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A Morning on the Bench
Earlier this week, I was fortunate to spend the morning at the Oxford Combined Court Centre, sitting alongside a visiting High Court Judge. As High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, I hold a traditional role in supporting the judiciary—but this visit offered something much more immediate: the chance to observe the justice system in action from a…
Celebrating Witney’s Community Champions
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…
Honouring Dedication Behind the Walls: The Oxfordshire Prison Service Awards 2025
On 3rd March 2025, County Hall in Oxford opened its doors for a very special event: the Oxfordshire Prison Service Awards. The evening brought together people from every corner of the prison system—officers, chaplains, educators, volunteers, support staff and more—all united by a shared commitment to rehabilitation, dignity, and hope. With recipients from both of…
A Journey into the Unknown
Last night, I had the unexpected but deeply humbling honour of opening the World Yoga Festival in Henley-on-Thames. If I’m honest, I arrived knowing very little about yoga – certainly nothing beyond the general sense that it involves quite a bit of stretching and a great many calm people with far better posture than me….
Uniform, Mufti, and a Quiet Sense of Service
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…
9 tips for a successful Jamboree
This summer, 45,000 Scouts from more than 100 countries will converge on West Virginia, USA for the World Scout Jamboree. I was recently asked to provide some suggestions for some UK Scouts for making the most from the experience. (I’ve had the privilege of attending a few Jamborees over the years.) Here’s my starter for…
