What is a High Sheriff?
The Office of High Sheriff is an independent non-political Royal appointment for a single year.
It is the oldest secular Office in the United Kingdom after the Crown and dates back to Saxon times, when the ‘Shire Reeve’ was responsible to the king for the maintenance of law and order within the shire, or county, and for the collection and return of taxes due to the Crown.
Today, there are 55 High Sheriffs serving the counties of England and Wales each year.
Whilst the duties of the role have evolved over time, supporting the Crown and the judiciary remain central elements of the role today.
In addition, High Sheriffs actively lend support and encouragement to crime prevention agencies, the emergency services and to the voluntary sector.
In recent years High Sheriffs in many parts of England and Wales have been particularly active in encouraging crime reduction initiatives, especially amongst young people.
Many High Sheriffs also assist Community Foundations and local charities working with vulnerable and other people both in endorsing and helping to raise the profile of their valuable work.
Jo Curry MBE, DL:
High Sheriff Tyne & Wear 25/26
Jo Curry runs the Sir James Knott Trust, which makes grants annually of over £3m to charities in the region. Jo helped to establish the Virgin Money Foundation, which since 2015 has donated over £13m to good causes.
Until recently Jo served as Deputy Chair. Jo was also a Trustee of the Community Foundation for 9 years where she served as Vice Chair. Jo began her career with Geldard’s Law firm in Cardiff. She moved to Tynemouth 22 years ago and began volunteering with Citizens Advice where she established the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service to ensure that people in Northeast Prisons had appropriate access to healthcare.
Jo went on to lead VONNE – The Voluntary Organisations Network North East, a charity established to support and promote a thriving sector of Charities, Social Enterprises and Community Groups. As High Sheriff, Jo has established a scholarship fund for outstanding Law students from disadvantaged backgrounds at Northumbria University. Jo lives with her two children and enjoys nothing more than walking her dog on Longsands beach.