A mounted police support volunteer and #Hack1000Miles challenger was presented with an Unsung Hero Award at the recent BHS Awards.
Sarah Hills, 41, has volunteered as a police support volunteer on horseback with Suffolk Constabulary for six years, a role she carries out aboard her Clydesdale/cob Robbie.
Sarah received the Unsung Hero Award for her volunteering and charity work, while Robbie was awarded the Equine Personality of the Year title.
Sarah and Robbie on duty. Credit: Suffolk Constabulary
“He’s my partner in crime, as I like to call him,” says Sarah of the gelding she has owned for 14 years.
“We were one of the first [mounted police volunteers] and Robbie was used because of his look and feel — being like a police horse — for all their publications in the rural crime sector. We’ve been on the radio and the BBC — we’re quite famous!”
Sarah signed up for the role after hearing about the scheme at Suffolk County Show, and they underwent months of training before qualifying.
“We had to go through six or seven training modules, so it became a personal challenge to myself because I had to train as any special police officer would, and then pass all the modules including DBS checks,” explains Sarah.
“It was six months before we were fully fledged and actually able to go out on the beat, as we call it — or ‘clip clopping around the countryside’ as I say.”
Sarah estimates that she and Robbie have covered more than 5,000 miles while on duty.
A long work week
As well as volunteering, Sarah also juggles a demanding job as global director for Power Sonic, an energy storage company that supplies medical facilities and hospitals with batteries for equipment such as ventilators.
“I work 60 to 70 hours a week, and am supposed to travel around the world with my job,” explains Sarah.
“When travel came back in [after closing down due to Covid-19 restrictions], it went absolutely bonkers.”
Sarah and Robbie have also completed #Hack1000Miles, with Sarah confessing that the last six months or so have been the hardest due to work commitments.
Nevertheless, they completed in 18 months and have already started again.
“We’ve done 5,000 miles,” says Sarah, “and I’m hoping to get to the 6,000-mile marker within 12 months this time, by pushing myself a bit harder.”
Main image: Sarah was presented with her award by BHS president Martin Clunes. Credit: BHS
