North Yorkshire Lieutenancy

Mr Tom Ali DL

Biography

Tom served over 30 years as a career detective with the Metropolitan Police and the National Crime Squad. He led complex investigations into serious and organised crime, corruption and homicide as well as sensitive investigations undertaken in the UK and abroad. His investigations have taken him from investigating major crime gangs on the streets of London to hostile locations in Libya. Having retired as a Detective Chief Inspector Tom has continued to assist the Metropolitan Police in a consultancy role as well as undertaking investigations for other police services such as the Police Service of Northern Ireland in re-investigating paramilitary murders. Tom has also assisted the British Overseas Territory of Turks and Caicos who have suffered from a spike in organised crime related homicides. Tom lives close to Ripon with his wife Sarah and their three children. Tom is a keen runner and enjoys training and working his three dogs.

Mr Christopher Blundell DL

Biography

Born and brought up in Yorkshire, Chris spent his early career in food manufacturing with HJ Heinz in London. In 2008, he joined food retailer WM Morrison, where he worked for 23 years at Director level in buying and marketing roles. He served as a Trustee of the Royal Horticultural Society (2009-2019) and was also a member of their Commercial Board. Chris currently chairs a hospitality business based in North Yorkshire which was established in 2010. He also runs a livestock farm specialising in cattle and sheep alongside other rural enterprises focussing on tourism, agriculture and property. In 2018 he took over the chairmanship of a Yorkshire charity event. Married to Jill, they have four adult children.

Mr Giles Bowring DL

Biography

Giles has lived in North Yorkshire most of his life, and for the last 37 years was the owner of the Lawkland Hall Estate on the border of North Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire. He is a graduate of Oxford University where he read Russian and German. He was Bursar and Clerk to the Governors at Giggleswick School from 2000 to 2016. A former Director at Singer and Friedlander responsible for private client and charity portfolios, Giles also worked as an investment manager at Lazard Brothers. He is a Governor of Harrogate Ladies College, a Trustee of the Farming Community Network, the CLA Charitable Trust, the Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation and the Craven Trust. Appointed a DL in 2010, he is married to Diss, a very talented gardener, and has two grown up children.

Maj Gen Michael Charlton-Weedy CBE DL

Biography

Michael served in the Army for 35 years before joining the Cabinet Office in 2003 as Chief Executive of the Emergency Planning College at Easingwold. After completing the transformation and privatisation of the College in 2010 he was Director UK Resilience Training until his retirement from the Civil Service in 2019. Michael now runs his own international consultancy company advising and training various governments and organisations in strategic resilience and risk management. He is also the County President of the Royal British Legion. Michael is married to Julia; they live in Sheriff Hutton and have 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren.

Mrs Helen Collin DL

Biography

Helen was brought up in Newcastle and North Yorkshire and read History at the University of East Anglia. She started her career at HSBC, working in both London and New York as an equity analyst. Following this, Helen was a founding director, and latterly CEO, of Investis, a digital communications company. Helen is now Group Chief Operating Officer of Brunswick Group, a global critical issues advisory firm. In addition, Helen is a Non-Executive Director of two Investment trusts and is Chair of the Investment and Audit Panel for the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. She is married with two teenage children.

Mr Richard Compton DL

Biography

Rick was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in 2007, and served as High Sheriff of North Yorkshire in 2010. He was Chairman of Governors of Aysgarth School and Harrow School, and was Chairman of the John Lyon Foundation. He was Chairman of the Yorkshire Branch of the Historic Houses Association before becoming its national deputy President and then its President in 2013. He was Mayor of the Merchants of the Staple of England in 2018 and he is currently a trustee of the Historic Houses Foundation and of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust. He is Chairman of the Ripon Business Improvement District’s Task Group and a member of the Ripon Cathedral Council as well as being a Patron of the Ripon Museums. He is also a vice Patron of Jennyruth Workshops and of the Almshouses Association. He lives in Newby Hall, near Ripon, a well-known tourist attraction with famous gardens.

