Our Blog

The variety of engagements that I attend in my role as High Sheriff of the County is fascinating. One morning I can be in a Ukrainian refugee centre enjoying a delicious lunch as Fiona and I listen to the harrowing stories of people who have had to leave their homeland ;the next I am opening the Little Eaton carnival having to judge the array of tractor and Land Rover driven floats that make up this  jolly afternoon. Both were well worthwhile yet the breadth of the role is humbling.

The Cathedral plays  a huge role in the year of the High Sheriff. As 2025 commemorates 80 years since D-Day I attended a poignant service there in May  but  our amazing cathedral hosts so much more- A Carers’ Service ( celebrating the unpaid and paid carers in the community), The University Service ( celebrating the close connection between town and gown) and of course the High Sheriff’s Legal Service that takes place on the second Sunday in October. At present my sister Selina is assisting me with the guestlist and the format of the day which is preceded by lunch for the Judges at the Museum of Making. We hope to make it a memorable occasion.

Another frequently visited venue in the City is the University. I was privileged to attend their Civic Awards ceremony in June and then the plethora of Graduation Days at Derby Arena over three hot days in July. Over three thousand students graduated in one of the most polished and exquisitely organised ceremonies I have ever taken part in.  Alongside the Chancellor Lord Burlington and Vice-Chancellor Kath Mitchell  the Lord Lieutenant and the Mayor of Derby we process into the Arena to the adoring clapping of students and their families. After the awards are given out we process out to Take That’s ‘The Greatest Day of our Lives’ and then running the gauntlet of the photographic red carpet between the Arena and Pride Park. It was a triumph!

I am using all the social media avenues that I can in order to publicise the role and work of the High Sheriff. I am on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn and they all  have their own particular foibles and followers. A photograph with animals is always popular and gains lots of ‘likes’ but the greatest reach that I achieved in the first four months was a post about The Greatest Gathering when the Litchurch Lane site of Alstom in Derby hosted a weekend to mark 200 years of the train. Over 150 locomotives were assembled at the Derby works for enthusiasts to view ( and at times travel on) the trains . After the opening Reception on the Thursday night I posted on Instagram  at 10pm  and it had reached over 300 people by the following morning on  account of the great attractions of the railway. After 4 days it had garnered over 500 hits , over 4 times my usual reach. I was fortunate to attend on the preview evening before the weekend hosted 12000 visitors per day but also hosted Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine and Radio Derby’s Ian Skye . Great for the train business but greater for the workforce of Derby.

Not all my engagements are within the confines of our county and one hat balmy July night I took the train from Chesterfield to Sheffield for the Forfeit Feast at The Cutlers’ Hall. The Feast aims to emphasise the critical role of manufacturing and engineering in the region. It serves as a platform to showcase the vast potential and opportunities for development within South Yorkshire’s manufacturing industries with the event being attended by the Company of Cutlers Freemen & Friends, along with their guests, who represent a diverse array of businesses and organisations. The gathering not only celebrates the heritage and achievements of the local industry but also encourages networking and collaboration among key stakeholders in our neighbouring County.  Asked as  a guest of Chesterfield’s Martin Thacker , we walked in our formal dress from the station to the Cutlers’ Hall and I was only  verbally accosted once on that trip as locals eyed up my attire. The encounter was friendly and illuminating and the dinner was jolly. Luckily I had left my Shrieval sword at home!

And finally…I have to report the  end of an era in Ashbourne as Lloyds Bank closed its doors in early July for the last time. Having been built as a magnificent town house the bank took over the premises on Compton  150 years ago and has been serving customers in the town ever since. I have been associated  with the bank since I moved up from London in 1989 and it was  a sad day when I deposited my final takings from Herbert’s Tearooms. With most transactions now taking place by card the days of the bank were numbered. Our family had made great friends within the bank over the years and it was  with a heavy heart that I said goodbye to Hazel, Carol , Vicky  and Carmel. As a thank you I took in a cake that I had specially prepared for the team…times move one but thank you to the Lloyds Bank Ashbourne Team for your diligence and hard work over the past 30 years.