Rising Sutton ice hockey star lands second dream job as apprentice police officer

Hannah Ware, who is tipped for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, has already made her first arrests after joining Nottinghamshire Police last year.

The 20-year-old has embarked on a three-year Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship – a new programme delivered in partnership with the University of Derby that involves lectures, workshops and on-the-job training.

Hannah manages to fit her ice hockey training and gym sessions around her apprenticeship and will be given time off to play in Team GB’s qualifying rounds for next year’s Winter Olympics, if selected by coaches.

Hannah admitted she was pursuing two dream jobs and that she could relate the buzz she feels on the ice-rink to catching criminals.

“My first arrest was for possession of a firearm,” she said.

“The adrenaline I felt was the same as stepping out on to the rink in front of the world. I can certainly relate the two feelings together.

“Balancing sport with my degree apprenticeship is a challenge but Nottinghamshire Police has been brilliant. They’ve been flexible with my shifts and so I’ve managed to get down to training and the gym.

“Life is busy but I’m absolutely loving it.”

The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship enables individuals to gain a degree alongside their employment as a police officer.

Hannah applied for the programme after speaking to serving officers at an open evening.

She said: “I went to a police careers open evening in Nottingham and spoke to some officers about their experiences. They were saying how they’d been in various units such as CID, response, firearms, police dogs and neighbourhoods. That really drew me to policing. It’s so varied and interesting.

“I also want to help people and make a difference in the community. I decided to apply and I think my experiences in sport was a factor in why I was successful. I’ve captained my teams a fair bit so I know about leadership and teamwork."

Hannah came through the Sutton Sting Ice Hockey Academy and now plays for Nottingham Vipers and Solihull Vixens.

She has represented her country at various levels and was part of the Great Britain team that won bronze at the U18 Women’s World Championships in 2019.

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