·      The competition is open to Year 10 - 11 pupils at your school. 

• Your competition entry must be original and all your own work. 
• There is a 10% tolerance on word count and timing of video clips.
• All submissions must be submitted by email by Friday 26th September to christian.mba@hartshillacademy.org.uk
• Any late entries will not be considered.
• For safeguarding reasons, video clip filming must be undertaken in a public place.
• Winners entries may be shared via PR locally and potentially nationally and winners will be photographed for same purposes with the High Sheriff and judging panels.
• Judges decisions are final and judges will disregard any inappropriate submissions.
• Participants agree to take part in two or three facilitated workshops with other competition finalists to share ideas and develop a plan for a crime prevention initiative.
• Winners will be announced at the Young High Sheriff for a day Competition Winners Event on Wednesday 15th October 2025.
• Video clips should not include personal information, such as age, school or where you live.
• Entries must not contain defamatory, obscene, offensive, or any other unsuitable material; the High Sheriff reserves the right to disqualify entries containing such matter.
• Entries must be suitable to be broadcast, published or used online by the High Sheriff, Hartshill Academy and the competition organiser for audiences of all ages.
• If the story has troubling content, the High Sheriff, School and the competition organiser may if required take advice from the NSPCC, and may refer the troubling content to the relevant authorities. For information, please here for the school safeguarding policy.

• £250 cash prize for the Winner.
• A day, (or part days) spent with the High Sheriff to act in a support capacity and assist them in their formal duties on behalf of the King.
• A ceremonial robe to wear for the day.
• £50 vouchers for two Under-Sheriffs, (runners up).

Please send your entry to christian.mba@hartshillacademy.org.uk

Important: within the email, to accompany your entry please include:

• Your name.
• HART Coach name and email.
• Parent / guardian name and email

This information is important because:

Any queries about your entry will be directed back to you and include your HART Coach. 

If you are selected as a competition finalist, you and your parents / guardians will be invited to the competition winners’ event. At that time, your parents / guardians will be asked to complete a form providing consent to photography at the winners’ event and to using your name and school in press and PR communications. If you are 18 or over at the time of the winners’ event, you will be asked to provide this consent.

Written entries will be printed and circulated to judges.

• Please ensure your name is visible on your entry when printed. 
• Your entry, (if written) should be printable on A4 paper. We advise you run a test print of your entry, before submission, to ensure you are happy with the presentation when printed.

At the end of the competition, all personal data will be deleted. Your entry will be retained for PR purposes only.

Warwickshire High Sheriff 2025/26 – Mrs Karen Lynch MBE

highsheriffofwarwickshire.co.uk

The office of High Sheriff is one of only two royal appointments in the county and has been extant 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. It is now a non-political, voluntary appointment for one year, still representing Law and Order in the county with an increased role in promoting voluntary work in the community

Warwickshire's new High Sheriff shares her passion for helping turn lives around.

“…When we extend the hand of friendship and work together across sectors and across communities, we solve problems and realise opportunities we could not reach alone.” - Karen Lynch MBE, High Sheriff of Warwickshire

A new High Sheriff of Warwickshire was inaugurated this Easter at The Old Shire Hall in Warwick. Karen Lynch MBE of Flecknoe, Warwickshire will serve as the 691st High Sheriff in the county.

Born in Jarrow, Tyne & Wear, Karen moved to Warwickshire with her husband Scott, and daughters Alicja and Georgina in 2003.

Following a stint at Barclays head office at Warwick Business Park, Karen transitioned to the world of social enterprise in 2009 when she became the CEO of Belu Water until March 2020. Under Karen’s leadership the brand became one of the UK’s best-known and most awarded social enterprises which grew to deliver £1m in net profits per annum that in turn passed to WaterAid. During Karen’s tenure, Belu Water contributed over £5m to WaterAid.

In addition to the core responsibilities of a High Sheriff supporting the pillars of the justice system, Karen will be taking a collaborative approach to the year inspired by her passion for social enterprises and community organisations which she believes are the backbone for good in our communities.

Karen said: “I truly believe that when we extend the hand of friendship and work together across sectors and across communities, we solve problems and realise opportunities we could not reach alone.”

Karen is also committed to showing that the role is one that can be accessible to people of all backgrounds. With the role being voluntary and without expenses Karen is keen to be thrifty.

She said: “I can’t know for sure, but I’m yet to meet or hear of another High Sheriff who put together their outfit purely using Vinted and Ebay and I’ll be collaborating with a lot of friends and family to support me with driving, cake making and admin to help make the impact I want to make.”

In her year as High Sheriff, Karen will continue to champion The Young High Sheriff initiative and support Crimebeat Warwickshire. She is keen to visit and acknowledge as many social enterprises and voluntary organisations as possible in her year.

