Climbing the Wainwright Peaks to Honour the Fallen

Light the Lakes is an annual event that started in 2012 to raise awareness of police officers being killed and to support the families of fallen officers. The event involves climbing the 214 Wainwright Peaks in the Lake District and lighting a blue flare at the top of each peak to remember the officers and staff who have died.

We speak to the Lead Organiser of the event Detective Inspector Vinny Wagjiani about how the event has grown over the years and now includes participants from the policing family, scout groups, cadet groups, and the general public. The event also raises money for the charity Care of Police Survivors (COPS). Corporate sponsors and individual donations are welcomed to support the event.

Takeaways

• Light the Lakes is an annual event that raises awareness of police officers being killed and supports the families of fallen officers.
• Participants climb the 214 Wainwright Peaks in the Lake District and light a blue flare at the top of each peak to remember the fallen officers and staff.
• The event has grown to include participants from the policing family, scout groups, cadet groups, and the general public.
• Money raised from the event goes to the charity Care of Police Survivors (COPS) to support families and friends who have lost loved ones through policing.

Sound Bites

• “Light a blue flare to remember officers and staff now that have died”
• “Collaborated with a charity called Freedom Wizard, which was able to take wheelchair users up a certain selection of Wainwright Peaks”
• “When you add that with a brass band the goosebumps certainly tend to sort of surface”

Chapters

00:00 The Origins of Light the Lakes
03:41 Climbing Wainwright Peaks and Remembrance
08:22 Community Involvement and Growth
13:19 Fundraising and Corporate Sponsorship

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