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Deputy Lieutenants
Deputy Lieutenants are appointed by the Lord-Lieutenant subject to HM The King not disapproving of the granting of their commission. Once appointed they are holders of public office. The list below is ordered by surname.
Jonathan Agar DL
Jonathan has been Chief Executive of Birketts, a law firm based in Ipswich and also with offices in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Norwich and London, since 2013. Prior to this he was in the army for six years and then spent 15 years working in London for a number of city companies before he returned to Suffolk, where he was brought up. Jonathan has been a trustee of the Suffolk Community Foundation since 2014 and a governor of The Royal Hospital School since 2015 where he chairs the Finance Committee. As a Deputy Lieutenant Jonathan plays an active role in the Lieutenancy Business and Enterprise Group that promotes the Queen's Award for Enterprise in recognising business excellence across the county. He is also engaged in seeking to reduce social isolation and rural deprivation in Suffolk. Jonathan represents the Lord-Lieutenant on the Shotley Peninsular where he lives with his wife Fenella and three teenage daughters.
Timothy Bridge DL
After graduating Tim joined Greene King in 1970 and spent his entire career there, serving as Chief Executive between 1994-2005 and Chairman between 2005-2016. He lives on the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border. He has been President of the Gentlemen of Suffolk Cricket Club since 1996. His activities as a Deputy Lieutenant have been focused on West Suffolk, particularly in Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill and Long Melford and he has worked on the Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service and is now a member of the group promoting the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. Tim’s interests include business and sport.
James Buckle DL
James runs a very diversified farming business in the Hadleigh area. He is the founding Chairman of the Porch Project in Hadleigh, has been Trustee and Vice Chair of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, Chairman of the Suffolk Community Foundation, and a school governor. He was High Sheriff in 2009/10 and currently leads for the Lord-Lieutenant on Children and Young People in the County. His business interests allow him to indulge in his passions for the environment, recycling and beer. James lives in Semer with his wife Heather and supports the Lord-Lieutenant in Hadleigh.
Deborah Cadman, OBE, DL
Deborah has been since 2017 chief executive of West Midlands Combined Authority, prior to which she spent six years as chief executive of Suffolk County Council. Earlier in her career she held senior roles in both local and central government, including as chief executive of St Edmundsbury Borough Council and of the East of England Development Agency. She received an OBE in 2006 for services to local government and is listed in Local Government Chronicle’s “100 Most Influential in the Sector”. Deborah is a trustee of the Joseph Rowntree Trust and Joseph Rowntree Housing Foundation, a commissioner for the Smart Government Commission and a member of the Reform Advisory Board. She recently won the First Women Award for Public Service. She lives in the North East of the County.
Erika Clegg DL
Erika is a corporate values consultant, writer and start up advisor. From 2006-2022 Erika owned Spring, a multi-award-winning communications agency with a strong community support ethos. She founded Larkenby, a corporate values consultancy in 2019. As a passionate advocate for the subject she speaks for organisations including CEO coaching group, Vistage and works with clients including the Prison Reform Trust. Erika has been a Director of the Design Business Association and New Anglia LEP and Trustee of various cultural and community charities and Ambassador for The Right Course. She was brand Director for the Festival of Suffolk, discovering an exciting new Suffolk Talent in lifeboatman Joe Barnes to create the Festival's glorious silhouette of HM The Late Queen. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. Erika lives in and represents Southwold with Simon and their son.
Edward Creasy DL
Edward is Suffolk born and bred and has lived in the county for the 38 years. He has had a 40 year business career, focusing on the international property and casualty insurance industry and Lloyd's of London. He holds and has held multiple directorships; he was Chief Executive of Kiln plc and is currently Chairman of the Charles Taylor Group. He is one of the most long-standing members of the charity, Pilotlight, and was a trustee of Street Child. He was the High Sheriff of Suffolk for 2021/22 and is currently involved in supporting and helping local Suffolk charities, The Diocese of Suffolk, the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board and other local institutions.
