Acknowledging the work done by ‘York Road Project’ on World Homeless Day.

The High Sheriff attended the open morning at ‘York Road Project’ resource centre this week. The charity, based in Woking exists to help people get off the streets, overcome housing challenges, and settle into a place they can call home. The event held on World Homeless Day was also attended by Will Forster MP.

The High Sheriff – Shahid Azeem DL said, “Woking is a town that works hard to support people with nowhere to live. I attended the open morning to catch up on what they have been doing and help raise awareness on the issues that face homeless people, especially as the temperatures start to drop. Contrary to popular belief it really can happen to anyone and the current economic situation has meant that organisations like York Road Project really do have their work cut out for them. Well done to Cherisse Dealtry and her team for the important work they do in the town.” 

Cherisse said “We were honoured to have the High Sheriff of Surrey, Shahid Azeem DL, at our event, acknowledging the vital role we play in helping those facing homelessness.”

To find out more or donate please visit;  https://yorkroadproject.org.uk

Photos supplied by ‘York Road Project’

Observing Surrey Police Officers at Work and the Challenges they Face – a Real Eye Opener.

I had the opportunity to spend time with Surrey Police, offering a firsthand look at the challenges and responsibilities they manage daily. Upon my arrival, I was met by Inspector Kayleigh Naismith, alongside Police Sergeants Pilkington and Clement. The evening began with a tour of the Custody Suite, where I was briefed on current staffing challenges as there were staff shortages for the shift.  This shortage highlighted the strain on resources, particularly in such critical areas of the police service.

I was then shown the CCTV operations for Guildford, where it was evident that several cameras required repair or replacement. These cameras fall under the jurisdiction of Surrey County Council, and their maintenance is crucial for public safety and effective policing. After signing the necessary waivers, I joined PC Bailie (age 22) and PC Vallance (age 21) for a ride-along to observe the policing of Guildford’s nightlife.

As we left the station, the officers received a call about an individual threatening to jump from a multi-storey car park in the town centre. We quickly arrived at the scene, where PC Dobie (age 19, though exuding the confidence and demeanour of a much older officer) had already engaged the individual, who was perched dangerously on a ledge. After approximately 40 minutes of tense negotiation, PC Vallance was able to bring the individual to safety with a swift and controlled move. Her composure, combined with the support of PC Bailie and PC Dobie, was impressive, as they restrained the individual and brought them under control.

After securing the situation, the officers were joined by PC Woodcock. Over the next 30 minutes, the police coordinated with their back-office to section the individual under the Mental Health Act. However, they encountered difficulties securing a bed in a specialist mental health facility, so the decision was made to transport the individual to a local Hospital. During this time, four officers were tied up managing this one incident, which shed light on the strain these kinds of emergencies place on police resources.

At the hospital, I observed the burden such incidents also place on the healthcare system. After several hours, the officers were relieved by colleagues, allowing them to return to the station to complete their reports before ending their shift.

This experience was a real eye-opener. The professionalism, emotional control, and competence of these young officers in such a potentially traumatic situation was remarkable. Despite the wider public concerns about police visibility and availability, the officers I observed were a credit to their uniform, handling a difficult situation with care and composure. It also gave me a greater understanding of the immense challenges police face daily. This experience has deepened my respect for the police force, despite the occasional criticisms they may receive.

Well-deserved award for Guildford Crown Court

The High Sheriff paid tribute to the entire team at Guildford Crown Court for their incredible hard work and dedication throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

The team kept the courts open despite the challenges brought about by the situation and adapted swiftly to online working.

Dr Llewelyn presented the team with a High Sheriff Award for the great job they did and for their positive attitude and determination to keep the criminal justice system running in Surrey.

Dr Llewelyn said: “I can think of no better way to spend her last full day as High Sheriff than recognising the outstanding team at Guildford Crown Court.”

Fascinating tour of Surrey’s new Eco Park

Gareth Swain from SUEZ recycling and recovery Surrey and Cllr Natalie Bramwell from Surrey County Council gave the High Sheriff a fascinating tour of the Eco Park site in Shepperton.

The site processes waste from Surrey households and local businesses. As well as creating fuels to generate energy for the national grid (after powering itself), Eco Park will also turn food waste into fertiliser for farming.

Dr Llewelyn met some of the 120 staff at Eco Park and learned about progress, including the gasifier and anaerobic digestion (AD) plant testing and the latest landscaping works. She also visited the reuse shop – a recycling centre for residents to bring items for reuse and refurbishment.

The gasifier Converts general waste into energy. During the combustion process, gases are cleaned up in stages before being released into the air through a chimney after meeting strict environmental standards.

The Eco Park AD facility uses microorganisms to break down food waste. The process produces biogas to generate electricity and digestate, an organic material used as fertiliser on farmland.

Warm welcome from Wey Valley College

The High Sheriff’s visit to Wey Valley College (WVC) provided insight into their work to support young primary and secondary students referred from mainstream schools.