Mr Nigel Corner DL

Biography

Nigel has lived in North Yorkshire since childhood but was educated as far afield as Connecticut, USA. He has run the family business for many years, which has diverse interests across the North East of England and sits on the board of two other companies. He is an Honorary Air Commodore in the RAF, attached to 609 Squadron at RAF Leeming and a Governor of Queen Margaret’s School near York. Nigel was an international motor racing driver for fourteen years and is a life member of the British Racing Driver’s Club. The common thread running through his life is a love of the countryside, and particularly the Yorkshire Dales, where he, and his wife and two children make their home.

Mrs Rebecca Cottrell DL

Biography

Rebecca was born in Harrogate but grew up in Leigh-on-Sea. She trained as a potter over 40 years ago and has been making and selling pots and teaching ceramics ever since. She has also worked in schools supporting children with learning difficulties. Rebecca is married to Stephen, Archbishop of York, and supports his ministry across the diocese. She has been a member of the organising group of two Lambeth Conferences, the ten yearly worldwide gathering of Anglican bishops and their spouses. They have three adult children, one grandson and one dog.

Mrs Linda Curran DL

Biography

Linda was a Civil Servant with MOD and then worked in the voluntary sector for a campaigning disability group and finally for the local Volunteer Centre. Linda was also a local councillor for many years. Linda built up an expertise in the field of Equalities, in particular disability. She is chairperson of Dementia Friendly Richmondshire. She has been a School Governor and Trustee of many charities including RADAR. Linda is currently a trustee of a charity which she set up with her husband which supports children and young people with Disabilities in Richmondshire (Paul Curran Celebration Trust).

The Very Revd John Dobson DL

Biography

Dean John was appointed Dean of Ripon in June 2014. This followed 25 years of Ministry in the Durham Diocese, serving as parish priest, Area Dean and a member of many diocesan committees. Dean John serves on the Leeds Diocesan Board and the Bishops’ Strategy Group. Whilst at Ripon, Dean John has led an innovative strategy resulting in growing the congregation together with the development of the Cathedral as a centre of heritage, pilgrimage and tourism. Dean John grew up in Yorkshire and studied Theology at Durham University. Dean John is a Trustee of St Michael’s Hospice and Ripon Cathedral Development Campaign. He is also Chair of Ripon Together, a community interest company, furthering community partnership. He is married with two grown up children.

Mrs Linda Fenwick DL

Biography

Born in Pittsburgh and brought up in Dallas, Linda completed a BSc degree at Baylor University. She then worked in the fashion industry for designer Victor Costa before moving to London having met and married her husband, James, in the United States. They moved to York in 1986 where Linda worked as manager of the Grape Lane Art Gallery before starting her own company, Cedar House Printing, which she ran for 12 years. At various times, she volunteered for the Yorkshire Children’s Hospital Trust, NSPCC, St. John’s Ambulance Trust, Candlelighters, Momentum Campaign for the Northern Ballet, National Gardens Scheme and Kyra Women’s Project. Linda held the office of High Sheriff for North Yorkshire in 2019-20. In 2008, she set up Linda Fenwick Shells in Design which designs and constructs shell mosaic panels and interior accessories. Linda has three grown-up children.

Mrs Rosalind Forbes Adam DL

Biography

Having previously worked in arts administration, Rosalind is now primarily involved with the environment. She created a community woodland, Three Hagges Woodmeadow, at Escrick and founded Woodmeadow Trust in 2013, a charity which fosters biodiversity and the creation and management of new native ecosystems as well as environmental education and a thriving volunteer community. Rosalind has developed the garden at Skipwith Hall and she and her husband Charlie have a small theatre there where they often host plays and other charity events and enjoy opening the garden for the village fete and National Gardens Scheme.