Lt Col (Ret’d) Anthony Fairbanks Weston DL
Anthony spent 22 years with the Honourable Artillery Company & Royal Anglian Regiment. After the Army, he forged a second career as an independent Restructuring and Turnaround Director working with organisations as varied as the Ministry of Defence, the Police Service and a Premier League Football Club. He is the Chairman of Suffolk’s Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, an Executive Board member of East Anglia Reserve Forces and Cadets Association and Honorary Colonel of Suffolk Army Cadet Force. He has been involved with St John Ambulance for over 37 years. He was appointed a Commander of The Most Venerable Order of St John in 1999 and awarded the Territorial Decoration in 2000. As a DL he takes a particular interest in Suffolk's serving and veteran military personnel. Anthony and his wife Clare live in Helmingham where he keeps rare breed pigs which over the years have included Gloucester Old Spots, Oxford Sandy and Blacks, Saddlebacks and British Lops.
Roger Finbow DL
Roger was until 2020 the Chairman of the Seckford Foundation, Suffolk’s oldest charity, which supports the education and care of the young and elderly in the county. A retired corporate and antitrust solicitor and partner in the City firm Ashurst, he is a Trustee of the Legal Education Foundation and the founder of Horizons, a charity which encourages and supports disadvantaged students to join the legal profession. He is a Vice-President of Ipswich Town Football Club. As a Deputy Lieutenant he supports Suffolk Law Centre, whose lawyers help those in the county who would otherwise be unable to access legal advice; and is a member of the Lieutenancy’s QAVS Task Group. He and his wife Nina live in Higham in the Stour Valley and he represents the Lord-Lieutenant across the Constable Country villages.
Stephen Fletcher DL
Stephen is a Chartered Surveyor and farmer in Charsfield where he lives with his wife Marion. He was a Partner in Bidwells, responsible for the rural activities of the firm, and for its East Anglian offices. He subsequently formed his own business, which later merged to form Landbridge Property LLP. He has expanded his farming enterprise, including Potsford Care Farm, a farm-based care entity providing facilities for those with mental health issues.
Throughout his career Stephen has worked within the charitable sector serving as a Trustee of the Seckford Foundation, the Suffolk Agricultural Association, the Suffolk Community Foundation, and Young Suffolk. He is currently Chairman of the Farmers Club Charitable Trust and Patron of Suffolk Sight. Stephen’s particular areas of interest within the Lieutenancy’s areas of work include education, the rural sector, and caring for the more elderly members of society.
Dr. Edmund (Ed) Garratt, OBE, DL
Ed has served the county of Suffolk since 2012, notably as the Chief Executive Officer for NHS Suffolk and North East Essex. During the Covid-19 pandemic he led the response of the health service locally, including delivering one of the most effective and rapid roll outs of the Covid-19 vaccination programme in the country. He is a Visiting Professor of Integrated Care at the University of Suffolk and has a published PhD in English literature from the University of Cambridge. In The King's first Birthday Honours List of June 2023 he was made an OBE for his services to the local healthcare system. Ed has a wife and three children and a home in East Suffolk.
Valerie Hill MVO DL
Valerie has lived in Pinewood on the outskirts of Ipswich for many years, having grown up in rural east Suffolk. She worked as a Personal Assistant in local government for over 40 years and for most of that time, alongside other roles, she provided support to a total of four Lord-Lieutenants and six Clerks of Lieutenancy in the Lieutenancy Office, through which she gained a tremendous knowledge of the county and was involved in the organisation of many key events. In recognition of her service to the Royal Family, she was appointed a Member of The Royal Victorian Order by Her Majesty The Queen in 2007. As a Deputy Lieutenant she provides advice and guidance on National Honours, and is a member of The Lord-Lieutenant’s Honours Committee, and the Honours Task Group. She is the Lord-Lieutenant’s representative for Kesgrave.
