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Thank you to Family Panel Chair, Alison Symmers JP

Thank you to Family Panel Chair, Alison Symmers JP, for inviting me to the Family Panel AGM this week. John Baker, Bench Chair also attended. It was certainly a thought provoking afternoon with two members from The Family Justice Young People’s Board talking about their experiences of being caught up in the proceedings between their parents. Magistrates are volunteers drawn from across our communities who sit in Adult, Family & Youth Courts.

I attended a moving ceremony to mark Stephen Lawre

I attended a moving ceremony to mark Stephen Lawrence Day on 22nd April at The Guildhall in Northampton. Hassan Shah DL, WNC Chairman Cllr John Shephard, WNC’s Diverse Forum Co-Chair Cllr James Hill, Local Policing Commander Superintendent Rachael Handford and Co-Chair for the Global Ethnic Majority Network, Marcella Daye all gave speeches and concluded by lighting of candles and a time of reflection. It was 31 years ago Stephen was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack. #stephenlawrenceday #liveyourbestlife

I had the pleasure of attending Kurshida Mirza’s

I had the pleasure of attending Kurshida Mirza’s Declaration at the Ecumenical Church of Christ The Cornerstone in Milton Keynes. Kurshida is the first Asian Muslim woman to take office as High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire. James Macnamara, High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, Kurshida and myself take a pose!

Each Friday in May, Northamptonshire Community Fou

Each Friday in May, Northamptonshire Community Foundation CEO Rachel McGrath and I will take on a 10km trek in a different part of the county.

Rachel and I are taking on this challenge to fundraise for the Northamptonshire High Sheriff's Initiative Fund, which awards grants through Northamptonshire Community Foundation to groups working to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, to especially support young people and help improve community safety.

The five 10km treks will cover Corby, Kettering, Northampton, Towcester and Wellingborough. Along each trek, local charities and community groups will join us to talk about their work to support young people in our county.

Help us raise awareness of local charities and community groups that represent the best of our county and raise funds for what are often life changing grant awards to support young people.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/nnhighsherifftreks

On 3rd April 2024, in the presence of HM Lord-Lieu

On 3rd April 2024, in the presence of HM Lord-Lieutenant, the Honourable Mr Justice Jeremy Baker and Her Honour Judge Lucking KC, I took my declaration to become High Sheriff of Northamptonshire.

A large parade of Northamptonshire District Sea Ca

A large parade of Northamptonshire District Sea Cadets and the 6F RAF Cadet Band marched through Northampton town centre on Sunday, 24th March at 11am to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the HMS Laforey warship.

The Laforey parade stepped off from the Guildhall, following two loops of a route along St Giles’ Street, down Hazelwood Road and up Derngate, back to St Giles’ Square.

HMS Laforey was adopted by the community of Northampton in 1941 during ‘Warship Week’, a Royal Navy fundraising initiative which saw towns and cities in Britain raise money towards building naval ships.

The town raised more than £750,000 to fund HMS Laforey and she was assigned to several operations in Mediterranean Sea, including escorting a relief convoy to Malta as part of Operation Halberd.
Local charities, churches and schools also provided the ship’s crew with gloves, socks and hats, while school children wrote them letters. When officers and men from the adopted ship visited the local community, a celebratory parade was organised in their honour.

Sadly, the ship sank on the 30th March 1944 after she was hit by torpedoes from a German U-boat, and only 65 of the 247 men on board survived.

The Springs Family Centre in Northampton was celeb

The Springs Family Centre in Northampton was celebrating its 15th anniversary, a journey from humble aspiration and hope to a thriving centre at the heart of its challenged community.

The event also recognised a milestone as the tireless Clive Ireson, whose founding vision has sustained the centre through so many years, outlined the succession planning that was in train to secure the future of the centre.

A project at the centre that uses music to divert at risk youth from knife crime had been commended in the National Crimebeat Awards run by the High Sheriffs Association and it was a please for the High Sheriff to present the award to project leader, Dimz.

Request information under Clare's Law: Make a Dome

Request information under Clare's Law: Make a Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) application

This scheme enables the police to release information about any previous history of violence or abuse a person might have.

Under Clare's Law you can:

- apply for information about your current or ex-partner because you're worried they may have a history of abuse and are a risk to you;
- request information about the current or ex-partner of a friend or relative because you're worried they might be at risk.