Ms Jan Garrill DL

Biography

Having grown up in Sheffield, Jan got a degree in history from York University and a master’s in marketing from Northumbria University. Her career has spanned the public and private sector and she moved back to Yorkshire in 2014 to become the Chief Executive of Two Ridings Community Foundation, a role from which she has recently retired. Jan is a trustee of the Henry Smith Charity, a trustee of Yorkshire Funders, a charity supporting the grant making trusts and foundations in Yorkshire, a director of the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership as well as a Chair of the board of Better Connect, a North Yorkshire based not for profit company delivering partnership programmes of support to SMES and charities. She is also a volunteer at her local community owned and operated shop, Barkers of Huby, and a fellow of Langwith College, University of York. Jan is married with 2 children and 3 stepchildren and lives near Easingwold, North Yorkshire.

Mrs Clare Granger DL

Biography

Having read Law at Cambridge University and qualified as a Solicitor, Clare practiced in York for a few years before changing her career to become a professional artist. She is now represented by galleries in London and Oxfordshire. Clare has volunteered for various charities over the years including as Gift Aid Secretary for her local church for 20 years, Treasurer of the North Yorkshire branch of the Art Fund for 10 years and as a Governor of Queen Margaret’s School for 7 years. She is a champion for the domestic violence charity IDAS and is President of Henshaws, the charity which supports those with visual impairments and other disabilities. Clare was High Sheriff of North Yorkshire in 2023-24. Clare and her husband, Mark, have lived in North Yorkshire for over 40 years and have 2 children and 3 grandchildren.

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE DL

Biography

Having grown up in Cardiff she was educated at Loughborough University and graduated with a degree in Politics and Social Administration. She competed in 5 Paralympic Games winning a total of 11 Gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medal. Awarded an MBE (1993), OBE (2001) and DBE (2005) in 2010 she was elevated to the House of Lords as a Crossbench Peer. In her career she has sat on the National Disability Council, Transport for London and the Sports Honours Committee. She is patron of numerous charities and Chair of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Mrs Heather Hancock LVO DL

Biography

Heather has lived in the Yorkshire Dales for over 25 years, but currently spends half the year in Cambridge where she is the Master of St John’s College, in the University of Cambridge. Her career covers the public and private sectors, including chairing the Food Standards Agency, leadership roles in professional services giant Deloitte, and working with rural landowners across the UK on estate strategies. Heather’s passion is in developing the talent of young people, and getting the best from our countryside (food, farming, environment and people).

Professor Graham Henderson CBE DL

Biography

Graham retired after 40 years’ service in the higher education (HE) sector, which included over 25 years in senior management positions, most recently spending 12 years as Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of Teesside University. He was a member of a number of national Boards & Committees within the HE sector, and was awarded the CBE in 2011 for his outstanding services to higher education, both locally and nationally. More locally, Graham was a member of the Board of his local/regional LEP, Chamber of Commerce, CBI, Public Health Board, LSC and Regional Assembly. He was a long-standing Trustee of the Captain Cook Birthplace Trust, served as both President and Chairman of Guisborough Rugby Club and is currently a member of 2 University Boards, 3 Multi-Academy Trusts and is Patron of 2 local charities.

Professor David Hill CBE DL

Biography

David is chairman and founding owner of The Environment Bank which he set up in 2006 to promote the need for development to take proper account of wildlife conservation. The concept is about to be made a mandatory requirement of planning law in England. He promotes environmental markets to leverage investment into the natural environment, a concept Government is now adopting. David was Deputy Chair of Natural England until 2016 and a member of the government’s Ecosystem Markets Taskforce. He is a Board Trustee of the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, chairman of Plantlife International, a Commissioner with the Food Farming and Countryside Commission, chair of the Northern Upland Chain Nature Partnership and co-founder of the NatureSpace Partnership which creates and manages habitat for protected species. He is a passionate conservationist and wildlife photographer. He has a farm dedicated to conservation in Nidderdale and Swaledale, North Yorkshire.

Mrs Francesca Horsfield DL

Biography

Following a career in the Foreign Office and after moving to North Yorkshire, Francesca was a magistrate in York for 25 years with a particular interest in Youth Justice. Previous commitments have included the Independent Monitoring Board at Wetherby Young Offenders, The Advisory Board of the Department of Film Theatre Television and Interactive Media at the University of York where she has a Morell Fellowship, the Future Fund at Opera North and the York Minster Fund. Currently she is a Trustee of the Leeds International Piano Competition, the Ryedale Festival and the Holbeck Charitable Trust. She was High Sheriff of North Yorkshire in 2009. Married with 3 children and 6 grandchildren she lives with her husband, Gordon near Brandsby.

