High sheriff visits Melton with county dignitaries for church Justice Service

Dignitaries line up with Leicestershire's High sheriff Diana Thompson PHOTO: Phil Balding

The High sheriff of Leicestershire, Diana Thomspon, was in Melton on Sunday for a specially dedicated Justice Service at St Mary's Church.

The beautiful Grade I listed building, which last year had £1.9m spent on it, was full of important dignitaries all there to support her.

The officials had met earlier in the day for lunch at Melton Borough Council’s Parkside offices and then walked over to the church for the service which was led by Melton Team Parish Rector and Leicestershire High sheriff’s chaplain, Rev Kevin Ashby, and Bishop of Loughborough, the Rev Canon Dr Guli Francis-Dehqan.

During the service a collection was taken for Warning Zone and the St Mary’s Church Re-ordering Project. Warning Zone is Mrs Thompson’s chosen charity which aims to reduce the number of children and young people entering the criminal justice system. It also aims to provide children with key messages regarding how to keep safe online.

Mrs Thompson took up her role as High Sheriff earlier this year and the service was a wonderful way of bringing together, in an act of worship, many people from around the county who are directly involved in the maintenance of law and order, the administration of justice and voluntary organisations.

Notable dignitaries who attended included the Lord Mayor of Leicester, Cllr Ross Grant, chairman of Leicestershire County Council, Cllr Ozzy O’Shea, Mayor of Melton, Cllr Pru Chandler, and Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Mike Kapur.

The office of High sheriff is more than one thousand years old and is the oldest continuous secular office under The Crown. It remains the Sovereign’s representative in the country for all matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and order.