The Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire
Find out about the Lord-Lieutenant
- Her role and profile
- Her diary of events
- The history behind the role
H M Lord-Lieutenant for Bedfordshire is Helen Nellis
The role of the Lord-Lieutenant
Lord-Lieutenants are The Queen's representatives in their counties and areas. In practice Lord-Lieutenants are primarily involved with a very wide range of voluntary activity; they encourage the many people who are committed to work in and for their communities and they make connections between different voluntary activities.
Also, as leaders in their counties, they have an important role in relation to local, civic, business, industrial, social and community life. Lord-Lieutenants seek to promote a spirit of co-operation and beneficial relationships by giving time to voluntary service and benevolent organisations and by the interest they take in the business and social life of the county.
Contact details
The office of the Lieutenancy is based at Priory House, Chicksands within the Member Support Office.
email address: lord.lieutenant@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 300 6090 - Alan Millbery or 0300 300 6131 - Sue Zubrot
The Lord-Lieutenant - engagements
A photographic record of events
A photographic record of events for the Lord-Lieutenant. These photographs open on the Flickr website.
2012
Sikh Mental Health Conference: 25 April 2012
Keech Hospice 21st Anniversary Celebrations - 3 April 2012
Lord-Lieutenant visits Beds Garden Carers - 12 March 2012
2011
Queen's Award for Enterprise : 19 July 2011 - University of Bedfordshire
Armed Forces Day Flag Raising Ceremony - Monday 20 June 2011
RAF Police Homecoming Parade in Bedford - 22 May 2011
Lord Lieutenant's Service of Thanksgiving for Voluntary Organisations: Sunday, 22 May 2011
2010
Bedfordshire Police Authority - Long Service Awards : 4 November 2010
R101 80th Anniversary Memorial Service at Cardington : 3 October 2010
Official Opening of the Chapter House at St Andrews Church, Biggleswade on 17 September 2010
Bedfordshire Police Cadets Passing Out Parade - Sunday 5 September 2010 at Woburn Abbey
Queens Award for Industry 2010 - Watkiss Automation Ltd
Cadet 150 Celebration at Bassingbourne - 4 July 2010
HRH The Princess Royal's visit to Hinwick Hall College - 24 June 2010
Armed Forces Day 2011
Armed Forces Day: 25 June 2011
Central Bedfordshire Council Flag Raising Ceremony: 20 June 2011
See our pictures from Armed Forces day on Flickr.
Central Bedfordshire Council paid tribute to the country’s service men and women on Monday 20 June ahead of Armed Forces Day on 25 June 2011.
The ceremony, which saw a special Armed Forces Day flag raised by Bryan Jones MBE, County Secretary of the Royal British Legion, supported by the then Lord-Lieutenant, Sir Samuel Whitbread KCVO and Richard Carr, Chief Executive of Central Bedfordshire Council, took place at Central Bedfordshire Council’s headquarters, at Priory House, Chicksands.
Also attending the event were the High Sheriff, Andrew Slack, Cllr James Jamieson, Leader of the Council, Cllr Peter Hollick, Chairman of the Council, Cllr Ruth Gammons, Vice Chairman of the Council and many specially invited armed forces personnel together with other Councillors and staff.
The event this year also honoured the 90th anniversary of the Royal British Legion with standard bearers from nine branches being paraded and leading the ceremony which included the Leighton Buzzard Branch, which was founded in 1921. Today the Royal British Legion provides financial, social and emotional support to millions who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces, and also to their dependants.
Visit the Armed Forces Day website for more information on all the events happening around the country.
Presentation of Lord-Lieutenant’s Certificate of Merit June 2011
Armed Forces Day: 25 June 2011
Central Bedfordshire Council Flag Raising Ceremony: 20 June 2011
Lord-Lieutenant recognises outstanding voluntary service.
The then Lord-Lieutenant, Sir Samuel Whitbread KCVO, presented a special certificate of merit at a ceremony recently at Priory House, Chicksands following the flag raising ceremony held in relation to Armed Forces Day on 25 June 2011.
