SUMMER 2021 Socially distanced but still invoved ALSO INSIDE: National Crimebeat Awards 2021, The Last Assize Volume 40 Issue 1 Summer 2021 The High Sheriffs’ Association of England and Wales President Mrs E J Hunter Officers and Council November 2020 to November 2021 OFFICERS 8 10 Chairman The Hon H J H Tollemache Email [email protected] Honorary Secretary J H A Williams MBE Gatefield, Green Tye, Much Hadham Hertfordshire SG10 6JJ 18 33 Tel 01279 842225 Email [email protected] Honorary Treasurer Mrs C S Le May Upham House Church Street Upham Southampton Hampshire SO32 1JH Tel 01489 860332 Email [email protected] COUNCIL Mrs S M Beazley T H Birch Reynardson Esq D C F Jones Esq DL J A T Lee Esq OBE DL Mrs V A Lloyd DL Mrs A J Parker JP DL Dr R Shah MBE JP DL Lt Col A S Tuggey CBE DL W A A Wells Esq TD (Hon Editor of The High Sheriff ) S J Young Esq MC JP DL The High Sheriff is published twice a year by Hall-McCartney Ltd for the High Sheriffs’ Association of England and Wales Hon Editor Andrew Wells Email [email protected] ISSN 1477-8548 ©2020 The High Sheriffs’ Association of England and Wales The Association is not as a body responsible for the opinions expressed in The High Sheriff unless it is stated that an article or a letter officially represents the Council’s views. Front cover: High Sheriff of The Editor welcomes articles and 4 From the Editor 10 News – from and Cornwall, Kate Holborow, news stories from High Sheriffs concerning their year in office. about members presents an Unsung Hero The next edition of The High Sheriff Award to Michael Bunney on will be published in December 2021. High Sheriffs Closing date for receipt of editorial items Diary 38 Gorran Haven beach will be Friday 24 September 2021. 5 of England and Wales Photo credit: Paul Williams Items for inclusion should be sent to: 2020-21; new members; The High Sheriff Heritage House, PO Box 21, deaths; nominations Baldock, Herts SG7 5SH Please note that not all images are Email [email protected] National Crimebeat 6 socially distanced as some were Advertisement enquiries 40 Association regalia Non-member enquiries taken pre-COVID. Michael Kuo, Address as above and publications Tel 01462 896688 High Sheriff West Midlands, served Fax 01462 896677 Email [email protected] 8 The Last Assize 42 Helpful Topics two terms 2019-21. Printed by Stephens & George Print Group Design atg Media www.atg-media.com www.highsheriffs.com for answers to your questions Summer 2021 | High Sheriff 3 Welcome changing shrieval scene and exposing At the other end of the spectrum, the darker corners of their counties, all more awards have been made to young salutary viewing on YouTube. people, with special Young Citizen of The Chief Constable of the Year Awards being made to children Leicestershire’s encouragement to ‘take as young as four. The pandemic has BEFORE part of your life into the lives of those highlighted the digital poverty of CHRISTMAS you meet’ (Burghley, 2019) fell on many children home-schooling in I hoped there receptive years, but not as anticipated. difficult circumstances, adding to was light at High Sheriffs’ awards ceremonies have the adverse childhood experiences, the end of the been superseded by presentations ACEs, from which many suffer with tunnel but this made virtually or one-to-one, reaching a consequential risk of future social continues to more people than usual and in a very problems. High Sheriffs have found be elusive. Last personal way. Most articles refer to mentors and raised funds for hundreds year’s High the large number of awards made, of digital devices to help children Sheriffs faced the unknown. While in one county over 2,750 volunteers to catch up with their education. this year’s will experience many similar receiving commemorative badges. Despite the pandemic the constraints they can be grateful to It is not just the volunteers whom Association’s charity National their predecessors for putting in place High Sheriffs have thanked. Central Crimebeat goes from strength to procedures to make the High Sheriff’s to the shrieval role of representing strength, reflecting the resilience of role workable and meaningful. I the interests of The Sovereign relating youth groups it supports. Powerful have been so struck by the shrieval to the judiciary and law and order, initiatives by young people to improve optimism which permeates the articles contributors have noted how lonely the lives of their peers have gained in this issue – another bumper crop a judge’s job can be. In the absence awards and I urge readers to report for which your Council is grateful. of the usual social and ceremonial