Claire Horsley DL
After a long career as a director of a shipping and trading company in London Claire moved to Suffolk and for the last 30 years has been involved with various charities. She was Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Ipswich School for many years, and then involved either as a trustee or volunteer with Riding for the Disabled, the Samaritans, and with the creation and development of the Suffolk Community Foundation. She is currently Chair of Trustees for Fresh Start-new beginnings, a charity working in Suffolk and Norfolk providing therapeutic care for children who have suffered from sexual abuse. As a DL Claire has particular responsibility for QAVS and the welfare of children and young people and the Stowmarket area. She is currently a member of the Lieutenancy's Children and Young People’s Working Party. She lives with her husband Paul in Hemingstone.
Sue Hughes DL
Sue has spent most of her life in Suffolk. Twenty-seven of those years were concerned with criminal justice serving in the Police and Magistrates Courts where she was both tutor and mentor. Police service led to specialising in Home Office Large Major Enquiries and serious sexual offences. In the Magistrates' Courts Sue was Bench Chairman of the West Suffolk and amalgamated Suffolk Courts. She was also Bench Chairman trainer delivering training nationally for the Judicial College. In the last few years Sue has been Lay Member of the Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership, Chairman of Suffolk & NE Essex Dementia Forum and Co-Chair of Suffolk Dementia Action Partnership. Sue is now actively involved as a Board Member of Healthwatch Suffolk and with St Edmundsbury Cathedral, serving on Chapter as Non-Executive Trustee. Her governance responsibilities include nominations, finance and leading on social action and inclusivity. Her interests include wildlife, nature conservation and the arts. She is founder member of 500 Suffolk Reasons.
Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallett, KBE, DL
Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallett is Founder of The Marshall Institute at the London School of Economics and has just retired as Chair of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Tom is on the Board of the Westminster Abbey Foundation and until recently a Trustee of the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the King's Fund. Tom is also the Founder and Chair of HelpForce, a charity supporting the NHS with safe reliable volunteers. Tom and his wife Juliet live near Snape and share a passion for walking, chickens and gardening.
Terry Hunt DL
Terry was the Editor of the East Anglian Daily Times for 21 years before he retired in 2017. He also had two spells as Editor of the Ipswich Star. In 2015 he was President of the Suffolk Agricultural Association, which organises the Suffolk Show . Terry now works with a number of Suffolk charities and other organisations. He is Chairman of the Ipswich Vision Board, a collaboration of eight organisations working to drive the county town forward. He is also Chairman of Inspire Suffolk, Chairman of the Development Board at the Museum of East Anglian Life, Vice-Chairman of Headway Suffolk and a Trustee at St Elizabeth Hospice. He also continues to write for the EADT and EADT Suffolk Magazine. He lives in Ipswich and represents the Lord-Lieutenant in the town and also in Framlingham where he went to school.
Lucinda Hutson MVO DL
Lucinda lived and worked in London for 20 years, for much of that time in the Royal Collection at St James’ Palace, and she was honoured to be made a member of the Royal Victorian Order in 2006. She grew up in Suffolk and returned in 2008 to run her family’s farming estate, with her mother and sister. She is a Parish Councillor and Chairman of her local British Legion branch. Having served on the Cathedral Council at Bury St Edmunds for six years, Lucinda became the Chairman of the Trustees of the Foundation of St Edmund in 2019 and joined the Friends of the Cathedral Council the same year. As a Deputy Lieutenant she is a member of the Honours Task Group and represents the Lord-Lieutenant in the east of the county, where she lives near Beccles with her husband David.
The Honourable Mary James DL
Mary has worked her life in books, first as an antiquarian bookdealer for Bernard Quaritch Ltd in London before moving to Suffolk and buying The Aldeburgh Bookshop in 2000 with her husband John. The shop won Best Independent Bookshop in the UK Award at the British Book Awards in 2005. In 2002 they founded the Aldeburgh Literary Festival. Mary is a Trustee of the Aldeburgh Cinema and the Aldeburgh Documentary Festival. In 2022 Mary and John with two others co-edited the anthology of Suffolk writing and art, 'A New Suffolk Garland', which was published in celebration of and in aid of the Festival of Suffolk. She lives in Snape where she has been a Parish Councillor and is involved in organising village events such as the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. She is always keen to get children reading and volunteers for Schoolreaders in Saxmundham.
