HMS Stirling Castle.

It is not every day that one gets invited aboard a Royal Navy ship to be given a guided tour and be offered a first-hand insight into her role and capabilities, as well as the work undertaken by the sailors who serve in her.

However, on 28th July, I felt hugely privileged to be invited to join the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, Michael More-Molyneux CVO and a number of civic, military and community representatives from throughout Surrey on board HMS Stirling Castle.

The visit marked the entering into of an historic Affiliation Agreement between HMS Stirling Castle and the County of Surrey. The affiliation will strengthen civic and military links, foster greater understanding of the Royal Navy’s role, and create opportunities for engagement between the ship’s company and communities across Surrey. Through future visits, community engagement activities, ceremonial events and educational initiatives, HMS Stirling Castle and Surrey will work together to develop a partnership founded on shared values, mutual respect and service.

HMS Stirling Castle is at the forefront of the Royal Navy’s transformation of mine hunting and maritime autonomy. By embracing innovative technologies and autonomous systems, HMS Stirling Castle is helping to ensure the Royal Navy remains ready to meet evolving threats in an increasingly complex maritime environment.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Commanding Officer of the Ship, Commander Philip Harper RN, and the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey during a ceremony on board the ship. Michael More-Molyneux, the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, said:

“This is a momentous day for the County of Surrey and its relationship with the Royal Navy and HMS Stirling Castle. Surrey has a proud history of supporting our Armed Forces.  Our affiliation with HMS Stirling Castle marks a new chapter in this ongoing relationship and the Surrey Lieutenancy looks forward to supporting the Ship, her Commanding Officer and Ship’s Company in future”.

It was a highly informative day, and I hope that the affiliation will benefit both the ship’s company and the communities of Surrey for many years to come.

Graduation Day at Royal Holloway.

Main Photo – L-R; Dr Kaat Smets (Head of Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy, The High Sheriff of Surrey 2026-27 – Mrs Joosje Hamilton DL, Professor Julie Sanders (Vice-Chancellor and Principal), Dr Chris Prosser (Orator for Professor Pippa Norris), Professor Pippa Norris (Honorary awardee), Sue Heath (Mace bearer).

Graduating from university is a significant moment and Graduation Day is the formal recognition and celebration of years of hard work.

On 27th July, I felt honoured to be invited to attend the Graduation Ceremony for graduates from the Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London.  

An honorary degree of Doctor of Science was awarded to Professor Pippa Norris, a British American political scientist at Harvard University specialising in comparative politics, democracy and elections. Professor Norris wished the graduates well for their futures, even if it is not always clear what those futures will hold. Like Odysseus’s ten-year journey back from Troy to Ithaca, the future may be a long, uncertain path, testing patience, cunning, and self-control along the way.  Ultimately, however, this path will take you to where you truly belong.

It was a pleasure to celebrate the students’ successes and see the incredibly proud faces of their families and friends. Many congratulations!

Messing About In Boats.

Ratty in “Wind in the Willows” opined that “There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” and the Surrey Care Trust (SCT) proves just that.  By engaging vulnerable people in nature-based activities, such as boating, gardening, and outdoor activities, the SCT seeks to help people combat multiple complex issues such as isolation, loneliness, poor mental health, unemployment, low skills, and poverty.

On 20th July, I joined two SCT volunteers and a team from the Surrey Probation Service on SCT’s workboat the “Swingbridge Endeavour”.  The team from the Probation Service joined the boat to complete various nature-based projects as part of the “Community Payback scheme” – a court-ordered scheme where individuals complete between 40 and 300 hours of unpaid work to make reparations for crimes. The physical work, such as clearing wasteland, removing graffiti, and decorating community centres, not only benefits local neighbourhoods and the public, but also helps participants to gain new skills and to avoid re-offending.

Having embarked at Dapdune Wharf in Guildford, we sailed up the River Wey towards Burpham where the team had been asked to replace a fallen-down gate with a robust new post & rail fence to prevent cattle from straying onto the A3.

By the end of the day, I had equally acquired some new skills.  Not only do I now know how to drive fence posts into the ground without bashing my fingers, I was also taught how to operate a boat lock safely and efficiently and I was even allowed to helm the boat parts of the way!