Wey Valley College’s director of education, Amy Smith, and head Oliver May hosted the visit, and a very helpful and impressive student showed Dr Llewelyn around. Dr Llewelyn spent time in the primary and secondary units and saw various teaching sessions, including art and crafts and physics.

All three schools are part of Inclusive Education Trust, a multi-academy trust in Surrey. They provide a bespoke education for 5 to 16-year-olds struggling with a personal crisis or needing help with their behavior and are at risk of exclusion from mainstream schooling.

Dr Llewelyn was impressed by the commitment and passion of the staff who care and support students who need help and the excellent overall support provided by WVC.

She said: “I also heard that the teachers have ‘better ears’ because they listen and understand, which I thought was a great compliment.

Six young people graduate from empowering programme

Six young people who have graduated from Big Leaf Foundation’s new Young Leaders programme received their certificates from the High Sheriff today.

The event took place at the Court of the Future in the University of Surrey’s School of Law. Dr Llewelyn individually thanked the students for their commitment to the programme and congratulated them on their tremendous achievements.

Big Leaf Foundation’s Young Leaders programme is an eight-week course for displaced young people from 16 to 25-years-old to come together and learn about leadership, how to create change and support others.

The programme was developed with Big Leaf partners School of Law, We Belong, Jamie’s Farm and Hope for the Young. It builds confidence and knowledge, helping participants explore identity, advocacy, leadership, and legal rights, so they feel more empowered.

Big Leaf gave every graduate a special commendation based on their participation and individual strengths.

Dr Llewelyn said: “These young people showed their talents, abilities and strengths, including great presentation skills, determination and language skills, which will help them to move forward and achieve all that they want to in life.”

Read about Big Leaf Foundation.

High Sheriff joins in International Women’s Day

Surrey Police Women’s Network invited the High Sheriff to join them in celebrating International Women’s Day as part of their day-long Teams seminar. 

In her talk, Dr Llewelyn spoke about the role of High Sheriff and obstacles she had overcome in her professional life and gave some advice on navigating careers as a woman.

Dr Llewelyn said: “I was honoured to be asked and thoroughly enjoyed a very interactive session with the Surrey Police force, answering their wide range of questions on topics including networking, health and work-life balance.”

Joining Surrey Care Trust in volunteer celebration

It was an honour for the High Sheriff to join the Surrey Care Trust in celebrating its 40th anniversary at Guildford Cathedral.

The Trust’s chairman, John Chaplin, introduced Dr Llewelyn, and she talked about the impact the Trust has made and the enormous contribution its volunteers have made over the last 40 years to the county.

The 40-year celebrations recognise the enormous contribution the Trust’s volunteers have made and aims to inspire others to support the Trust’s work in the community.

The Trust changes lives with learning, training and mentoring helping people overcome low skills, poor educational achievement, limited opportunities and challenging financial circumstances.

Dr Llewelyn said: “Surrey Care Trust is a well known and much appreciated charity, which provides huge support to both young people and adults. It plays an important and unique role in supporting the disadvantaged right across the county.”

Read more about the Surrey Care Trust.

Meeting school leaders and pupils in person

The High Sheriff was delighted to meet Chris Hickford, chief executive of The Eikon Charity, in person again at the Fullbrook School in West Byfleet, having only been able to ‘meet’ the Eikon team on a Zoom call last year.

After a chat with the students at the Eikon lunch club, Dr Llewelyn met the school’s youth support practitioner Claire Matthews and a young person who has benefited from Eikon’s support.

Dr Llewelyn said: “I have always been impressed by the fantastic work Eikon does to help young people, so I was pleased to visit and hear more. They even have an award-winning garden with an Owl of Wisdom.” 

The charity works together with organisations such as schools and health and social care to give young people emotional wellbeing and mental health support.

Claire is one of The Eikon Charity’s specialised support workers in six schools in Surrey who help children and young people struggling with difficulties and promote ‘whole school’ wellbeing.

Learn more about The Eikon Charity.

Reigate and Banstead welcomes High Sheriff

Two community centres and two schools were among the highlights of the High Sheriff’s enjoyable visit to Reigate and Banstead Borough.

The Mayor of the Borough, Councillor Jill Bray, kindly organised Dr Llewelyn’s visit to Merstham Community Hub in Redhill, Epsom Downs Primary School in Epsom, The Beacon School in Banstead and Banstead Community Centre.

At the community centres, Dr Llewelyn was hugely impressed by the range of activities, including a nursery provision, youth clubs, local community led organisations and even a ride in an e-rickshaw, which is available for elderly residents who wish to get out and about. The excellent Merstham Mix café kindly provided a most delicious lunch. 

At Epsom Downs Primary School, Dr Llewelyn was shown around by the really helpful students and then met the School Council which had some excellent questions.

The Link at The Beacon is a brilliant example of  ‘every child included’. It is a school within a school and pupils drop in and out as they need and receive an array of extra help and support.

All-in-all, it was a most enjoyable day meeting the communities of Reigate and Banstead.