The High Sheriff's Diary - January 2026
Remembrance Services
The lead up to Remembrance Day was quite a week for me as there are as many invitations that I turn down as I attend. The Thursday night saw the Lord Lieutenant at the Winding Wheel in Chesterfield for their Festival of Remembrance. Organised by veteran Joe Roberts the night saw performances from a Dame Vera Lynn lookalike, the Long Eaton Band and several locals as well as the traditional drumhead when the drums from the band are lain as if to form a makeshift altar. With Three Chelsea Pensioners braving the train system we were treated to their presence and memories. Quite a night!!
From there I moved onto three services on the Sunday itself starting at the Derby Memorial in the Market Square organised by Derby City Council. Accompanied by Fiona who braved the windy weather alongside three thousand others we laid our wreaths in deep respect as we admired the march past of the many organisations from the Scouts to the Sea Cadets that attended. Then a trip north to Chesterfield’s amazing ceremony at the Cenotaph outside the Town Hall having held the service itself in the Crooked Spire. An impromptu late lunch took place with the Lord Lieutenant and the Mayor and Mayoress in their ‘Parlor’ at the Town hall before we ended our day at Christ Church, Stonegravels where we remembered the Old Contemptibles’ and heard stories of their feats in the Great War. A day of 85 miles, 10,000 people, 3 beautifully respected 2 minutes silences and a host of memories.
Finally on Armistice Day itself a short service was held at the County Offices in Matlock organised by the Derbyshire County Council augmented by the Lord Lieutenant’s Sea Cadets from Long Eaton. Stirring stuff.
Awards Galore
I have written before about the number of awards I have presented and witnessed but November was a mega-month for honouring people and their efforts to society. First another three sessions of happy graduates at The Derby Arena with their degrees from the University who all, despite the rain. Enjoyed their day in front of family and friends. Then to the East Midlands Ambulance Services long-service and achievement awards at the Whitworth in Darley Dale where we heard first hand of the deeds of both employed and volunteer staff. Onto the Cricket Ground next for the Outstanding Achievement Awards in the Derbyshire Constabulary with tales of saving lives and catching drug-gangs as over 250 gathered to applaud their colleagues and family members in the force!
Fiona and I then travelled to the ladies’ prison Foston Hall at the south of the County and a full tour of the facilities from the Assistant Governor before the staff meeting and an update on the current sate of the judicial system before I happily presented the long service awards…to members of the prison staff. It had been a fascinating morning especially as I wore my Court Dress about the estate (minus my sword of course). And finally, to Derby Museum at the end of the month and the inaugural ‘Derby Impact’ Awards when recipients had shown overwhelming commitment to the citizens of the city through their outstanding charities, I was pleased to present their Social Entrepreneur award to Michael Gladwell of Upbeat Communities and the New Start Social Venture to The Manasi Foundation and Sonam Sandhu. A great evening so do look up the DerbyImpactAwards website so your venture can take part next year.
Christmas Lights & Carol Concerts
A cold Saturday afternoon in November saw my first of what was to be many Christmas engagements with the switching on of the Lights in the Market Place in our great town of Ashbourne. Organised by the Mayor Caroline Cooper and the Town Council I was delighted to join the official opening of the festivities by Lachlan Fleming. Counting down from ten I was amazed to be on stage with also several Storm Troopers, Where’s Wally and Mr. and Mrs Christmas!! Over five hundred filled the square and partied on into the night. This was a sharp contrast to my Carol Concert which was at the Bakewell Agricultural Business Centre where the main ring was packed to see Agricultural Chaplain Rev Alan Grigg’s final service in his farming friendly role. Well done Alan and we look forward to your ministry at St Barnabas in Markeaton and your final three months as my High Sheriff Chaplain. More festive reporting will follow in the next issue.