Suffolk woman who volunteers with police wins national award for service

Robbie is a Clydesdale Cob cross and stands at 17.2 hands (1.78m) tall

Luke Deal/BBC Sarah Hills with horse Robbie — Robbie is a Clydesdale Cob cross and stands at 17.2 hands (1.78m) tall

A police volunteer and her horse have won a second national award for their service.

Sarah Hills, 43, has been a mounted volunteer in Suffolk Constabulary's Eyes and Ears scheme for nearly nine years.

Together with her horse, Robbie, they were awarded the Unsung Hero of the Year 2023 from Horse & Hound.

Ms Hills, of Shadingfield, said: "For Robbie to get that recognition, it meant everything to me personally."

This is the second time Sarah Hills has collect an Unsung Hero Award

Suffolk Constabulary Sarah Hills — This is the second time Sarah Hills has collect an Unsung Hero Award

Two years ago, the pair received a similar Unsung Hero Award by the British Horse Society, while Robbie was nominated as the Equine Personality of the Year.

The Eyes and Ears scheme aims to encourage rural communities to report criminal activity in their neighbourhoods.

"Being on horseback, we can see things that others can't," she said. "When you're out in the car driving along, you've got bush rows and hedgerows that are in the way. We can see over those quite clearly," Ms Hills explains.

"We're not there to fight the crime - we're there to provide information which helps with crime cases."

Over the years, Ms Hills and Robbie have been vital in helping the local community, from finding lost dogs and missing persons, to supporting police helicopters by providing ground assistance.

Tim Passmore congratulated all of the mounted volunteers on their work in the community

Luke Deal/BBC Tim Passmore, Sarah Hills and Marina Ericson — Tim Passmore congratulated all of the mounted volunteers on their work in the community

There were only a handful of people enrolled on the scheme when the pair began volunteering in 2015.

"Robbie and I have been actively out in the community promoting the rural crime police support volunteer scheme," she said. "Today we have about 22 or 23 [people], so we've done a great job to get others encouraged."

Ms Hills is confident that Robbie, a 19-year-old Clydesdale Cob cross, has another three to fours years left of riding.

Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore said: "I would like to offer my congratulations to Sarah and Robbie for winning another national award.

"Sarah is a great ambassador for the volunteer on horseback scheme and she and Robbie are very much a partnership."