The Revd Brian Hunt DL

Biography

Educated at Durham and Oxford Universities and ordained in 1980, the Revd Brian Hunt served as Presbyterian Minister in three rural congregations beside Lough Erne near Enniskillen until 2002 and is now Minister of St Paul’s United Reformed Church in Harrogate where for fourteen years he was Padre at the Army Foundation College which takes in the 16 year-old Junior Soldiers into the British Army and for sixteen years he was Chaplain to the Police Treatment Centre. He is Chairman of 15th Harrogate Scout Group and has been a DL in North Yorkshire since 2007. Since 2004 he has been heavily involved in the work of the Duke of York’s Community Initiative.

Mr David Kerfoot CBE DL

Biography

David is a passionate social entrepreneur who has a long history of community service. Serving as High Sheriff of North Yorkshire in 2020/21 and as former Chairman of the LEP for York & North Yorkshire, he is also a trustee of the Pendragon Community Trust which he helped found 12 years ago building a facility for the multi disabled. In addition he is patron of the Samaritans and Clean Slate Solutions and trustee of Hambleton Foodshare. He has spoken at the United Nations in New York and given evidence at Parliamentary Committees on subjects such as small business and growth prospects for the region. Awarded the MBE in 2009 for services to business and the community in Northallerton, the Republic of Moldova and HM Prison Service, David was subsequently awarded a CBE in the 2022 New Year Honours list for services to Rural Businesses and the Voluntary and Community Sector.

Mrs Zoe Lewis CBE DL

Biography

Zoe became Middlesbrough College’s first female Principal in 2013 and has since developed the college substantially in skills priority areas such as engineering, green energy, construction, health and digital sectors. The College group is based in the Tees Valley, with its apprenticeship training arm Northern Skills, serving employers across the whole of the North East of England. The College supports over 2,000 employers with their workforce needs and trains over 13,000 students annually across every sector of the economy from entry level to level 6. Zoe is currently part of the FE Commissioner’s Principals Reference Group, a Trustee of the Education, Endowment Foundation and chairs a range of national groups that work to advise and improve on skills policy matters.

Brigadier David Maddan DL

Biography

David spent over thirty years in the Army. He commanded the Grenadier Guards and, later in his career, 15 North East Brigade in York when he had responsibility for Army recruiting, Army Cadet Forces, Officer Training Corps and Army Reserves in Yorkshire and the North East. He also commanded the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick. David has recently retired from running The Auckland Project, which is a regeneration charity in Bishop Auckland. He lives and farms in Wensleydale and is married to Juliet who has lived in the county all her life. They have four children.

The Lady Middleton DL

Biography

Lucy has lived in North Yorkshire since marrying in 1974. She was a tax commissioner 1993 to 2009, has served on the Parochial Church Council for 46 years, completing the Diocese of York Lay Pastoral course in 2001 and has since been a member of her local Parishes Lay Pastoral team. Volunteering for the NSPCC since 1975, she chaired the North Yorkshire Committee for the Full Stop Campaign in 2000,became a trustee and then a Divisional Vice President. She chairs the Parish Council and was previously a Master of the Middleton Hunt. She founded and led an HGV Training Centre near Ripon and is also Patron of St Catherine's Hospice in Scarborough. She has 5 children and 8 grandchildren.

Sir Martin Narey DL

Biography

Born in 1955 in Middlesbrough, he started his working life in the National Health Service but in 1982, with an interest in penal reform, he resigned to train to be a prison governor. He became the Head of The Prison Service in 1998, taking on additional responsibility for the Probation Service in 2003. He resigned to become Chief Executive of Barnardo’s in 2005. Since leaving Barnardo’s he has advised the Prime Minister and the Department for Education about children's issues. He is Chair of The Sage Gateshead and a visiting Professor at number of Universities. He has been married for 42 years to Jan and they have two children, and four grandchildren. He is fortunate enough to live in Whitby.

