Each High Sheriff of the 55 Counties of England and Wales is appointed by HM the King and holds office for one year. The office is the oldest secular office save for the monarchy, dating back to Alfred the Great in the Saxon era, when the ‘Shire Reeve’ collected taxes and maintained law and order for the King. It is an unpaid independent appointment that involves supporting the judiciary, police, emergency services and civic authorities, as well as charities and voluntary organisations.
The High Sheriff Youth Awards (HSYA) charity supports groups and charities that seek to reduce crime, vandalism and anti-social behaviour amongst young persons. This is akin to the responsibility of High Sheriffs in the past to preserve the peace. By applying for an award to make your community in Surrey safer, you are continuing a tradition of more than a thousand years.
Who is the
High Sheriff?
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The current High Sheriff is Joosje Hamilton DL – a solicitor and Governor at the Reigate Grammar School group of schools. Joosje’s focus as High Sheriff will be to shine a light on the innovative work being done in Surrey to break the cycle of domestic abuse. Sadly, the general perception that domestic abuse is rare in Surrey is not true – a third of homes in the County are affected by domestic abuse and an increasing number of domestic abuse incidents involve people younger than 16. Joosje would like to use her Shrieval Year to help develop a cohesive and robust County-wide approach seeking to ensure that children and young people know what makes a safe and healthy relationship and that perpetrators of domestic abuse are held to account.
More information about the High Sheriff, and related activities, can be found on the official High Sheriff of Surrey Website – www.highsheriffofsurrey.com