Lt Gen (Retd) Phil Jones CB CBE DL
Phil Jones served for 36 years in the British Army (The Royal Anglian Regiment), departing the service as a Lieutenant General. With over 15 international deployments, including three secondments to the UN and two to NATO in leadership roles, he gained operational experience in most of the major military campaigns of the past 30 years. In 2015 he and his wife Denise settled back in his home county of Suffolk. He is now the Chairman of the Army Benevolent Fund, the Army’s national charity, and Managing Director of an ethical security consultancy. In Suffolk, he represents the Lord-Lieutenant in matters relating to UK and US Armed Forces in the county and supports the Lieutenancy in Bury St Edmunds.
Bee Kemball DL
Bee was until 2019 the Honorary Show Director for the Suffolk Show and the first lady to be invited to hold that position in their over 180 year history. She remains a Trustee of the Suffolk Agricultural Association and has strong links to agriculture and rural business via the family farm at Wantisden & Butley where she lives with her husband Zac and their two daughters. She is immersed in running her logistics company Debach working alongside other Port-focused businesses, but she is also involved in the other family enterprises, such as Bentwaters Parks, with interests in green energy, film locations, glamping, hospitality and conservation projects. She has worked with Parish councils, school governance and the Suffolk CLA, but last year took up a voluntary role to become an Honorary Commander for the USAF 727 squadron based at RAF Mildenhall to support community relations with USAF personnel and local Suffolk people and initiatives. She represents the Lord Lieutenancy on the Heritage coast peninsula and Felixstowe, and her particular areas of interest include the ports and commercial activities generating employment for young people within the county.
William Kendall DL
William had brief careers in the army, as a barrister and then in finance before becoming an entrepreneur. He led the teams which were behind brands such as New Covent Garden Soup Company and Green & Black’s. Now he mainly advises larger private businesses on their strategy. He farms organically at Maple Farm in Kelsale with his wife Miranda. William was High Sheriff of the county in 2016/17. He has an honorary doctorate from the University of Suffolk and is Honorary President of The Suffolk Wildlife Trust, a Trustee of Britten Pears Arts and a Trustee of Suffolk Community Foundation. He is particularly concerned with nature conservation and the role of enterprise and business in helping solve challenges we face in the county. William is responsible for the Lieutenancy’s relationship with the Army cadets in the coastal area and its work in Lowestoft.
Stephen Miles DL
Stephen farms in Great Ashfield with his wife Petrina, where the family has farmed since 1900, and has recently developed a self storage business. He was High Sheriff in 2011/12, following which he became a Trustee of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, stepping down in 2020. During his trusteeship he had particular responsibility for RABI’s care home, Manson House, in Bury St Edmunds and oversaw a £3 million redevelopment project. He is Patron of the Rural Coffee Caravan and has had a lifelong connection with the Suffolk Agricultural Association, being Honorary Director from 2005 to 2007 and President in 2019. As a Deputy Lieutenant he supports ‘A’ Company cadets, takes particular interest in the food and agriculture industries and represents the Lord-Lieutenant in Needham Market.
Air Vice-Marshal The Honourable David Murray, CVO, OBE DL
Following a 33-year RAF career, David became the CEO of the military charity SSAFA for 4 years before then becoming the CEO of the RAF Benevolent Fund for a further 4 years. During his career, he also spent 3 years as a senior member of the Royal Household and 3 years as the UK Government representative on the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He is currently an Advisory Board Member to the Office for Veterans Affairs in the Cabinet Office and a Trustee of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Trust, President of London Wing, Air Training Corps, President of 863 (Thurston) Air Cadet Squadron and is a Member (Ambassador) of the East Anglian Reserve Forces and Cadets Association. He lives with his wife Moira in Great Barton and is particularly interested in support to the Armed Forces (including cadets) and military charities in Suffolk.