It was a hugely interesting and enjoyable day – a day which brought out the best in everyone.  The benefits of the SCT’s work are clear to see.

www.surreycaretrust.org.uk

What an Accomplished Group of Children!

This afternoon I was invited by the Leatherhead Rotary Club to present the Rotary Junior Community Awards to a number of pupils in Year 6 at Leatherhead Trinity Primary School as part of the School’s annual Governors’ Awards Ceremony. This special assembly celebrates children from each year group who have shown real commitment, determination, perseverance, or kindness over the year and have made a difference to school life.

The Rotary Junior Community Award was introduced in the UK a few years ago, having been well-established in Australia.  It is a year-long, non-competitive award scheme which seeks to provide Year 6 pupils, who are on the cusp of going to secondary school, with an opportunity to involve themselves in a positive way in their community and to acquire new skills that will benefit themselves and others around them. Guided by their school, children become involved in local community activities; complete three new social experiences; learn or improve a physical activity; and learn or develop a new skill. Apart from gaining a sense of personal satisfaction, it was very clear that all the children had very much enjoyed completing the award. They were proud of what they had achieved alongside their schoolwork and quite rightly too – well done!

Shining Bright!

This week, I was invited to join Shawfield Primary School in Ash in its whole school assembly.  It was a special end-of-year assembly to present certificates to the children who had earned a Gold and/or Platinum Shine Award.

Achieving those awards is quite a feat. Each academic year, the Shawfield School children work towards earning “Shine Points”.  A Shine Point may be awarded for particularly good effort in schoolwork; displaying good manners or a caring attitude towards others; staying on task; and/or putting the school values of Aspiration, Resilience, Respect and Trust into action.

When you have achieved 100 Shine Points, Shawfield School’s Headmaster Stephen Corcoran will present you with a Silver Award; 150 Shine Points result in a Gold Award being presented by the School’s Governors and 200 Shine Points amount to a Platinum Award, which I was allowed to present this year. 

It was wonderful to see the happy faces of the children who were presented with their awards and the proud smiles of their parents.  However, perhaps most rewarding of all was the warm applause from all the children in the school who seemed genuinely happy for their friends.

I wish everyone at Shawfield Primary School a wonderful summer holiday with lots of ice creams!

Becoming British.

Life is full of surprises.

Three years ago, I attended a British Citizenship Ceremony at the Register Office in Weybridge – it was my own. After having lived in the UK for more than 30 years as an EU citizen, I decided that it was time to acknowledge formally that the UK had become my permanent home.

On 6 July, I attended another British Citizenship Ceremony at Surrey County Council. However, this time it was my privilege to welcome new citizens to the UK – and the county of Surrey in particular – as High Sheriff. What an honour.

I was struck again by the moving nature of the ceremony. It is the culmination of months and sometimes years of assembling all the relevant paperwork; revising for and sitting the “Life in the UK” test; travelling to and from appointments; and a fair amount of patiently waiting for everything to be processed. Reciting the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance to the King and making the Pledge to the United Kingdom, promising to respect its rights, freedoms, and laws, and to uphold democratic values, is an emotional moment.

Following a lusty rendition of the National Anthem, Surrey’s newest citizens left the County Council to celebrate their new status with family and friends – they can now truly call Surrey their home, just as I have made it mine.

Biscuit or a big kiss?

[Photo from left to right:  Christine Wilmshurst, Chair of Trustees; Cllr Tim Hall, Chair of Surrey County Council; and Cllr Bob Hughes, former CEO of Sight for Surrey]

A project which had been years in the making finally came to fruition on 2 July:  Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey celebrated the official opening of its new centre in Ashtead – having spent the last 50 years at Rentwood in Fetcham.

A bright, light, spacious and highly functional building will allow this fantastic charity empower adults and children who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind to live full and independent lives.

Founded in 1922, Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey currently supports over 8,000 people in Surrey to gain and retain independence, so that they can thrive in their communities and achieve their aspirations.

It was a fascinating afternoon. We were given a tour of the new centre; met various members of the Sensory Services team; and were able to get a glimpse of what life might be like for people who have lost their sense of sight or hearing or both. We could try out glasses mimicking different stages of sight loss, handle new technology intended to make everyday tasks more accessible; observe the mesmerising speed of sign language being “spoken” and learn about potential pitfalls in lipreading…. Next time you offer a biscuit to a person who relies on reading your lips, make sure that you provide appropriate context – otherwise they might think you are proposing to give them a Big Kiss!

