Many congratulations to Hazel Snell DL on her installation as His Majesty’s High Sheriff of Merseyside at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the World’s oldest school of tropical medicine.

The Office of High Sheriff is an indepenedent non-political Royal appointment for a single year. The origins of the Office date back to Saxon times, when the ‘Shire Reeve’ was responsible to The King for the maintenance of law and order within the shire, or county, and for the collection and return of taxes due to the Crown.

Whilst the duties of the role have evolved over time, supporting the Crown and the judiciary remain central elements of the role today. In additional High Sheriffs actively lend support and encouragement to crime prevention agencies, the emergency services and to the voluntary sector.

Hazel Snell will have a particular focus on supporting agencies to reduce Violence Against Women and Girls during her year in Office. We wish her every success.