GASP Motor Project in Albury
Dr Llewelyn really enjoyed getting to grips with car engines at GASP Motor Project thanks to the totally inspiring students at Jubilee High and the wonderful GASP staff.
Dorking for Surrey Day
@HelloDorking businesses welcomed Dr Llewelyn to Dorking for Surrey Day, receiving a warm welcome from Mid Surrey Community Fridges, Burgundy & Black coffee shop, FoodFloat and SC Fuller fishing shop.
The High Sheriff heard how the businesses managed during the pandemic and their hopes as lockdown eases.
2021-2022 High Sheriff Installation
“The first recorded High Sheriff of Surrey was In 1066 and since then the role has evolved through plague, wars, huge upheavals of all kind and pandemics. Long gone are the law enforcing, tax collecting strongmen of old and, as Surrey emerges from the ravages caused by Covid 19, I feel hugely priviledged to take on the ‘softer power’ of the modern day High Sheriff. The ability to support, say thank you, convene and connect: or as I like to say, ‘join the dots together’ bringing people together to share professional and personal experiences, one of those things that makes life better. “
Dr Julie Llewellyn
High Sheriff of Surrey 2021-22
30th April 2021
Tribute to HRH Prince Philip
I would like to pay tribute to HRH Prince Philip and offer my sincere condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family.
His Royal Highness was a great man who was a big supporter of the County of Surrey and will be remembered for his work with young people with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, the 992 associations and patronage’s he held with a great many charities including, since 1961, the World Wildlife Fund, based here in Surrey, his Military life, work with education and his lifelong service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. I had the honour of reading the following words at a special service at Guildford Cathedral on the eve of his funeral:
‘I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied, ‘Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.’
(text: Louise Haskins (1875–1958) quoted by King George VI in his Christmas Broadcast, 1939)
May he rest in peace.
Shahid, Azeem, High Sheriff of Surrey 2020-21.
Woking Crime Report.
I met up with Woking Borough Divisional Commander Inspector Dave Bentley last week for an update on the local challenges and a nice walk down the Basingstoke Canal.
It was very encouraging to see that the overall crime in Woking has fallen by nearly 15%, however the Anti-social behaviour, which also includes the Coronavirus incidents, are also recorded, and ASB has risen by 33%. Thankfully hate crime has fallen by 8% and residential burglary has fallen by 25% (some of the reason being people re working from home), but sadly the domestic violence rate has risen by 7%. Woking Police has recovered over 13% of Bicycle theft, which against national bike theft has increased by 27%.
Having spent this year as a High Sheriff whilst still under strict limitations, it has been truly incredible to see the good work carried out by Surrey Police across the county which has been challenging on many fronts and for that we will be grateful. Thanks to you David and your team, for keeping our region safe!
High Sheriff Youth Awards Celebration 2021
The 2021 High Sheriff Youth Awards Annual Celebration (HSYA) was held as a virtual event on the evening of 23 March, generously hosted and managed by the University of Surrey. Some 10 groups from across the County, who had all received HSYA awards, were showcased in recordings highlighting the scope of the projects and the benefits gained by young people who were able to participate. The event, which was compered by Asad Ahmad the well-known BBC presenter, included live appearances from HM Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey – Mr Michael More-Molyneux, the High Sheriff of Surrey – Mr Shahid Azeem and Chairman of HSYA, Mr Peter Lee and a number of group leaders. Joining the online event were the Chairman of Surrey County Council, the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner and distinguished guests from all Boroughs and Districts, in addition to many young people involved in the projects together with their families and friends. During his welcome, the High Sheriff of Surrey praised the groups and project organisers for their achievements, which were even more impressive given the difficulties experienced by all groups over the past twelve months and the need for the groups to work within very challenging Covid-19 restrictions and limitations. He thanked the University of Surrey and the Events Team for their outstanding support. He stressed that HSYA were very much open for business and able to make awards to groups following a successful application. This Year £50,843 was provided for these groups and around £500,00 over the past ten years.
Text Provided by Brigadier Paul Evans OBE, DL – Photos by Andy Newbold
Meet two Surrey Heroes, Jo-Ann & Sangeeta, going the extra mile to support our NHS.
Jo-Ann Airikkala, HRH The Countess of Wessex and Sangeeta Patel.
