►
|
Home (main)
Clwyd
Home
County News
Voluntary
Sector Support
High Sheriffs Awards
County History
Links
|
Clwyd
County News
2010/2011
My year has celebrated the Volunteers. They are wonderful people who give and who encourage fellow citizens, young and old. I have held receptions in three counties for representatives of the Voluntary Councils. At each, the Lord Lieutenant joined me in praising their contributions.
In November, following visits by Her Majesty and HRH Duke of York, HRH The Princess Royal attended a Charity Lunch at Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse. In October, the Queen of Lesotho visited a High School and Wrexham Guildhall. This charming monarch had a large retinue.
Citizenship Ceremonies in the four county areas of the preserved County of Clwyd were a priority. There were many and every one was interesting and educative and always alongside civic leaders. I attended many civic services for County, Town and Community Councils, frequently with the privilege of reading the Lesson.
The armed forces cadet groups have been inspiring. The Training Ship Tuscan piped me aboard. On Armed Forces Day I met the 200 ATC Cadets of the North Wales Wing. It was encouraging to see novice cadets of the Royal Welsh under instruction. Adult leadership is superb in all of this sphere.
I have described the Shrievalty to schools, Scout and Guide groups, Boys' Brigade and also to Women's Institutes and Rotary. Additionally my visits have included the North Wales Police, Fire and Rescue and Ambulance Services at Wrexham, St Asaph and Llanfairfechan.
My engagements have included visiting factories both large and small. Both the Denbigh and Caerwys Agricultural Shows turned up trumps for good weather and there was calm for the Flint Lifeboat visit. At the Clwyd Crimebeat Awards there was a ceremony and reception for 120. Flintshire gave me the honour of presenting the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards. These entrants were so very proud to be there with their volunteer teaching leaders. My High Sheriff Award Certificates included Alzheimers support, playgroups, Guiders, Rotary, Hospital League of Friends, Neighbourhood Watch and charity fundraising volunteers. The small ceremonies were charming.
Presenting a High Sheriff’s Award for outstanding service to the community to Mrs Ruth and Mr Thomas Allen Jones of Llanfynydd Village Post Office. The family have given sixty years’ service in the small village at seven hundred feet on the hillside.
I had the great honour of laying the first wreath at the Remembrance Service in Buckley, Flintshire. The Freedom Ceremony for the Royal Welsh at Llandudno was magnificent – even in heavy rain. As Sheriff, I presented the Criminal Justice Awards at Venue Cymru. I have visited prisons and I cannot forget my visit to HM Prison Styal for women. I have visited projects funded by our local Crimebeat. Our charity is working well in Clwyd.
It was a delightful duty to dine, and to be dined by, our visiting and thoughtful High Court Judges (including the senior presiding Judge of England and Wales).
During my Shrieval Year the engagement diary totalled 231. It has been an unforgettable experience amidst so many remarkable Volunteers. A fine example of the Big Society indeed.
 My Declaration was held in the Theology Room of the Gladstone St. Deiniol’s Library, Hawarden. This unique establishment was endowed by the great Prime Minister, WE Gladstone. Uniformed trumpeters sounded off from the book-lined gallery. The reception was in the welcoming warmth of the common room as snow and hail hit the mullioned windows.
The year began immediately with the visit of HRH The Duke of York to our Steelworks.
Very soon after HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh visited the graceful resort of Llandudno. On the seafront, on a warm sunny April day, hundreds of school children waved their flags and cheered. Inside, the many voluntary workers talked at length to their sovereign.
 A High Sheriff no longer collects debts and no longer attends executions but is still required to declare parliamentary elections. This I duly did in Wrexham at 2am on election night.
For ‘Crimebeat’ I organised two public concerts. In a packed Village Institute the Hawarden Singers pleased with their repertoire and soloists. In a steel town chapel, the Llwynegrin Singers successfully performed alongside local school children.
It was heartening to see 134 Brownies with their twenty leaders packed into the youth club precincts. They were fascinated by the North Wales Constabulary horses. The Brownies enjoyed their spell behind bars in the Neighbourhood Watch Police van. There was great fun with jelly and juice – a crowded, jolly evening celebrating devoted voluntary leadership.
For Armed Forces Day at Wrexham, l had the honour of meeting two hundred ATC cadets with the North Wales Wing Commander John Goggin. At the collegiate church in Ruthin, I was a guest of the Town Mayor at a service recollecting the cessation of war in the Far East. Here the Royal British Legion was to the fore. The Training Ship ‘Tuscan’ piped their High Sheriff aboard at their River Dee HQ. Chief Petty Officer Cheryl Archer had assembled a large ship’s company. The Cadet Movement is a godsend to young women and men.
At the grass roots there are tough cases. l have visited Clwyd Mental Health Groups and a Drugs and Alcohol Centre. The dedication of patient volunteers and professionals is hugely impressive. All of this is unseen. This wonderful work helps to hold our pressured communities together.
A most cheering event was my initiative of a ‘Songs of Praise’ in a typical, large and packed, Welsh Chapel. Our own Superintendent Minister presided, assisted by my Chaplain, Archdeacon Pritchard. Civic leaders for miles around were present as were voluntary organisation leaders. We raised the roof. ln this, two Crown Court judges excelled themselves.
St. George’s Day found me taking the salute with Flintshire Scouts.
At St. Asaph Cathedral, we celebrated a thirty years anniversary for the North Wales League of Friends. Clwyd’s Lord Lieutenant was present. Bishop Gregory Cameron made an address and Dean Potter officiated. Certificates were presented to long service volunteers
Bodelwyddan Castle is the Welsh outstation of the National Portrait Gallery. Here, in the sculpture room, complete with grand piano, I held a crowded reception for the Denbighshire County and Conwy County Borough Voluntary Councils. The Lord Lieutenant gave a brief address. It was my honour to praise and thank the dedicated guests present.
 Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice, opened our refurbished Flintshire Law Courts. In the formal proceedings he won us all over by telling a packed Court of his connections with the Llyn Peninsula. Lord Judge was kindly in his conversations. He displays much humanity and no little humour. I was fortunate to be alongside him on a red letter day for the Court Service.
My Garden Party was in the beautiful gardens of Deeside College’s Northop Campus, whose students displayed great composure catering for over 200 civic and voluntary organisations’ guests. Royal Buckley Town Band played winningly.
I addressed a three hundred strong gathering in the Keep of Edward I’s Rhuddlan Castle, on a glorious day with panoramic views. The community had gathered to deplore knife crime. Six members of the divisional constabulary were present. This was a sad but impressive moment in an historic location. Rhuddlan’s Mayor was present.
The glory of the modern shrievalty is its variety and grass roots activity. A happy moment was at the Denbigh and Flint Show. Some thirty members of the new Women’s Food and Farming Union launched themselves with gusto. I had the honour of cutting their cake. These ladies are on the march.
I am halfway through my year and enjoying every minute.
The Lady Jones JP DL
High Sheriff of Clwyd 2010/2011
|