Please note: The Clare’s Law (DVDS) scheme does not replace: CRB (Criminal Record Bureau) Checks, DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks, subject access requests or FOI requests.

The High Sheriff had the opportunity to meet a staff member involved in the frontline of dealing with such requests, a highly responsible role balancing the overall safety objective against the privacy rights of a data subject. Fascinating and valuable work.

Get connected with what is happening in your local

Get connected with what is happening in your local area, stay up to date and get involved in shaping what goes on where you live or work.

Northamptonshire Talking (the new name for Northamptonshire Neighbourhood Alert) is an easy, free messaging service from Northamptonshire Police, Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and other partner organisations, providing news and updates on policing matters that are relevant to you.

Sign up to receive email updates about crime and suspicious activity where you live or work, crime prevention advice and updates from your local neighbourhood policing team. You'll also have the opportunity to reply directly to your neighbourhood officers and have your say on local policing priorities.

Paul Cunningham of HMP Five Wells kindly hosted a

Paul Cunningham of HMP Five Wells kindly hosted a group of faith leaders at the High Sheriff's request at HMP Five Wells.

The visit was acknowledged by all to have been hugely instructive in calibrating perceptions of the prison regime as prisoners are being prepared for release and reintegration back into society.

The prison chaplaincy was particularly excited at making so many faith contacts who might, from time to time, come and participate in faith events within the prison.

The Northampton Guardians operate the SnoVan. Th

The Northampton Guardians operate the SnoVan.

They have been in Northampton since December 2021 and over the ensuing period have dealt with over 1500 significant matters.

The High Sheriff witnessed a vulnerable person approach the van for assistance and within minutes the appropriate police response had been mobilised, while the individual was kept safe and reassured.

A high quality service, staffed by volunteers.

Door staff find it difficult to leave their post,

Door staff find it difficult to leave their post, even if they are concerned about a vulnerable client.

Now they can call the Northampton Guardians.

The Safer Nights Out Van: a help point for vulnera

The Safer Nights Out Van: a help point for vulnerable people, parked in the heart of Northampton's night-time economy every Friday and Saturday night.

The van was purchased by Northamptonshire Office of Police and Crime Commissioner together with all the provisions to produce the ‘end to ends’ service. Equipment includes:

- provisions to care for vulnerable people – including sick bowls, water, foil blankets, lolly pops and many other items
- an enhanced first aid and basic medical supplies – including trauma kits and defibrillators
- engagement products – information leaflets that are applicable to the NTE and safety, such as the new Flare app
- crime prevention products and promotional items – these are supplied to vulnerable people and revellers in a timely manner, such as anti-spiking bottle tops and bottles of water
- radios – volunteers are on the channel with a CCTV monitoring station
- a large exterior video screen – to play prevention messages and draw attention to visit the van
- the ability to charge all mobile phones on the SNO van – using a range of cables and power
lighting around the van – to stand out and draw attention to revellers
- a secondary van – to get vulnerable people home safely where all other options have been exhausted and demand will fall to the emergency services.
- the SNO van and minibus is maintained within the police fleet
training for all volunteers – including officer safety, basic first aid and mental health training
- a taxi account – where demand overspills, the taxi account outlet allows guardians to get vulnerable people home safely where there is no other option.

With sincere thanks to the Street Pastors for lett

With sincere thanks to the Street Pastors for letting the High Sheriff hobble along.

Our route from the SnoVan outside All Saints set off along Mercers Row becoming Abington Street and later Wellingborough Road as far as Collins Street.

We witnessed first hand the night time economy in full swing and noted how the town centre has changed over the years and the challenges have evolved.

Northampton Street Pastors was formed in October 2

Northampton Street Pastors was formed in October 2008 and comes under the umbrella of The Ascension Trust which has over 12,000 Street and Prayer Pastors impacting over 270 local town and cities across the UK, Northern Ireland and now overseas.

Northampton Street Pastors consists of volunteers drawn from 18 Christian churches of different denominations in Northampton.

There are thousands of people out partying in the “night-time economy” in Northampton on a Friday or Saturday night. The aim for the Street Pastors is to provide a listening ear and practical help to the socially marginalised, the needy and often those who have drunk too much!

Street Pastors are non-judgemental and will give time and help to anyone in need.

Street Pastors typically patrol the streets of Northampton most Saturday nights from 21.30 to 02.00 (since covid pandemic) and form what is known as “The Urban Trinity” working in partnership with the police and local council. In addition they work with a range of voluntary and statutory organisations in order to reach and help all those in need.