I would like to mention Jo-Ann Airikkala and Sangeeta Patel, who is the outreach Manager for Woking Asian Business Forum. The Forum made a large financial contribution to ‘Nourish Our Nurses’ www.nourishournurses.co.uk an initiative setup by Jo-Ann and her friend Debi Peppin with help from volunteers, providing food boxes from their base at Bishopgate School in Englefield Green, who have also provided use of a minibus since last march. Over £80K has been raised with nearly 7000 fruit and veg boxes provided to the NHS including hospitals, Ambulances and key workers in Surrey. Woking Asian Business Forum was approached, as ‘Nourish Our Nurses’ had run out of funding and Jo-Ann wanted to ensure at least the project ran to a full anniversary.
WABF made a financial contribution and Sangeeta Patel volunteered in packaging along with HRH The Countess of Wessex.
Jo-Ann said “It was a pleasure to welcome back HRH The Countess of Wessex to help volunteering with ‘Nourish our Nurses.’ The Countess, once again helped our cause, lifting and packing with our other volunteers. We were delighted she was able to join our dedicated team again as we support the community and local NHS workers.”
Food boxes were also delivered across Surrey and I had the pleasure in my role as High Sheriff and Chairman of Woking Asian Business Forum, of joining the amazing volunteers in helping Woking Hospital to unload and deliver food boxes to key workers.
Sangeeta said “We were very pleased to support these fantastic initiatives and we learnt from Jo-Ann and her colleagues commitment, turning up at 2am, at Western Market, to purchase all the goods. We thank all of them on behalf of the Surrey County for their valuable time and commitment”
HRH The Countess of Wessex with Sangeeta, Jo-Ann and Volunteers delivering food boxes to Woking Hospital.
Thank You Surrey!
The Lord Lieutenant, Michael More-Molyneux and I have recorded a video to thank the services and the people of Surrey for their support during this past year. As I say in the video, I have seen the best of the County, with the amazing work done by the emergency services, the NHS, and the thousands of volunteers during this period and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Sir Trevor McDonald OBE helps to encourage members of the BAME community to accept vaccine.
Sir Trevor McDonald OBE, newsreader and journalist who is best known for presenting the news with ITN came to Woking this week to help me with an awareness campaign.
Sir Trevor who for used to be a resident of Guildford for many years was visiting Woking to appear in an NHS video we have produced to encourage members of the BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) community to be vaccinated against Covid-19. It has been suggested that some members of the BAME community in Surrey are reluctant to be vaccinated against the disease which has claimed so many lives in the County. Sir Trevor kindly stepped in to help us to try and reassure members of the community that the vaccine is safe and essential in the fight against Covid-19. It is hoped that this will save lives.
Whilst in town, I gave Sir Trevor – a former President of Surrey Cricket Club, a tour of Woking’s Bedser bridge, named after the late twins Sir Alec and Eric Bedser – cricket heroes from Horsell with whom he has a personal connection. We were joined by Ray Morgan OBE, Peter Bryant and Douglas Spinks from Woking Borough Council.
The Vaccine is the key to us all getting back to a normal life and finally being in control of this terrible disease which has disrupted human life worldwide for the past year and I urge all people of Surrey to be vaccinated when the NHS contact them.
7,000 tests delivered & collected in 5 days during Woking surge testing operation.
Today I had the honour of visiting the hundred or so Woking Borough Council workers along with Volunteers and agency who are in the process of carrying out approximately 9,000 surge tests in Knaphill, St Johns and Goldsworth Park.
The two testing centres at The Vyne Community Centre and Dianthus Building in Goldsworth Park have delivered and collected over 7,000 tests since Monday with the help of data capturing controlled by WBC, Surrey Police and REACT (ex-military disaster management charity), a truly amazing result.
The feedback from volunteers has been extremely positive in the community where they have been welcomed and over 80% who were visited have had carried out the tests.
The operational and organisational side of the task has been first class and seeing it all first hand certainly gave me confidence that we are in the good hands of the wonderful staff and volunteers. On Behalf of Woking Borough and the people of Surrey I thank you so much for your support and hard work for which we are so grateful.
I had the pleasure of visiting both Hubs and was able to help distribute generous donations of fruit from Boz’s Fruit and Veg and fantastic cakes baked by Adam’s Chef at Bacaro Café -both companies are based in Woking.
A huge thanks also goes out to ‘Surrey’s Local Resilience Forum’ (LRF), for their daily and evolving challenges during every hour of this latest development. We are proud of you all for what have done and continue to do.
@Surreylive @Surreylife @WokingBoroughCouncil @SLRF @SurreysLocalResilianceForum @SurreyHillsRadio @Corvid19 @SurgeTesting @Surreylieutenancy @BozsFruit&VegLtd @BacaroCafe @Woking @wokingnewsandmail @wokingadvertiser @thechallengermagazine @TheVyneCommunityCentre @SurreyPolice @REACT