Karen’s nomination to office was made by Joe Greenwell CBE, former Chair of Ford Motor Company and Jaguar Landrover. In his speech at the ceremony Joe said: “She will challenge the status quo but always with the aim of improving matters for the individuals, communities and organisations she is associated with.

“All of which to my mind qualifies her well for the duties of the High Sheriff in the coming year. I know that she intends to be very visible throughout the county in the next 12 months and I am sure she will have a very positive impact within our community and on the office itself.”

There have been High Sheriffs for at least 1,000 years.  The original “Shire Reeves” were Royal officials appointed to enforce the King’s interests in a County, in particular the collection of revenues and the enforcement of law and order.

High Sheriffs had extensive powers.  They judged cases in monthly courts and acted as law enforcement officers.  They could raise the ‘hue and cry’ after criminals in the County and summon and command the ‘posse comitatus’, the full military force of the County. 

Sheriffs are mentioned in 27 of the 63 clauses of Magna Carta of 1215 and were clearly fundamental to the running of the Shires.  By 1254 the High Sheriff supervised the election to Parliament of two Knights of the Shire.

From about 1300 their responsibilities began to wane as more and more functions were centralised. 

• The exchequer was established to administer tax collection and to audit the Sheriff’s accounts.
• A system of itinerant Justices and Assizes was set up. 

Sheriffs, however, maintained responsibility for issuing Writs, organising the Court, prisoners and juries, and executing sentences once they were pronounced. 

It was also the Sheriff’s responsibility to ensure the safety and comfort of the Judges.  This is the origin of the High Sheriff’s modern-day duty of care for the well-being of High Court Judges.  Further changes came with the creation of Coroners and Justices of the Peace and the establishment of Lord-Lieutenants as the personal representatives of the Sovereign.

Tradition says that Queen Elizabeth I originated the practice of appointing high Sheriffs by “pricking” their names when the Roll was brought to her while she was engaged in embroidery.  Sadly, this is a myth since there is a Sheriffs’ Roll from the reign of King Henry VII, where the names are pricked through vellum.  This is in fact an early form of document security.  Sheriffs had to collect unpopular taxes and could be personally liable for any shortfall.  There was therefore and incentive to try to avoid appointment. No matter how high the bribe, however, no official could disguise a hole pierced thought the vellum against the appointee’s name. The practice of the Monarch pricking the names of High Sheriffs survives to this day.

In the 19th century Sheriffs’ responsibilities for police, prisons and Crown property were transferred to statutory bodies.  Their surviving powers were codified in the Sheriffs Act of 1887.  This Act, with subsequent amendments, remains in force to this day. Among other things it confirms the historic process of nomination by the Sovereign.

The Current Role of High Sheriffs

The Office of High Sheriff is an independent non-political Royal appointment for a single year.  Today, there are 55 High Sheriffs serving the Counties of England and Wales.

 Supporting the Crown and judiciary remain a central element of the role. 

They give active support and encouragement to the police and emergency services, to the probation and prison services and to other agencies involved with crime prevention, particularly among young people.  Under the Criminal Law Act 1826, High Sheriffs present awards to people assisting the apprehension of offenders. They can act as Returning Officers for parliamentary elections in some counties.

High Sheriffs play an increasingly active role in promoting a wide range of voluntary work within their communities, together with encouraging and participating in projects designed to reduce crime. 

Many High Sheriffs give their own personal awards to individuals, often unsung heroes within small voluntary groups, who have made an outstanding contribution in some way. 

As the Office of High Sheriff is independent and non-political, they are therefore very well placed to bring together a wide range of people within the community they serve. High Sheriffs receive no remuneration.

The High Sheriff’s role can be summarised as follows:

• To uphold and enhance the ancient Office of High Sheriff and to make a meaningful contribution to the High Sheriff’s County during the year of Office.
• To lend active support to the principal organs of the Constitution within their county – the Royal Family, the Judiciary, the Police and other law-enforcement agencies, the emergency services, local authorities and all recognised church and faith groups.
• To ensure the welfare of visiting High Court Judges; to attend on them at Court and to offer them hospitality.
• To support the Lord-Lieutenant on Royal visits and on other occasions as appropriate.
• To take an active part in supporting and promoting voluntary organisations within a County.

The High Sheriffs Association

https://highsheriffs.com/

There is a High Sheriff in every county in England and Wales, and their history and tradition goes back before the Norman Conquest. The Office is the oldest Royal appointment. The modern day High Sheriff has a very different role and function to that of his or her ancient ancestors, but none the less plays an important role in our 21st century society.