One of the greatest privileges of leading Cats Protection is seeing the remarkable contribution that volunteers make every single day. Across the UK, more than 10,000 volunteers give their time, skills, energy and compassion to support cats and the people who care for them. They foster cats, support our cat centres and branches, volunteer in…
It was a privilege to attend the opening of the new Oxford Hindu Temple and Community Centre in Marston, alongside the Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Marjorie Glasgow, and a number of fellow Deputy Lieutenants. The occasion marked the culmination of an extraordinary 18-year journey. More than 300 people gathered to celebrate the opening of a centre…
It was a great pleasure to represent the Lord-Lieutenant at this year’s Philippine Independence Day celebrations at the Kassam Stadium. From the moment I arrived, it was clear that this was far more than a national celebration. It was a joyful expression of community, culture and heritage, bringing together people of all ages to celebrate…
It was a genuine privilege to represent the Lord-Lieutenant in opening this year’s Thame Pride. Pride events have evolved over the years. They remain a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, but they are also a celebration of something much broader: communities where everyone is welcome, respected and able to be themselves. Standing before such a…
Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to ban social media platforms from offering services to under-16s is one of the boldest interventions in childhood and adolescence that we have seen from any UK government in recent years. On balance, I support it. That may surprise some people. I have spent much of my professional life championing young…
The Cambrian Learning Trust’s Platinum Primary Character and Citizenship Awards Presentation Evening11 June 2026The Beacon, Wantage This evening I had the immense pleasure of attending The Cambrian Learning Trust’s Platinum Primary Character and Citizenship Awards Presentation Evening at The Beacon in Wantage. I was there in my role as a Deputy Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, which…
Yesterday afternoon, the sun shone on the Terrace of the House of Commons, and it felt as though the whole place was full to bursting with people speaking up for cats. Cats Protection’s Parliamentary Reception was, quite simply, a joy. There was afternoon tea. There were games. There were cat-shaped biscuits. And there was one…
I was recently invited to give a keynote on the theme “Five lessons for tomorrow’s leaders, today” to a room of charity and civil society leaders drawn from around the world. It is the sort of title that sounds straightforward until you sit down to write it. Leadership is not exactly short of commentary. There…
I am not a member of any political party. That feels worth saying at the outset. For many years, I belonged to the party I had followed since I was a student. It helped shape my political instincts and gave expression to many of the values I still hold. But in time I resigned my…
There are some moments in public life that feel quietly significant, even if – to anyone passing by – they look faintly ridiculous. This morning was one of those. Easter Sunday, 9.30am, on the Marcham Road roundabout in Abingdon. The timing was meant to keep traffic to a minimum. In truth, it was still busy…
