High Birstwith artist Clare Granger has become the first High Sheriff of North Yorkshire to be appointed by King Charles III.
Ms Granger succeeded James Lambert at a ceremony at York Crown Court this week in the presence of the deputy lieutenant, Philip Ingham, Lady Justice King and Sean Morris, the Recorder of York.
High sheriffs represent the monarch in matters relating to law and order whereas lord-lieutenants are the sovereign’s personal and military representatives.
Ms Granger will seek to raise awareness of the value of the arts in the areas of mental health and the criminal justice system.
In her declaration speech, she said:
“We are all aware how many people are suffering with their mental health particularly following the pandemic. The arts have a huge role to play in helping people to find a way of coping.”
Clare Granger (left) and Lady Justice King
Ms Granger qualified as a solicitor and worked in York before changing career to become a professional artist. She trained in Florence and has been represented by a London gallery for 20 years.
She is also a school governor, a champion of IDAS, the domestic violence charity and a patron of Henshaws, a charity which supports people with disabilities.
She said:
“I am deeply honoured to have been appointed to this role and I look forward enormously to meeting, thanking and supporting, where I can, the judiciary, those who work in the emergency services and the wonderful volunteers who are working so hard in our county.”
Main photo shows (left to right), Simon Hickey, Edward Granger, Mark Granger, Clare Granger, Lady Justice King, Philip Ingham, James Lambert, Peter Worth and Sean Morris, Recorder of York
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