Oliver Paul DL
Oliver's love of Suffolk and his desire to make the county a better place for all is manifested in many activities particularly his involvement in promoting the visitor economy with a focus on Ipswich. He holds a Masters in environmental geochemistry which continues to inform his understanding of how to balance the pressures and pleasures of our natural environment with the needs of people. An early career as a business consultant with CapGemini working across Europe, provided a core understanding of achieving changes and challenging thought. Since 2005, Oliver has been at his family roots on the Shotley Peninsula where he has developed farming interests and helped establish the Suffolk Food Hall. This venture is an exemplar for local food, independent businesses, and collaborations. Through his network, Oliver helps keep the Lieutenancy connected to the Ipswich DMO, Greener Ipswich, Suffolk Day, Visit Suffolk and other organisations. Otherwise, Oliver and his wife Kate spend their time herding two daughters and Red Poll cattle.
Mark Pendlington DL
Mark recently retired early from a career in business. He has extensive experience of working across the public and private sectors including in industry, national and regional voluntary organisations, further and higher education, economic development bodies, local enterprise partnerships, and academia, many with UK, EU and international dimensions. He now devotes his time to helping and supporting a number of organisations in Suffolk, including as Patron of the Green Light Trust; Chair of governors at The Royal Hospital School; Deputy Chair, University of Suffolk; Trustee of the British Racing School in Newmarket and Chair of Trustees for the Diocese of Suffolk. Mark also chairs the Lieutenancy Business and Enterprise Group that promotes The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in recognising business excellence across the county. Mark lives near Clare and represents the Lord-Lieutenant in Clare and the Wool Towns, including Cavendish, Long Melford and Lavenham. Mark is the High Sheriff of Suffolk for 2023/24.
Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton LVO, MBE, DL
Jamie was Principal Private Secretary to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. He was an officer in the Irish Guards and Special Air Service (SAS) and was Equerry to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. He co-founded Objective Team, training professionals working in hostile environments and young travellers in how to keep safe. He sits on the Advisory Council of the HALO Trust, the world’s largest mine-clearance charity, and was a Founding Trustee of the Royal Foundation. He is a Trustee of Waterloo Uncovered, the Endeavour Fund and the Gerry Holdsworth Special Forces Charitable Trust. He is President of The Royal British Legion in Suffolk, an Honorary Master of The Bench at Middle Temple and Member of Chatham House. He and his wife Susie live in Sutton and he represents the Lord-Lieutenant in the Bawdsey Peninsula and matters of a military flavour. Jamie was appointed the The High Sheriff of Suffolk in April 2022.
Geoffrey Probert DL
After a career with the international consumer goods group Unilever, Geoffrey is now steeped in Suffolk where he farms in the south of the county. He is Chairman of the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust, President of the Suffolk Preservation Society, Leader of the Stour Valley Farmer Cluster and a Trustee of the Rural Coffee Caravan. High Sheriff in 2017/18, Geoffrey remains very engaged with the voluntary sector. He is custodian of a 15th century house and a 13th century chapel and is a passionate champion of Suffolk’s heritage. He and his wife Nella live in Bures St Mary. Geoffrey represents the Lord-Lieutenant in the Sudbury area.
Tim Rowan-Robinson DL
Following a career in the brewing industry, Tim and a friend acquired Thorpeness Hotel & Golf Club in 1996. The company now has 7 hotels, all in Suffolk. He retired in March 2018. Tim has been heavily involved in the development of tourism in Suffolk over the last 20 years. He is a firm believer in the importance of local Destination Management Organisations and set up the Suffolk Tourism Partnership and later The Suffolk Coast DMO. In 2005, with 2 others, he started the Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival and still chairs that company. He is involved in a range of activities in the county, including the Suffolk Community Foundation and the Citizens Advice Bureau. He represents the Lord-Lieutenant in Aldeburgh where he lives with his wife Lucy.