The Countess Peel DL

Biography

Since marrying and moving to Yorkshire in 1989, Charlotte has been involved in charity work both nationally and locally. Charlotte was appointed to The Council of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust in 1999. She is a trustee of a number of charitable organisations including The Lord Barnby Foundation, a grant giving trust, North Yorkshire Hospice Care, Countryside Learning, the Yorkshire Children’s Hospital Fund and the Jessica Bethell Foundation. She is also a Patron of Streets of Growth, based in Tower Hamlets, a youth intervention charity. Charlotte volunteers weekly for Citizen Advice Bureau in Harrogate. She was appointed Honorary Air Commodore to 607 Squadron (County of Durham) based at RAF Leeming in 2015. Appointed Deputy Lieutenant to North Yorkshire in 2019.

Mr Andrew Pindar OBE DL

Biography

Scarborough native Andrew Pindar is married to Civil Engineer and Marine Biologist Caroline. With a number of business interests he is best known for being involved internationally with the sport, pastime and business of sailing. In particular Andrew is at the forefront of the drive for equality in the sport, promoting the interests of female athletes and those with disabilities around the world. He is a board member of various charities including The Magenta Project, an ambassador of Sail4cancer and The Offshore Doubles Organisation. In November 2020 his work was acknowledged with the President’s Award by World Sailing, the sports governing body. In 1999 he was recognised for his contribution to the graphic arts industry with an honorary Professorship from The University of The Arts in London. He was appointed a DL in 2004 and in 2009 he was awarded an OBE for his service to society and industry.

Mr Tom Ramsden DL

Biography

Tom has been running the family farm and woodlands near Ripon since the mid 1970’s. It is a mixed farming business with arable farming and commercial woodland, a livery yard, firewood retailing and farm buildings development. It tries to balance the need for greater public access and improving the environment with long term sustainability. Alongside this he hunted the West of Yore Foxhounds for twenty years, was closely involved with fund raising at Ripon Cathedral as High Steward and is Chairman of the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust. He is trustee of a number of other Yorkshire based charitable trusts and a director of the Leith School of Art in Edinburgh. He was High Sheriff of North Yorkshire in 2014-15 during which he established the Arts for Change fund now administered by the Two Riding Community Foundation.

Dr Bill Scott OBE DL

Biography

Bill is CEO of Wilton Universal Group, a successful engineering company based in Middlesbrough. Bill is passionate about all things to do with engineering and coating, creating opportunities for apprentices, equal rights for women, workplace health & safety and supporting local charities. He is a keen advocate of supporting the UK supply chain and works closely with trade organisations as well as UK Government departments. He is also involved in a number of other companies supporting them to grow whilst utilising his experience in the capacity of advisor, CEO or chairman. His biggest passion is to inspire the next generation and, in that regard, he engages with schools, colleges and universities. Bill was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to Engineering, services to the Offshore Wind Sector and services to the community on Teesside.

Mr Peter Scrope DL

Biography

Born in Yarm, brought up and educated in North Yorkshire, Peter spent 10 years in the Army (during which time he spent 3 years at University reading Politics). Peter has worked for 30+ years in the international telecommunications industry and brought his company to Darlington. This was later sold and is now the mobile operator, EE, who employ more than 1,600 people at the Darlington site. Peter continues to be involved with a number of telecoms ventures and chairs the local government company responsible for rolling out fibre broadband in North Yorkshire. He is involved with a number of local charities and is a past High Sheriff and Vice Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire. He lives near Great Ayton with his wife Penny, a JP for more than 20 years.

