Police praise 'lovely' gesture of students in tribute to Sunderland PCSO who lost his life to Covid

Sunderland students have made their own memorial to a community beat officer after he died due to Covid-19.

By Fiona Thompson

Published 7th Nov 2020, 15:58 BST- 2 min read

Northumbria Police’s Community Support Officer Graham Wesley Dinning, who was known to his colleagues and friends as Wez, tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, October 14, and had been self-isolating at home.

His condition worsened and he died on Wednesday, October 28, aged 48.

PCSO Dinning’s work in the community touched many and this weekend, students at the Foundation of Light have presented his teammates with a planter made in his honour.

The display is decorated with a sign saying ‘Shine bright.’

The Sunderland officers tweeted to say: “Students from the Foundation of Light kindly delivered this plant to Southwick Police Station in memory of our PCSO Wez who sadly passed away recently from Covid.

"A lovely thought and really appreciated by us all.”

The officer left wife Laura, who also works for the force, and their son Adam, as well as his dad Chris and sister Carol.

PCSO Graham Wesley Dinning, who was known as Wez, died last month after becoming ill with coronavirus, with the planter presented to his teammates from the Foundation of Light's students inset.

PCSO Graham Wesley Dinning, who was known as Wez, died last month after becoming ill with coronavirus, with the planter presented to his teammates from the Foundation of Light's students inset.

Scores of people paid tribute to him after news of his tragic loss spread, with Laura speaking of his passion and pride for his job.

She said: “Wez was a caring and loving husband and father – and an incredible friend who will be greatly missed by so many.

“I would ask everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him, that they remember him with humour because I know that’s what he would want.”

The officer began his work with Northumbria in 1992 when he began as a general office assistant based at its station in Farringdon.

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He worked in a number of roles within Business Support across Southern Area Command including that station as well as at Washington and Sunderland.

He went on to secure a role as a PCSO, working in Central Area Command between September 2017 and April 2019, before making the move back to Southern Area Command.

He was most recently involved in a project working with partner organisations in Southwick.

As he paid his own tribute to the PCSO, Chief Constable Winton Keenen said: “Graham was a dedicated and well-respected member of Northumbria Police.

"He was a real character and was an extremely popular and likeable colleague who was committed to making a real difference to the communities he served.”

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