Events

On Friday afternoon I attended @hisheriffbucks Justice Service, held at St Mary`s Church Amersham. It was a lovely event, with The Address read by the UK Chief @scouts @dwaynefields Nice to see fellow Thames Valley friend @highsheriffoxfordshire and get to know @highsheriffofleicestershire.
Well done Pippa! …

Earlier this afternoon I visited Dingley`s Promise at their Wokingham centre.
The charity supports children aged 0-5 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families.
Kate Martin (Head of Fundraising) and Jenny Heath (Wokingham Centre Manager) were my hosts.
Dingley`s Promise has now expanded outside Berkshire and currently has 10 sites.
Well done for the great work they carry out supporting around 1,000 children and their parents.
Finally, thank for the teddy (third picture)!😊 …

Last Wednesday I was honoured to be amongst the VIP guests at the Beating Retreat ceremony for the US state visit. I was pleased to be sat next to the Chief of the Air Staff, who explained the coordination effort required for the Red Arrows to perform with such precision at the event.
Unfortunately there were no photos during the ceremony, so the grainy first is a press one and the other two are from during set-up, one with the Governor of Windsor Castle and the next with the Lord Lieutenant, the Mayor and the Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police. …

Last Friday I enjoyed a visit to Watlington House, Reading`s oldest occupied building. The original section dates back to 1688 and today is managed by Watlington House Trust.
Canon Brian Shenton was my host and I met members of The Mills Archive, Berkshire Youth and WhitArts Community Group charities, who all have offices there. …

I was pleased to be invited to @claspwokingham`s art exhibition, marking 20 years since the group’s foundation. The exhibition showcased some of its members impressive artwork.

CLASP is a self-advocacy group for people with learning disabilities in the Wokingham Borough. It is a user-led organisation run by its members. CLASP employs people with learning disabilities and offers voluntary opportunities.

Congratulations on a lovely event and thank you in particular to Debs Morrison, Myles Harrison, Dean Corcoran, and Nikk Brown for giving your time to talk to me about the organisation and the exhibition. …

This week I visited the Thames Valley charity Hope After Harm with The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire. We were kindly hosted by CEO Thalia Jervis and Kat McLean, Service Manager for Victim Services.

Kat and I also met a number of their colleagues. We covered a range of subjects, learning about Hope After Harm’s work with @thamesvalleypolice helping victims of crimes such as sexual violence and abuse through to their programmes aimed at abuse prevention.

Thank you again for the important work you are carrying out in the community. …

Yesterday, I was a guest at The Lord Lieutenant for the Royal County of Berkshire’s ‘Unsung Heroes of Berkshire’ Garden Party, held at The Great House, Coppa Club in Sonning on Thames.

This was ‘to celebrate those in the County, who quietly go about making their local communities a better place to live and work.’

The event started with a presentation of six British Empire Medals on behalf of HM The King and then proceeded to afternoon tea. The reliable British summer weather was planned for as you can see from the pictures above!

It was a lovely event and let’s hope this becomes an annual fixture. …

Last weekend, I attended the regional final of the Mock Trials Competition at Reading Crown Court. This event gives secondary school students the opportunity to step into the shoes of legal professionals, presenting specially written cases against their peers in real courtrooms across the UK.

As Patron of the Berkshire Mock Trials, I am proud to support this fantastic initiative. It takes a huge amount of organisation to bring this event to life – especially this year, with last-minute changes to the team.

Congratulations to the winners, The Emmbrook School, pictured above!

My sincere thanks to Her Honour Judge Heather Norton for allowing the use of the courts, and to Julia Hardy, Sarah Mitchell, Simon Mitchinson, and all the other JPs who kindly volunteered their valuable time to assist. …

Last week I was delighted to be the King’s representative at a Citizenship Ceremony in West Berkshire. Held at Shaw House, the ceremony was the final step in the citizenship process, where new citizens pledge allegiance to the United Kingdom and make a formal declaration to uphold its laws and values.

It was lovely to welcome people originally from countries such as India, Nigeria, Portugal, and South Africa who have made Berkshire their home

Special thanks to Linzi Donelly-Liddiard, Superintendent Registrar and Chairman of West Berkshire Council, Billy Drummond for hosting. …

I was honoured to attend the Newbury Mayor Making Ceremony at the Corn Exchange, where Cllr Andy Moore OBE formally handed over the reins to Cllr David Harman.

It was a wonderful and impressive occasion, steeped in #tradition, and both the outgoing and incoming mayors spoke with pride and passion as they took their place in line of Newbury Mayors dating back to 1596.

Thank for you for the kind invitation, and congratulations to all involved in a memorable and well-organised event.
#civictradition #newburytowncouncil …

Last week, I had the honour of attending events across Berkshire to mark the 80th Anniversary of VE Day.

The week started for me with a sunny Sunday picnic on Cookham Moor, where the community came together to celebrate and remember. The organising committee had researched all those in the area who lost their lives and honoured them with beautiful plaques – some of which can be seen when scrolling through the photos above. Thank you to Mark Huddlestone, Kate Winrow Davies, and Adam Garrett for hosting local MP @joshua.reynolds.mp and me.

On 8th May, the commemorations concluded with a poignant evening in Bracknell town centre. The ceremony blended a celebration of the end of the war in Europe with reflections and remembrance for those who had lost their lives or were injured during the years or conflict. One particularly moving speech included the reading of a letter sent to the parents of a young solider who fell in the final days of battle. Richard Anderson DL represented the Berkshire Lieutenancy, who, as a former soldier, was perfect for the occasion. He was joined by a large cross-section of the community, including Borough Mayors Jenny Penfold (hosting from Bracknell) and Adrian Mather (visiting from Wokingham), as well as Bracknell MP Peter Swallow.

#VEDay80 #lestweforget #communitytribute #ww11remembered …

A key part of the High Sheriff’s role is supporting law and order across the county. To gain a better understanding of how @thamesvalleypolice (TVP) operates, I joined my fellow High Sheriffs from Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire for a familiarisation day at TVP’s impressive Kidlington facility.

It was a full-on event, covering areas such as the structure of TVP, accountability, communications structures, crime investigation (forensics, digital crime, cold cases), traffic policing and firearms units. Each team we heard from showed exceptional dedication, expertise, and was fascinating to listen to.

It was a highly impressive and informative briefing. Thank you to everyone who gave their time, and special thanks to Chief Constable Jason Hogg, Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber, and Nigel Welshman (Executive Support, Chief Constable’s Office). …

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of attending an awards evening for Bracknell & Wokingham Cadets at the Police Training Centre, Sulhamstead House. Having lived in both boroughs, the event held special significance for me.

I was particularly pleased for my High Sheriff Cadet, Brooke Mason, who received two awards, including Best Overall Cadet. Well done Brooke!

A big thank you to Stephen Major and Paul Bentley for organising the event, and to the borough mayors Jenny Penfold (Bracknell) and Adrian Mather (Wokingham) for supporting. …