Kirsten Rausing DL
Kirsten has lived for 40 years in Newmarket, where she manages her two stud farms which operate on a commercial basis. With a background in international business and thoroughbred breeding, she has been a Board Member of The British Bloodstock Agency, The National Stud, Jockey Club Estates and The Animal Health Trust. She chaired the Thoroughbred Breeders Association and the Paris based European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders’ Associations and is the current Chairman of the International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation. She holds an honorary doctorate from the University of East Anglia and is the founder of The ALBORADA Trust which supports a number of domestic and international charities in the human and veterinary health and education sectors as well as human disaster relief. Kirsten supports the Lord-Lieutenant in Newmarket
Judith Shallow DL
Judith had the privilege of being the High Sheriff of Suffolk for 2015/16 during which she focussed on rural isolation and domestic abuse, getting to know the voluntary sector in Suffolk well. Previously she had led the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds’ Management Board for 11 years before and during its £5.2m restoration in 2005-7. Currently she sits on the Development Board of the Museum of East Anglian Life. She continues to work in the voluntary sector through work with the Suffolk Community Foundation. As a Deputy Lieutenant she has responsibility for The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, and represents the Lord-Lieutenant in her home town of Bury St Edmunds. She is a partner in the family arable farm at Felsham and spends her free time sailing with husband Michael in Orford.
David Sheepshanks CBE DL
David first worked in the food industry and then football as Chairman of Ipswich Town, The Football League and St George’s Park (The FA National Football Centre). Today, he chairs the FA Technical Advisory Board and the UEFA Licensing Committee and is President of Suffolk FA. In the charitable world, he started the Ipswich Community Trust, chaired the Suffolk Community Foundation and then the UK Community Foundation. Today, he is a Trustee of the Beacon Collaborative (championing philanthropy nationally) and The Churchill Fellowship, Patron of the National Citizen Service and East Suffolk Samaritans and president of Ipswich Citizens Advice. He was awarded an honorary degree from the University of East Anglia in 2004 and was made CBE in 2013. David lives on the family farm near Rendlesham with his wife, Mona and supports the Lieutenancy in the Felixstowe area.
Stephen Singleton MBE DL
As a consequence of the valuable and treasured experience volunteering for St Elizabeth Hospice, Stephen decided upon a mid-life career change, leaving the private sector in 2004 to help establish the Suffolk Community Foundation where he served as Chief Executive until 2021. Stephen firmly believes in community power, trusting that local people 'know best' when it comes to improving their communities. He was instrumental in mapping Suffolk's social need and developing the Hidden Needs research that demonstrated how affluence can mask deprivation across the County. Stephen is currently the Executive Vice Chair of the Foundation. He received an MBE in 2021 for services to the community in Suffolk during Covid-19 and was appointed a Honorary Lay Canon to St Edmunsbury Cathedral in 2022. As a Deputy Lieutenant he is a member of the Honours' and Kings Award for Voluntary Service Task Groups and reprsents the Lord-Lieutenant across the Woodbridge area where he lives with his wife Faye. Stephen holds a deep interest in Suffolk's history and a passion for its natural beauty.
Lord Somerleyton DL
Hugh is the owner of the Somerleyton estate north of Lowestoft. He is a regenerative farmer, rewilder and conservationist, and a founder and trustee of WildEast Foundation, a charity committed to making a
decisive impact to nature and conservation across East Anglia. Before taking over responsibility for the estate he led a varied career in London, including the launch of Dish Dash, an Anglo Arab fast food restaurant chain inspired by his love of the Middle East. Hugh is president of North Suffolk NSPCC, Lowestoft Lifeboat and Lowestoft Scouts and represents the Lord Lieutenant in Lowestoft and the north east of the county.
