A High Sheriff is a non- political role that lasts just one year. It is a voluntary and unpaid. It involves travelling across the county and working closely with our public services and those who maintain law and order on behalf of our communities and the King. In short the criminal justice system. Visiting the police, prisons, the probation service and sitting with our resident judge in the criminal courts and attending the family and coroners courts is all part of the role.
However, the essence of being a High Sheriff is about being a champion for public service and community action. Who is it that can visit, listen, ask questions and above all say thank you to both our public servants and the many volunteers that work in our voluntary and public services.
I have not met anyone working in these services who does it out of anything but a true spirit of public service. And if at its core public service embodies the values of empathy, compassion and responsibility, then West Sussex has it in abundance.
The communities and individuals who work within our charitable, statutory and emergency services embody a public spirit that is second to none. I did not realise how many public services are in fact run by volunteers, such as the Lifeboat crews on the South Coast, the Air Ambulance service and every single magistrate. There are hundreds of community organisations without which our society simply would not be able to function, ranging from charities for the disabled and mentally ill to drug and alcohol rehabilitation and homelessness.
We are quick to criticise our public institutions – the police, the fire service, the emergency services - but from what I have seen they do the very best they can in difficult circumstances with limited resources.
I have been pleased that the office of High Sheriff has enabled me to bring people together to tackle some of the most fundamental issues facing our communities.
One such issue is the shocking rise in reports of domestic abuse in West Sussex, which are up by 97% on last year. This is one of the main reasons the police will attend an incident. In January this year I arranged, in collaboration with West Sussex County Council and the Police and Crime Commission, a meeting of 300 or so organisations and individuals working across the county to focus on this dramatic rise and to promote best practice. “Nobody Left Behind” was a pan-Sussex conference at the Amex stadium which showed how better understanding and intervention can save lives.
As part of many visits to charities and the voluntary sector I have been struck by the stories of people I have met who have managed to turn their lives around; people who were homeless, suffering as alcohol and drug addicts, often with mental health problems and criminal records. Their testimonies tell of the many organisations and individuals who helped them.
My firm view having visited so many organisations, in my year is that statutory and charitable efforts need to come together even more than they do currently to work more collaboratively.
That is why I have been working alongside mayors to bring together communities, police, local councilors and voluntary organisations to talk together about the issues facing them. So far meetings have taken place across the county in Bognor Regis, Chichester, Worthing, Crawley, Horsham and Mid Sussex.
It has been a privilege to be your High Sheriff for the past year in West Sussex. I only wish everyone could witness the fundamental decency and care with which so many work so hard to support each and every one of us. We are so very fortunate.