The High Sheriff spent Saturday night with the Str

The High Sheriff spent Saturday night with the Street Pastors and Northampton Guardians.

Bishop Remigius started work on Lincoln Cathedral

Bishop Remigius started work on Lincoln Cathedral in 1072 and 20 years later it was consecrated.

Today it hosted the Justice Service of the High Sheriff of Lincolnshire, Richard Lake OBE.

In early February, the High Sheriff was fortunate

In early February, the High Sheriff was fortunate to be interviewed by Adrian Pryce DL for his show Open4Business on NLive Radio.

You can listen to the interview here for a couple of months: https://player.autopod.xyz/521078

1:11:30 interview commences (HS joins @ 1:16:40)
1:47:10 interview concludes

Later, the interview will be available as a standalone podcast from NLive - Open4Business.

The High Sheriff offers his sincere congratulation

The High Sheriff offers his sincere congratulations to Amy Crawfurd JP on being "pricked" as the next High Sheriff.

"My husband, Edward, and I have lived in the beautiful county of Northamptonshire since 1992, when he was appointed as a consultant at Northampton General Hospital. I ran his private practice for nearly thirty years. Previously I worked in London in public relations, both on the investor and consumer side, with a company that took me all over the world.

Alongside my role at the medical practice and a busy family life with four children, I wanted to concentrate my efforts on giving back to the community. Over the years I have taken on a number of voluntary roles, including Foundation Governor at our local Church of England primary school, and churchwarden, member and Lay Chair of the PCC at our local church. In 2005 I was appointed as a magistrate in Towcester, but now sit in Northampton and Wellingborough courts. Recently I have become a Trustee of the Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust (NMPAT).

As a magistrate I sit in the Adult and Youth Courts as a presiding justice. I have further responsibilities as Deputy Chair of the Northamptonshire Bench and I am the lead link between the Bench and the local probation team. I have a particular interest in Youth justice and was Youth Panel Chair for three years. During my Chairmanship several local progressive initiatives relating to young offenders were launched which are now recognised nationally. Additionally, I am a member of the Magistrates’ Association, and am part of a team delivering a Magistrates in the Community programme, educating students about the justice system. The children cannot believe we don’t get paid as magistrates and are rather disappointed we don’t wear wigs in court!

During my year as High Sheriff I will be continuing my commitment to local justice, although I have to suspend my magisterial duties. Children today face many challenges: my mission is to support and help those who have no voice. Through this unique role, I want to highlight and congratulate the many outstanding charities and unsung individuals who make Northamptonshire such a brilliant place."

The selection of new High Sheriffs is made annuall

The selection of new High Sheriffs is made annually in March, when the traditional custom of the Sovereign ‘pricking’ the appointee’s name with a bodkin is perpetuated. Eligibility for nomination and appointment of High Sheriffs excludes Parliamentarians of both houses, full-time members of the Judiciary including Tribunal Judges, and Officers of the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Air Force on full pay. These provisions reflect the essential requirement that the Office of High Sheriff is a non-political appointment.

In March, one of those in nomination whose name was read out by the Lady (or Lord) Chief Justice in November of the previous year is chosen by the monarch to be High Sheriff for the year. This occurs at a ‘pricking’ ceremony (a hole being pierced by a bodkin through the name of the person concerned).

Following the ‘pricking’ of the High Sheriff in the Privy Council by the Sovereign a Warrant of Appointment is sent by the Clerk of the Privy Council in the following terms:

'WHEREAS HIS MAJESTY was this day pleased, by and with the advice of HIS PRIVY COUNCIL, to nominate you for, and appoint you to be HIGH SHERIFF of the COUNTY OF... during HIS MAJESTY'S PLEASURE: These are therefore to require you to take the Custody and Charge of the said COUNTY, and duly to perform the duties of HIGH SHERIFF thereof during HIS MAJESTY'S PLEASURE, whereof you are duly to answer according to law.'

The High Sheriff takes up appointment, usually in April each year with the making of a sworn declaration in terms set out by the Sheriffs Act 1887 before a High Court Judge or Justice of the Peace. The appointment is for one year only except in the event of something untoward happening to a High Sheriff’s expected successor, when a High Sheriff must remain in Office until the appointment of a successor is completed.

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