Mr John Senior MBE DL

Biography

Returning home to Scarborough in the early 80s, John spent the last four decades developing and expanding the family’s property and restaurant business. Joining the Territorial Army in 1979, he holds the distinction of being the first TA soldier to see operational service post 9/11. Mobilised on Boxing Day 2001 he deployed to Afghanistan as part of 16 UK Air Assault Brigade HQ. John was an active member and chair of the Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue Team and is Station President of Scarborough Lifeboat. John continues with his charity work, including roles with the Coast and Vale Education Trust, the Merchants of the Staple of England Charitable Trust, and Heroes Welcome UK. John was awarded the Territorial Decoration in 2006 and the MBE in 2016 for services to the Armed Forces and Scarborough. He is also a Doctor of the University of Hull (honorary causa). John is married to Nicola, and they have a daughter and two grandchildren.

Mr Simon Theakston DL

Biography

Simon Theakston is Executive Director of his family brewing company T&R Theakston Ltd. He has worked almost entire career in the industry with the exception of three years at the Financial Times in the late 70s. He lives in Farnham near Knaresborough. His broader interests are linked to North Yorkshire. He was Chairman of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society from 2008 to 2016 and was an elected Councillor on Harrogate Borough Council from 2002 to 2018. He is Chairman of Pub is the Hub, a national not-for profit organisation whose purpose is to provide seed-corn funding and advise to help rural pubs play a central role in the provision of the services required to enable rural communities to thrive and prosper. He was Master of the Worshipful Company of Brewers’ in 2019, a London Livery Company. He is married to Candy and they have two grown up children.

Captain Stephen Upright RN DL

Biography

Stephen earned a degree in Zoology at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and then immediately joined the Royal Navy where he served for 33 years at sea and ashore. Despite his initial reluctance to join the Submarine Service he went on to command, at various times, three operational submarines. This career has taken him around the world, without seeing very much of it at all! In his second career Stephen ran the medieval guildhall of the York Merchant Adventurers but he now spends as much time as he can sailing his small yacht.

Dr Jonathan Wild LL.D DL

Biography

Jonathan was born in Yorkshire, has lived most of his life in Yorkshire, and after a spell teaching, spent 35 years of his career working in – and leading – his family’s business, Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate, one of Yorkshire’s iconic enterprises. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Leeds for his social and environmental work, locally and internationally. He continues to work with environmental scientists at the university, supporting forest, biodiversity and land-use research, and building partnerships for practical action in Yorkshire and worldwide. Three of his picture book stories for young children about African animals for have been published internationally.

Sir Harry Wilmot Bt. DL

Biography

Harry has lived in North Yorkshire for 20 years after Graduating from Edinburgh University and living in South America. He owns and runs an engineering company in Teesside and spends much of his spare time cycling and sailing. He has been a Trustee and one time Chairman of Ocean Youth Trust North for many years. He was made a DL in 2017 and is proud to assist in the Lord Lieutenancy work in North Yorkshire, a part of the country that covers a wide scope of activities and fantastic people.

Sir William Worsley Bt. DL

Biography

William Worsley is Chair of the Forestry Commission. He is also a Lay Canon and a member of the Chapter of York Minster. He is a Warden of the Merchant Taylors Company in London. He is a former President of the CLA, the Country Land and Business Association, and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. He was a member of the North Yorkshire Rural Commission and was Chairman of the Howardian Hills National Landscape Joint Advisory Committee. He was the Government’s National Tree Champion and Chairman of the National Forest Company and is a former member of the North York Moors National Park Authority. He is a former Honorary Colonel of the Yorkshire Squadron of the Queens Own Yeomanry.

Mrs Venetia Wrigley DL

Biography

Venetia Wrigley is a born and bred Yorkshire girl who spent her time after school travelling and working around the world culminating in spending three years running a remote Jungle Lodge in Nepal. Since marrying 37 years ago she has devoted her time to bringing up her three children and working for the voluntary sector which has involved a number of different roles from fundraising for Action Research, helping to set up The Greenhouse Schools Project Charity, sitting on the Grants Committee for what is now Turn to Us and being a School Governor at Tring Park School. Today she concentrates on local causes such as St Nicholas Church Ganton, being a Trusee of the Two Communities Foundation and a Trustee of Racing Welfare and chairing the Malton Open Day Committee.

Deputy Lieutenants