Since taking over as High Sheriff, I have regularly been asked what my theme for the year is. I have stuck to my guns and said that I would prefer to see what came my way but that I would always bear in mind my primary role to support those responsible for law and order in the county.  I was invited to an event last Saturday which brought together the many strands of life as a High Sheriff. I was attending a special Shabatt Service in memory of Anne Frank. As I arrived at the venue, I was met by two uniformed police officers standing outside. It was a sobering reminder of the world that we live in. The officers stressed that they were there to show support to the community rather than to protect us. Nonetheless, it was something of a shock to me that this is considered necessary in Herefordshire. The service itself was one of extraordinary inclusiveness, warmth and generosity of all participants. The highlight was the honour of hearing the firsthand account of a youthful and elegant 94-year-old Holocaust survivor who lives in our county. Our fear must be that the gradual loss of first-hand witnesses  to the horrors of the Holocaust might allow us forget that we have to nurture peace and to support one another. However, as we shared lunch after the service, I cannot have been alone in being struck by the strong sense of community in the room although many of us had just met for the first time. We must not underestimate the power of standing together and supporting each other in our fractured world, something that Herefordshire seems to do with natural enthusiasm. I hope our remarkable local Holocaust survivor went home feeling that her example will live on and that we will not forget. I left reassured that the police were correct in saying that they were only there to show community support, but we must continue to work together to make sure that this never changes.

Hidden Volunteering

Taking on the role of High Sheriff, you’re told you’ll meet amazing people doing amazing things – and that’s certainly been my experience. What I underestimated was how many of them are volunteers, hiding in plain sight. Most rural firefighters, many first responders, and the magistrates who keep our justice system running are all volunteers. Beyond these well-known ‘brands’ are thousands more working quietly in our communities – coaching children’s sport, supporting the sick and elderly, even clearing litter from our roadsides. Writing this, more names keep coming to mind: people who care for others and for our county, seeking no thanks or recognition. That’s probably how they want it, but today I simply want to say a huge thank you – you know who you are.

Two striking examples of hidden volunteering sit on the south side of Newton Farm, just off Belmont Road leaving Hereford. Invited by Christian Dangerfield of the Stronger Towns bid to see the Southside Project, I discovered I’d been driving past two large-scale transformations without knowing it. Herefordshire Council has leased 30 acres here to two linked projects: Belmont Wanderers, a grassroots football club founded in 2011, now fielding 35 teams run entirely by 75 volunteers; and Southside Farm, 19 acres managed by Growing Local CIC, focused on local food, education and inclusion.

Both have been driven by remarkable individuals who raised the funds and rallied enthusiastic teams, giving enormous time to transform others’ lives – their impact all the more striking for staying hidden from such a busy road.