The Hon Peter Stanley DL
Peter manages the New England and Stanley House studs both based in Newmarket where he has lived for the last 35 years. He is chairman of Jockey Club Estates and co-chairman of the Racing Centre which is a community centre for the people of Newmarket; He has been a long standing trustee here for 20 years turning it from a working mans social club to a community hub with a one stop shop to access a variety of charitable services. Peter is a Steward of the Jockey Club
itself and has served as a director of the National Stud, Trustee of the Animal Health trust, Council member of The Thoroughbred breeders Association. He takes a keen interest not just in Horseracing but also the local community where his wife of 30 years, Frances, is also chairman of the Horseracing museum and Presents Galore previously known as The Macmillan Newmarket Christmas Fair
Henry Strutt DL
Henry was Chairman of the governors of the Royal Hospital School from 2008 to 2020, having served as a governor since 2003. RHS is a mixed school of around 750 pupils, many of whom are supported by bursaries. It has close connections with the Royal Navy and is part of the Greenwich Hospital, a Crown Charity. He has served on the Suffolk County Priory Group of St John’s Ambulance and supported the Suffolk Army Cadet Force. He is a chartered accountant and spent much of his career in the investment banking and fund management sectors, and was based in Hong Kong and Japan for twenty years. He lives with his wife Sarah at Stutton on the Stour estuary, where he farms with emphasis on environmental sustainability. As a Deputy Lieutenant he has responsibility for the education sector and represents the Lord-Lieutenant in the Shotley Peninsular.
George Vestey DL
George and his wife Nicola live in Great Thurlow where his family have farmed for three generations. George is the Chief Executive of Vestey Holdings, the family’s food business. He served as High Sheriff of Suffolk in 2018/19, focusing on linking business more closely with the voluntary sector and on prisoner rehabilitation. At the conclusion of his year he founded the Suffolk Medal as a means of recognising those who had given exemplary service that had made a sustainable difference to Suffolk. He is a longstanding Church Warden of All Saints, Great Thurlow and is a lay canon in St Edmundsbury Cathedral. In November 2019 he was appointed Chairman of the Suffolk Community Foundation. He is a keen advocate of his home town, Haverhill, where he represents the Lord-Lieutenant.
Laura Wallace DL
Laura was brought up in Norfolk but has lived in Suffolk since 1988, having lived and worked for several years in London, New York, Hong Kong and Sydney. She joined the St. John Council in Suffolk in 1997, was Chairman of the Fundraising Committee for many years, appointed County President in 2013 and is Chairman of the St. John County Priory Group. She worked with a local charity advising families for many years, whilst also fundraising for The Children’s Society. She is very involved in the local community, being on the Parish Council for 8 years, helping to set up and run the Community Shop for 15 years as well as being Organist for the 5 Churches in the Benefice. Laura and her husband live in Monks Eleigh, near Lavenham.
Gareth Wilson QPM DL
Gareth retired as the Chief Constable for Suffolk in 2019, having served as a police officer across East Anglia. He was awarded the Queens Police Medal in the 2020 New Years Honours List recognising both his work as a police officer and also his passion for Diversity and Inclusion, having been the national policing lead in this area. During his time as Chief Constable, Gareth was a fervent supporter of multi-agency working and bringing together all parts of the public sector to make Suffolk a safer place. Gareth now works for the Ministry of Defence and lives in the west of the County where both he and his wife enjoy looking after a few animals on their smallholding.
Nicholas Wingfield Digby LVO DL
Nick retired as an equine veterinary surgeon in 2014 but remains a part time consultant in the sector. He was High Sheriff in 2014/5 and was awarded an LVO in 2014 for his services to the Royal Stud farms. He is Chairman of St Edmundsbury Cathedral Council and of Beaufort Cottage Educational Trust and is a Member of the Board of Suffolk Academies Trust and of The Wavertree Education Trust which supports the National Stud’s training and education courses for the equine industry. He and his wife Delia live in Moulton and he represents the Lord- Lieutenant in the Newmarket and Brandon areas and particularly focuses on vocational training, the thoroughbred industry and the countryside.