INTERVIEW
phone rang. It was Alan Titchmarsh
asking me if I would consider taking
office as High Sheriff in 2012. It had
to remain top secret, and when my
friends asked me why Alan should
suddenly be ringing me I had to make
an excuse.”
It promises to be an extremely
busy year for the new High Sheriff,
particularly with the visit of The
Queen on July 25 as part of her
Diamond Jubilee tour. He is relishing
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the challenges that will be thrown
up, saying: “I am looking forward to
it because when we had the hotel we
provided a public service to look after
people.
“I get great enjoyment out of making
people happy and connecting them.
In my year as High Sheriff there will
be a great opportunity to do that, and
I shall be trying my hardest to make
sure it works for everyone’s benefit.
“The one thing about being High
Sheriff is that there is no set itinerary
– things just crop up. My predecessor
Susie Sheldon has been very helpful,
and over many months I have been
tutored in the office by former High
Sheriff Anthony Goddard on our early
morning walks with the dogs.
“I have also been well versed in
what to expect having studied David
Langford’s ‘A day in the life of a High
Sheriff ’, so my thanks to you both.
“But there are still things you do