Month: June 2024

Diane McCarthy has been awarded an MBE in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours list for her commitment to improving inclusion and diversity within the force.

All of us at the BTP History Group would like to send our congratulations.

Diane joined BTP 30 years ago in the Force Control Room. From there, she branched out into BTP’s Learning and Development team and now sits within Inclusion and Diversity as a Training Delivery Lead.

Her citation reads: “Diane is a true ambassador to BTP, thanks to her exceptional dedication, outstanding service, and commitment to supporting others.”

It adds: “Diane’s efforts extend beyond her role, as she engages with colleagues to ensure that her work is tailored to meet the diverse needs of the police officers and staff. She has made a significant impact by assessing their needs, customising the course content, offering varied formats, gathering feedback, and carefully adapting to ensure inclusivity.”

On receiving her commendation, Diane said: “When I first found out I thought it was a joke at first. I spent ages trying to work out who in my circle was smart enough and had enough time on their hands to plan such an elaborate hoax. When I realised it was real, I then cried!

“I feel very flattered that somebody went to the effort of recommending me. I would like to acknowledge that nobody can receive this kind of recognition without the support and contribution of friends and colleagues, so this is a tribute to all that work in policing. My husband is now asking if he can put ‘married to an MBE recipient’ on the side of his work van!”

Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi said: “Diane has done some remarkable work during her time in BTP, particularly since joining the Inclusion and Diversity team. She is a true professional and she has continued to strive to make the force a better place both for officers and staff, as well as the communities we serve.

“She is an exceptional member of BTP, and her dedication is inspirational to those who get to work alongside her. On behalf of everyone in the force I would like to congratulate her.”

The Honours, Decorations and Medals table has been updated.

Source: BTP

by Tony Thompson (Chair)

Former Detective Superintendent Graham Satchwell has authored a new book ‘The Great Train Robbery and The South Coast Raiders’.

Graham writes:

“The Great Train Robbery was immediately the subject of world attention in late 1963. Being the biggest and most audacious robbery ever committed, it quickly led to popular myths that have become embedded in our national psyche. ‘Robin Hood’ characters? The truth is quite different.

The plot. One year before the Great Train Robbery, Alfredo and Shirley live in poverty. Unemployed and threatened by a loan shark, and against Shirley’s wishes, Alfredo turns to crime. But he quickly finds himself on a very slippery slope towards murder and The Great Train Robbery.’’

Already reviewed by leading journalists, including Duncan Campbell (The Guardian) and Stuart Tendler (former chief crime correspondent with The Times), Graham’s book tells for the first time, the important backstory to the Great Train Robbery. This is realistic storytelling, some of it is ‘adult’ reading, and not for the faint hearted, but with the help of Train Robber Tom Wisbey, Graham seems to have captured well the culture and demeanour of the robbers.

Graham wrote to me: “No work of non-fiction can explore character and culture like fiction, and in writing this I had a great deal of help from one of the train robbers, Tom Wisbey. I honestly believe that no other work of fiction (book or broadcast) better captures who the robbers really were.”

“I must also thank some old colleagues for helping me improve the many drafts – Andy Bicknell, Peter Holden, Wayne Clayton-Robb and Gerry Stuart. As I typed that last full-stop, I was aware that I have likely failed to mention the help of at least one other, so please forgive me.”

The Great Train Robbery and The South Coast Raiders is now available on Amazon, in hardback, paperback and Kindle editions, and on order from bookshops.

 

Notes:
This article first appeared in Retired Lines, the NARBTPO newsletter.
Other (non-fiction) books by Graham Satchwell can be found on our virtual BookShelf.