For more information visit: https://sightforsurrey.org.uk

Guildford Legal Walk 2026 – 1 July 2026

Going for a walk in the picturesque Surrey countryside is a rather pleasant way to spend a sunny summer’s evening. When the walk is then also in aid of a good cause, the walk is not only pleasant but hugely worthwhile too.

Yesterday evening, the Mayor of Guildford – Councillor Jane Tyson – and I joined a large group of legal professionals on a beautiful fundraising walk, which led us over Pewley Down and along the River Wey. The walk was organised by DJ Lynda Nightingale from the Guildford Family and County Court and the London Legal Support Trust (LLTS) to raise funds in aid of providing vulnerable people in London and the South East with access to justice.

Demand for legal advice services has risen dramatically over the past year. The rising cost of living has heaped immense pressure on legal advice charities who are struggling to cope with such unprecedented demand. It is important that people should be able to receive legal advice when they need it most.

The LLST supports charities that deliver such essential free legal advice on issues such as homelessness, domestic violence, employment and provision of care. By providing grants, supporting sector infrastructure, and helping legal advice agencies reduce costs and save money via pro bono or discounted schemes, the LLST ensures that these charities can continue to help people in difficult circumstances.

Find out more at https://londonlegalsupporttrust.org.uk

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In Memoriam – Dame Penelope Keith DBE DL – 29th June 2026

I was saddened to hear the news that Dame Penelope Keith DBE DL had died of cancer at her home in Surrey, aged 86.

Dame Penelope was High Sheriff of Surrey in 2002-2003 – only the third woman to have been appointed since this ancient office was created more than 1,000 years ago. At her installation ceremony as High Sheriff, Dame Penelope said that she was honoured to have been chosen for this office and that she saw it as an opportunity to make a contribution to the Surrey community – helping to “focus attention on some of the marvellous work that is being done in the county, particularly by volunteers.”

Dame Penelope has certainly done that and she has been deeply committed to various Surrey charities throughout her life.  In 1998, Dame Penelope became a Patron for the Surrey-based charity Transform Housing and Support supporting homeless and vulnerable individuals.  A passionate advocate for the countryside and British heritage, Dame Penelope was President of the Southwest Surrey chapter of the National Trust, served as Deputy President of the Surrey Agricultural Society and supported rural preservation, bringing her advocacy to the screen in documentaries like ⁠”Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages”.  For several years, Dame Penelope was also a Trustee of the aviation and motor Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, helping preserve Surrey’s rich engineering heritage.

We are all extremely grateful and we shall miss her.

“Our Time” exhibition.

Over recent years, I have started looking forward to a particular invitation arriving in my inbox. It is an invitation from Sally Varah MBE DL, the Chair of the Michael Varah Memorial Fund, to the Private View of a very special exhibition called “Our Time” which is held inside HMP Send.

“Our Time” shows the work from woman artists – some who are residents; others who are alumnae – who take part in weekly Watts Gallery Trust Art workshops at HMP Send led by their tutor Sophie Artemis. The artists all use different mediums, have very different styles and chose different subject matters for their work, but what they all have in common is the sheer joy and pride they take in their work.

It is such a pleasure to speak with the artists learning the stories behind their art and hearing them explain how their techniques have developed over time. Most of the artists had never engaged with art before enrolling in the workshops.

Thanks to the aspirations of the two co-founders and the pioneering partnership between HMP Send, the Watts Gallery Trust and the Michael Varah Memorial Fund, this year’s exhibition was already the ninth and each exhibition seems to be even more professional than the last.

Since the first exhibition in 2017, more than 1,590 artworks have been exhibited and over £7,998 has been donated by the “Our Time” artists to support victims of crime in Surrey from the proceeds of having sold their works. However, in my view, the most wonderful consequences of this exceptional in-prison exhibition are the satisfaction and sense of achievement it brings to the women. As the foreword of the exhibition catalogue says “It is exhilarating and expands our horizons.  Thank you for believing in us as artists”.