AYEAR IN OFFICE

SELINA GRAHAM HAS CLOCKED UP THOUSANDS OF MILESINHER 12 MONTHS AS HIGH SHERIFF OF SHROPSHIRE. HEATHER LARGE CAUGHT UP WITH HER TO CHAT ABOUT HER INCREDIBLE YEAR

Travelling the length and breadth of Shropshiretomeet the people who make our communities tick has been ajourney of discovery for Selina Graham.

When she was installed as High Sheriff in April last year,Selina vowed to champion volunteering in all itsguises during her 12 months in office.

Since then, she has made it her mission to meet as manypeople as possible, who giveuptheir time freely, and without expectation of reward, to improve thelives of others

“Somany people said at the beginning don’t be a‘busy fool’ and I’ve probably been a‘busy fool’!” says the mother of two. “Luckily my children learned young to fend for themselves andmyhusband has fast had to learn to cook! He has been ahuge support.

“I’ve been to alot of places and I’ve met alot of people. Ilovemeeting people and making connections and themore you meet the more connections you can make.

“The role has taken over my life completely but you only get one shot at it and if you want to make adifference then you need to throw as much at it as you possibly can,” explains Selina.

Over the past 12 months, she has clocked up thousands of miles visiting avast range of charities and community groups across the county

“When you start travelling the length and breadth of it, you realise what ahuge county Shropshire is. It’s lucky Ilive pretty centrally,” says Selina, who has been involved in running her family’s estate at Willey Park, Broseley for more than 20 years, “but Istill managed to have aday when Iopened aChristmas Fayre in Shrewsbury,attendedacivic service in Wemand turnedonthe Christmas lights in Clun!”

Spending time in different communities has opened her eyes to awide variety of volunteering and the extraordinary efforts people go to support each other.

“My favourite definition of community is ‘a group of people that care about each other andfeel they belong together’. When people care about each other,they develop trust and trust unlocks collaboration.

“All over Shropshire, we have such groups. Seeingthe different ways in which these communities across Shropshire collaborate for greatest impact has been fantastic –and they are all so different, so proud of their own ‘place’ and how they care for it. It has been very evident that Shropshireis notone ‘place’, it really is made up of so many completely individual and very different towns and communities.”

To help recognise the valuable contribution volunteers make in Shropshire, she hasbeenhanding out High Sheriff ’s Awards of appreciation.

“We’ve had ahugenumber of people nominate someone for an award, which is fantastic. Ieven received three completely independent nominations for one individual, which obviously says ahuge amount about her. Somebody else has just received aHigh Sheriff ’s Award from the 4th different county!

“I would never be able to recognise everyone who deserves it but it’s been areal privilege to go outand meet the people Ihave given awards to,” says Selina.

Selina, whose mother,Catherine Lady Forester,was the first female High Sheriff of Shropshire in 1997, hasnot only wanted to thank volunteers, but also to spread the positive message: “Volunteering is aremedy.It’s afeel-good pill. Doing things for others makes you feel good about yourself and that can help mental health,” sheexplains.“One person’s ‘service user’isoften somebody else’s volunteer.” And that is why Selina strongly believes volunteering will have such apositive part to play in social prescribing in thefuture –where doctors connect people with activities, groups and services to improve their health and wellbeing.

“One of the words I’ve heard the most this year is: purposefulness. The lackof purpose is when things tend to go wrong so doing something meaningful can be incredibly important and there are so many different volunteering opportunities available. Ihave been highlightingsome of these on the High Sheriff ’s socialmedia #HighSheriffAsk but the Shropshire InfrastructurePartnership and town and county councils are alsogood places to look.”

Over the past 12 months, Selina has also undertaken the traditional role of aHigh Sheriff by supporting those working on our behalf in the judiciary,the police, prisons, probation and emergency services.

“People have been incredibly generous with their time and knowledge. I’ve sat with aHigh Court judge, Crown Court judges, with magistrates and with the coroner; met court staff,tribunal judges and probation officers.

“I’ve visited Stoke Heath Prison, been out with police on patrol, visited the police problem-solving unit, attended police awards evenings, met the police cadets and visited Willowdene Farm, aresidential rehabilitation centre for women in Chorley.”

As well as visiting West Mercia Police’s headquarters at Hindlip Hall,

Selina travelled out of the county to visit HM Prison Long Lartin, near Evesham in Worcestershire with fellow High Sheriffs from Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

Long Lartin is aCategory Afacility for male prisoners considered to pose the most threat to the public, thepolice or national security should they escape.

Describing thevisit as “life-changing”, she says: “No amount of watching Netflix crime dramas could have prepared me for the utter sense of desolation and hopelessness. It reinforced to me how important hope is, and howvital it is to work to keep even the faintest flickers alive, before aperson ends up somewhere

CLOCKWISE FROM TOPLEFT: like this. There are also wider messages for society though –mostofthe people that end up there do so because society has –wehave –failedthem.”

High Sheriff of BuckinghamshireDebbie Brock and High Sheriff of ShropshireSelina Graham visit CliveKnowles at the British Ironwork CentreinOswestry; Selina Graham is sworn in to her new role at St John the Baptist Church in Willeynear Broseley; cutting the ribbon and unveiling aplaque at theopening of theMen’s Shed, Cleobury Mortimer,withBarbara Martin, Peter Blackburn (Chair of the charity) and Rev’d Ashley Buck; Selina Graham’sMemories II art exhibition preview night at Willey Park; with Mayor of TelfordRaj Mehta as Lingen Davies launch their Cancer Awareness van at TelfordPlaza.

There is, unsurprisingly,a ceremonial aspect to such an ancient role with royal visits, mayor makings, awards ceremonies, civic services and processions.

“I don’t thinkIcould have had a more extraordinary year.Itincludedthe Queen’sJubilee andthe Commonwealth Games. Iattended beacon lightings, community lunches, torch handovers and picnics in the park –alot of celebration.” Then in September,Selina, along with other High Sheriffs across thecountry, read the accession proclamation of King Charles III.

She gave the first address from the bandstand in the QuarryinShrewsbury before travelling to Southwater in Telford to repeat the proclamation.

“The proclamation was momentous. It was an incredible honour to take part in such an historic occasion,but also to spend time reflecting on the life of one of the most amazing, if not the most amazing, woman of my lifetime was a great privilege.

“Both Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin councils stagedimpeccable events, they were seamless,” says Selina.

In just afew weeks, she will be handing over her reins to High Sheriff in nomination Mandy Thorn following a legal service at Shrewsbury Abbey

This is atraditional service held in thanksgiving of the King’s Peace, our heritage and for all those who work in the administration of justice andassociated charities.

“The velvet and feathers is going to end up in the attic,but all of the experiences, connections, friendships and knowledge will remain.

“It does go incredibly quickly.For four years, you are working up to it, then once you are installed, it takesona life of its own.

“I wish Mandy awonderful year –my advice to her is probably the opposite of that given to me –tobea‘busy fool’, throw yourself into it, embrace all the opportunities, but play to your strengths because that’s the way you can make the most difference.

ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOPLEFT: Launch of the Tree of Light in Telford Shopping CentrewithPeter Seaward, chair of the Tree of Light committee; at Shrewsbury Station launching anew train, the Charles Darwin, to run from Wolverhamptonto Shrewsbury; unveiling aPlatinum Jubilee Bench at Market Drayton Junior School; visiting Severn Hospice in Shrewsbury with Jeanette Whitford(Chair), Prof Derek Willis (Medical Director) and patient Mary Reedy.

“It’s exhausting but it’s an enormous privilege and Ihave enjoyed every minute of it.”