C E Lillis Esq High Sheriff of Shropshire 2017-18

Thursday 8th June 7.30 pm My wife and I attended an awards ceremony organised by the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service to honour firefighters for exceptional and longstanding service to the Fire Brigade. The Lord Lieutenant, Sir Algernon Heber-Percy, presented Long Service and Good Conduct medals to over 25 firefighters, including two awards for 40 […]

Wednesday 7th June 2017 The Hon Mrs Justice Carr, DBE, Presiding Judge on the West Midlands Circuit, kindly invited the High Sheriffs of the counties forming part of the West Midlands circuit to tea in her rooms in the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand.  It was an excellent occasion for most of us […]

5th June 2017 I made a visit to see the Oswestry CCTV Volunteers at work on Monday evening. They have extremely sophisticated CCVT cameras covering the centre of Oswestry with which they can monitor the movement of people and cars. They not only enable the police to deal more rapidly and efficiently with trouble of […]

Saturday 3rd June 2017 Major Terry Warburton, officer commanding D Squadron, The Royal Yeomanry, kindly invited us to attend Beating Retreat and Sunset Ceremony  at Moor Farm near Baschurch. After the presentation of awards by Major-General Brooks-Ward CVO OBE TD VR, the Band of The Royal Yeomanry put on an excellent Programme of Music and […]

I attended the opening event of the Annual Ellesmere College National Art Exhibition, with more than 75 nationally renowned artists and sculptors exhibiting over 300 pieces. It is open to the public and  runs until Sunday 4th June. This is the sixth year that Ellesmere have held this art exhibition, and there was a wealth […]

Thursday 1st June 2017 Veronica and I attended Derwen College’s production of “Time Warp” this morning, a one hour show charting the history of Derwen College over the last 90 years, which was an excellent demonstration of the enthusiasm and commitment from both students and staff. We were very kindly entertained to lunch by Meryl […]

21st May 2017. I attended the Bridgnorth Town Council’s Civic Service at St Mary Magdalene Church to inaugurate the Mayoral Year of Councillor Ron Whittle OBE. St Mary Magdalene is beautiful church designed by Thomas Telford and built from 1792. Following the excellent service we were offered refreshments in the Castle Hall, where this photograph […]

20th May 2017. This evening, we entertained the newly elected Mayors of Bridgnorth, Ellesmere, Much Wenlock, Shrewsbury, Wem and the outgoing Mayor of Telford and Wrekin, together with several Shropshire Councillors including the Chairman and the Deputy Leader of Shropshire Council. After drinks at home, we all attended the Whittington Chamber Music Festival to listen […]

Friday 19th May 2017. I attended the official Opening and Blessing of the new entrance to the Cathedral Church of Our Lady Help of Christians & St Peter of Alcantara on the Town Walls in Shrewsbury. After an inspirational service, we were offered drinks in the newly opened Orchard Cafe next to the Cathedral by […]

Thursday 18th May 2017. I attended a lunch in the Engine Shop at Enginuity organised by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust to celebrate its 50th Anniversary and to launch an appeal for an £15 million development programme designed to demonstrate how Cloalbrookdale was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and thus changed the world we […]

Tuesday 16th May. Together with the neigbouring High Sheriffs from Cheshire and Clwyd, I attended a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. We were all impressed at how immaculately run the party was but also how very relaxed the atmosphere. The Buckingham Palace garden looked very beautiful, the rain held off, the bands played, the tea […]

I attended the formal opening of Trinity Term of the High Court in Stafford at the invitation of the High Sheriff of Staffordshire, Mr Humphrey Scott-Moncrieff DL, and was accompanied by my Chaplain, the Reverend Prebendary David North. It was a fascinating day watching history in action.

I attended the AGM of the West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association, covering the West Midlands and the counties of Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire. This is an organisation that does much good both for the country as a whole and particularly for the cadets of Shropshire.

At the invitation of Michael Limbrey MBE, I had the great pleasure of launching the appeal for the Mongomery Canal Restoration Fund (www.restorethemontgomerycanal.uk). As a result of the sterling efforts of those involved in the restoration of the canal over the last 45 years, there are now only two miles to complete for the canal […]

I attended a St George’s Day parade through the streets of Oswestry on Sunday 23rd April by the Shropshire Borders District Scouts. After the parade there was a service in the parish church, the Church of St Oswald. The event was extremely impressive and a great credit both to the scouts themselves and to the […]

I attended a very enjoyable dinner at RAF Cosford for cadets of the University of Birmingham Air Squadron.

I attended part of an excellent presentation to school children, involving a very effective recreation of a court proceeding by professional actors, of what happens it you become involved in crime and hence come into contact with the judicial system. This initiative has been operating for a few years in North Wales, where it apparently […]

My first outing as High Sheriff was to Walford College Lambing Day (http://www.nsc.ac.uk/news/spring-lambing-day-at-walford-campus) on Sunday 2nd April. Gillian Richards, the Chairman of the Governors, very kindly showed me round their very impressive farming campus.  The day was well attended by families, the children delighted to see the farm animals.

Waiting to process into the Church prior to the Installation of the new High Sheriff – from left to right: Mr Peter Stewart – Deputy Under Sheriff, Mrs Jane Trowbridge JP, Mrs Madeleine Butcher – Under Sheriff, Mrs Christine Holmes – High Sheriff of Shropshire, Mr Charles Lillis, His Honour Judge Peter Barrie, The Reverend […]