John May talks to Sophie Law on BBC Radio Oxfordshire about becoming the High Sheriff
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Ten-Pin Lessons from the High Sheriff’s Cadets
Last night saw me at a bowling alley in Oxford with the High Sheriff’s Cadets, confidently stepping up to the lane and being comprehensively outplayed at ten-pin bowling. It turns out confidence is no substitute for skill. Youthful reflexes, teamwork and a healthy lack of overthinking are, it seems, a formidable combination. My own technique,…
Christmas Day, Shared
This afternoon, Mark and I spent Christmas Day in Oxford with care leavers, and with the volunteers who made today’s Christmas Dinner for them happen. It was generous, warm and quietly extraordinary – one of those afternoons that settles you, lifts you, and reminds you what Christmas can look like when people decide to show…
Lessons from Australia
Yesterday, when my cousin, Professor Rory Medcalf, delivered the 2025 Sir James Plimsoll Lecture in Hobart, Tasmania, he discussed a compelling idea that has immediately resonated with me: progressive patriotism. Rory—who heads the Australian National University’s National Security College—spoke not just with academic insight, but with a real sense of civic purpose. His reflections, though…
The Quiet Confidence of Good Scouting: Reflections from Poacher International Jamboree
There is something rather reassuring about arriving at a large Scout camp. Before you have spoken to anyone, before you have seen the programme or unfolded a map, you know roughly what you will find. Leaders wrestling with logistics. Young people laughing, building, exploring and making new friends. Somewhere, someone looking for a missing mallet….
Bicester in Mourning: A Visit to Garth Park
Earlier today, I visited Garth Park and the offices of Bicester Town Council to sign the three books of condolence opened following the devastating fire at Bicester Motion. I was joined by Miranda Markham DL, representing the Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, and the Revd Peter Wright from St Edburg’s Church, who offered words of quiet reflection…
Powered by Volunteers
This evening I was the guest of the Mayor of at a reception to thank the voluntary organisations of the town. It was one of those quietly uplifting evenings that reset one’s understanding of what really keeps a community functioning. Throughout this year as High Sheriff, I have been repeatedly surprised by organisations I had…
