Last night I had the great pleasure of attending the Mayor of Witney’s Annual Civic Reception and Citizen Awards, hosted by the Mayor of Witney, Councillor Andy Bailey. It was a warm and uplifting evening – a reminder that so much of what makes our towns and communities thrive comes from the quiet dedication of…
This evening Mark and I had the pleasure of attending a truly special event – the first ever Ramadan Community Iftar held at Blenheim Palace. Organised by the Dialogue Society Oxford in partnership with The Oxford Foundation, and in collaboration with the Thames Valley Civic, Community and Faith Leaders Group, the evening brought together a…
Mark and I spent a fascinating morning with Alasdair, a Police Constable with the Rural Crime Taskforce of Thames Valley Police, gaining a real insight into the challenges and realities of policing our rural communities. We began with a visit to W C Green & Son, a long-established farming business in the village of Combe,…
There are moments in a year as High Sheriff when a number of threads suddenly come together. Today felt very much like one of those moments. For the past twelve months my shrieval theme has been Hearing the Young Unheard. Not because young people lack a voice. Quite the opposite. Spend any time in schools,…
On Monday evening we gathered in the Council Chamber at County Hall for the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire’s Prison Service Awards. The setting carried a particular resonance. Before it became the Council Chamber, the room served as the County Court. Justice has quite literally been dispensed within those walls. It felt fitting to stand there…
This afternoon I had the real pleasure of serving as guest of honour at the passing out ceremony for the latest cohort of Special Constables in Thames Valley Police. Seven young volunteers sat together on one side of the room. Smart, composed, perhaps just a little nervous. Opposite them sat their families, friends and supporters,…
Some evenings leave you feeling quietly grateful. Tonight was one of them. Mark and I had the real privilege of being invited to Iftar by Onder and Esra. To be welcomed into someone’s home at such a significant moment during Ramadan is no small thing. It felt generous, open and deeply kind. I have always…
This morning could not have been more beautiful. Clear blue sky. Proper February sunshine. The sort that makes you forget how saturated the winter has been. The ground, however, had not forgotten. Within minutes of arriving at Hill End, it was clear my shoes were not going to survive the experience. The paths were gloriously…
On Monday evening I spent time with the Badgers and Cadets of St John Ambulance in Kidlington – and came away, once again, quietly encouraged. The Badgers were smartly in uniform and hard at work on a session about recycling. Not glamorous. Not headline-grabbing. But thoughtful, practical and rooted in responsibility. They were exploring how…
This afternoon, Mark and I had the real pleasure of joining around a thousand people at Oxford Town Hall for the 2026 Lunar New Year Celebration, organised by Oxfordshire Chinese Community & Advice Centre. Lunar New Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar. It is about family, tradition, food, colour, music and…