High Sheriff opens the Christmas Fair
The High Sheriff of Warwickshire, Mrs Karen Lynch MBE, made it an extra special start to the Christmas season for the Percival Guildhouse when she popped in to open our fundraising fair. The High Sheriff is pictured with Rob Close OBE, Chair of Trustees at the Percival Guildhouse and Peter Reaney, reciprocal Guildhouse trustee representing the Westham House Fund.
Mrs Lynch enjoyed a tour of our St Matthew’s Street centre, experiencing the enthusiasm and passion of volunteers and staff who embody the spirit of community and culture that has enabled our home of lifelong learning to flourish for 100 years.
Her presence gave Saturday’s annual Christmas Fair an added boost as visitors flooded in to rummage through bric-a-brac, books and toys, and test their luck with the tombola and raffles.
What does the High Sheriff do?
The office of High Sheriff is one of only two royal appointments in the county and has existed since Saxon times. Historically, the Sheriff was responsible for raising troops, collecting taxes and catching criminals, all of which powers have over time been taken on by others.
Today it is a non-political, voluntary appointment for one year. The principal responsibilities involve support for the four main pillars of the Justice system, namely the Police and other law enforcement agencies, the Judiciary, the Prison Service and the Probation Service, alongside supporting the voluntary sector to build social cohesion.
Mrs Lynch said that during her year in office she was keen to support ventures in Rugby that promoted community and had been delighted to get to know the Guildhouse at first hand.