deserving cases to their High Sheriffs Although last year’s High Sheriffs’ welcome to visiting judges, one took for consideration from 18 October. activities have generally been virtual, them on walking tours away from the To finish on a lighter note, readers they have taken any opportunity law courts. Lockdown in prisons has will share my sorrow over the demise to reach key people and volunteers taken on a new meaning, with cells of the Apostrophe Protection Society in their counties who are keeping occupied for 23 hours a day, week after although its rules will continue to be the wheels moving. Comments that week. This has not gone unnoticed, upheld in this magazine. shrieval years have been awful or a with High Sheriff’s Awards being made disappointment are demolished by to those locked up in recognition of the High Sheriff who said to me ‘I selfless acts, as well as to prison staff. can’t tell you how un-disappointed These increase self-respect and can I was’. Several contributors have help in finding accommodation and commissioned films highlighting the employment on release. Andrew Wells, Hon Editor, Kent 2005-06 Burghley all kindly gave their talks to can give. Following suggestions, the those in nomination for 2021. website now contains a calendar to Following a request by a High enable High Sheriffs to plan ahead with Sheriff on behalf of a small charity notice of events of national importance which had received a High Sheriff’s and a paper advising High Sheriffs how Award, Council have gladly agreed effective continuity can be achieved Before anything that recipients of awards should be with their successors. else, I would like allowed to use on their literature Each year I repeat that the work of to congratulate the Badge of the Association with High Sheriffs does not finish when they the 2019-20 the year of the award. This will help hand over to their successors. They High Sheriffs to spread the word about awards have gained a very special knowledge of for doing such a and give the person or organisation their counties and I hope will continue wonderful job in recognition for their work. to use that knowledge to strengthen a very difficult A positive consequence of the their community. year. Many of pandemic was that I was able to speak the projects that I have heard about are to all but seven of the High Sheriffs in enterprising, effective and inspiring; the months before they retired this year some of these you will read about in (apologies to the seven!). As a result, this magazine. The ‘Burghley’ seminar I gained a clear insight into the work was held virtually in January when that they have been doing and how to Hugh Tollemache, the speakers who had been booked for develop the help that the Association Chairman; Gloucestershire 2013-14 4 High Sheriff | Summer 2021 Events Listings Diary of Forthcoming Events JULY 2021 Seminar for High Sheriffs in nomination for the years 2022 and 2023 Friday 2 July The 2021 Seminar for High Sheriffs in nomination will be held at Burghley House, Stamford, Lincolnshire, on that date. Details of the programme and speakers together with an application form will have been sent in mid-May 2021 to all High Sheriffs in nomination for 2022 and 2023. OCTOBER 2021 The Red Mass Friday 1 October Arrangements are being made for the annual National Crimebeat The Nomination of future Red Mass, which should take place at Monday 18 October High Sheriffs 9.30am at Westminster Cathedral, London This is the opening date for submissions Friday 12 November 2021 SW1P 1 LQW to celebrate the start of the for the 2022 awards. See page 7 for probably at 2.00 pm legal year. The arrangements are subject to more details. The Ceremony of the Nomination of any official restrictions and social distancing High Sheriffs will take place on that which may be in force at the time and NOVEMBER 2021 date in Court 4 (the Lord Chief Justice’s to the permission of the Cathedral. 50th Annual General Court) at the Royal Courts of Justice, Those High Sheriffs and High Sheriffs in Meeting and Luncheon Strand, London WC2A 2LL. At this nomination who wish to process will be Thursday 4 November ceremony the names of those nominated invited to coffee beforehand from 8.30am. (provisional) for the Office of High Sheriff for the There will be a ticket-only reception in the For the Association’s 50th anniversary years 2022, 2023 and 2024 will be read Throne Room after the Mass. To obtain we have reserved our AGM luncheon at out in court. As usual we hope to arrange tickets, contact Stephen Hart: Goldsmiths’ Hall in London. We are very a tea party afterwards at a nearby venue.