New High Sheriff of Rutland plans focus on bioversity and rural poverty work

Ecological issues and the problem of rural poverty will be among key areas of focus for new High Sheriff of Rutland, David Wood.

David formally took over the role from Richard Cole at the customary declaration ceremony last week.

For the second year running, Covid-19 restrictions forced the ceremony away from the traditional venue of Oakham Castle, and instead took place in the David's back garden in Wing where he and wife Jeffy have lived since 1985.

“Having lived in Rutland for 36 years, I know what a wonderful county it is with an exceptional community spirit," he said.

“I am immensely proud to have been given the honour of being High Sheriff of Rutland and will do my best to support the community.”

A former operational director of Lloyds TSB, David later became non-executive chairman of the Melton Mowbray Building Society until retirement in 2014.

He is involved with several charitable trusts, and is chairman of trustees for the Birmingham-based Foundation for Conductive Education - a specialist centre for movement disorders.

Closer to home he is a churchwarden for St Peter and St Paul’s Church.

He is aiming to make up for lost time by visiting every village and town in Rutland and meeting as many volunteers as possible during his year.

Dovetailing with his position as Rutland Agricultural Society chairman, he is keen to visit volunteers and groups promoting ecological projects.

At the end of the year the three most bio-diverse villages will be rewarded with a tree to plant.

"It's going to be a very busy year," he added.

"Being High Sheriff is a good opportunity to deliver something back in terms of public service."

Equally high on his agenda will be social isolation.

“My particular focus will be upon those volunteers and organisations which support people in rural poverty or suffering loneliness,” he explained.

“This is especially important given the pressures and issues of the last year due to Covid-19.

“It has exposed the amount of people that lead a lonely life, and I’m keen to see what we can do to support them."

As the vaccination roll-out continues and lockdown eases, David hopes he will have a more typical year as High Sheriff than his predecessor.

Richard Cole stepped into the role just a few weeks into the first national lockdown, and had his declaration ceremony in the car park of Oakham Castle.

“It was a very strange start as all of a sudden everything in our diaries evaporated, but I think we adapted as the year went on,” he said.

“I am very much a glass half-full sort of person so I don’t dwell on the things I wasn’t able to do - the things I was able to do were excellent.

“Rutland showed itself at its very best with so many people coming forward to volunteer and responding to the challenge.

“We have over 300 voluntary organisations in Rutland and many more have emerged out of the pandemic.”

The highlight of Richard’s year was a visit to thank staff and volunteers at the Covid-19 vaccination centre in Oakham .

“It has been a dark year for everyone, but that was such a positive place and a real beacon of hope for finding a way out of this,” he said.

“A key part of the role of high sheriff is to shine a light on good things that people are doing and to support them, because a lot of this kind of work goes unthanked.”

Most of us had to adapt our lives to the ‘new normal’ and the High Sheriff was no different.

“There were some quiet periods, but when there were opportunities to be busy we got out and saw people as much as possible,” Richard added.

“We also wrote to lots of people and used things like Instagram and YouTube.

“We have found different ways to do things - I have embraced technology more than I ever imagined!”