.
PC O’Connor said: “I went down to the rugby league teams and they were very generous in giving us the signed balls free of charge. A chap called Dave Bowden, who works in promotions for Castleford Tigers, also kindly donated the glass cases to put them in.
“With the raffle tickets I went door-to-door around Normanton on my days off to sell them and was very successful, thanks to local residents. I also held self-defence classes at Freeston college for teachers in school and community officers, getting £130 from that.”
PC O’Connor also thanked the Chamber of Trade in Normanton for donating £100 to the final sum he raised, which was £1,280.
He handed this to Macmillan nurse Janet Millard, who works for Eastern Wakefield Primary Care Trust (PCT), last Thursday, watched by town mayor, Coun Ray Best.
Coun Best said: “It’s absolutely splendid. I just wish more community constables in the Wakefield area would take a leaf out of his book. It is great what he has done for Macmillan nurses.”
PC O’Connor said: “It was all done basically as a thank you to the service that had looked after my father. But as a community constable I recognise I have a part to play in doing something for the community.
“That is why I will continue to hold further self-defence classes, this time open to the public, with donations for the charity. And I will continue to find unique things to raffle off to raise money for the cause.”
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