The recipient was Tony Holmes, a member of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Army Cadet Force. The citation was read by Captain Steve Phillips and it outlined the outstanding service that Mr Holmes has given over the last 11 years in supporting the cadets, both week by week and at special events. Sir Samuel then presented the award and spoke with Mr Holmes.
Mr Holmes previously served as a member of the Royal Logistical Corps (TA) from December 1974 until December 1999.
The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Armed Forces who were present for the flag raising ceremony, including Col. Chris Sharwood-Smith, Commandant of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Army Cadet Force and Capt Andre Clarke.
Current Vice and Deputy Lieutenants as at March 2012
Bedfordshire Lieutenancy
Vice Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Colonel Colin R Mason OBE TD DL MPhil
Deputy Lieutenants
- Colonel Sidney Anthony George Abrahams TD DL
- Air Commodore Peter C Ayee CBE DL CEng FIEE FRAeS RAF(Ret’d)
- The Hon Mrs Fiona Chapman MBE DL
- Professor Leslie Colin Ebdon CBE DL
- Geoffrey Farr MBE DL
- Robert Hugh Power Goodwin DL
- Mrs Cynthia Mary Gresham DL
- Mrs Rosie Gutteridge JP DL
- Daniel T C Hanbury DL
- Mrs Judith Howard DL
- Mrs Denise A Hurst DL
- Nazir Panju Jessa DL
- Charles Terence Lousada DL
- Peter A Lousada DL
- Robert John Lovesey DL
- Derek Anthony Ludlow CBE DL
- John Anthony Maddox DL
- Anthony J Ormerod DL
- Louise Rona Russell, Duchess of Bedford DL
- Major Simon Nigel Swinburne Sadler TD DL
- Dr David Siegler JP MD FRCP DL
- Timothy M Sills DL
- Dr Vaughan Robert Southgate DL
- Vinod Bhagwandas Tailor FCIB SSI DL
- Mrs Heather Wells DL
- John H Wells Esq JP DL
- Colonel Thomas Anthony Winton OBE DL
- Brian G Woodrow OBE DL
Duties of Lord-Lieutenant
and beneficial relationships by giving time to voluntary service and benevolent organisations
and by the interest they take in the business and social life of the county.
- Arranging visits of members of the Royal Family and escorting Royal visitors
- Presenting honours, medals and awards on behalf of The Queen, under The Queen's Golden Jubilee Award or in the form of a Queen's Award for Industry etc.
- Participating in civic, voluntary and social activities with the Lieutenancy
- Liaising with local units of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army, Royal Air Force and
their associated cadet forces - Leading the Local Magistracy as Chairman of the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee
on Justices of the Peace
Central Bedfordshire Council) this is held by the Chief Executive.
new appointment on 24 October 2005) and 27 Deputy Lieutenants.
Previous HM Lieutenants for Bedfordshire
- 1991-2012 Sir Samuel Whitbread KCVO JP
- 1978-1991 Lieutenant Colonel Hanmer Cecil Hanbury
- 1957-1978 Major Simon Whitbread
- 1943-1957 Lieutenant Colonel Dealtry C Part
- 1946-1943 George, 1st Baron Luke
- 1912-1936 Samuel Howard Whitbread
- 1905-1912 Beauchamp, 16th Baron St John
- 1861-1905 Francis, 7th Earl Cowper
- 1859-1861 Francis, 7th Duke of Bedford
- 1818-1859 Thomas, 3rd Baron Grantham, afterwards 2nd Earl de Grey and 5th Baron Lucas
- 1771-1818 John, 2nd Earl of Upper Ossory (died 1818)
- 1747-1771 John, 4th Duke of Bedford (died 1771)
- 1711-1740 Henry, 1st Duke of Kent (died 1740)
- 1701-1711 Wriothesley, 2nd Duke of Bedford (died 1711)
- 1700-1701 Lord Edward Russell during minority of Wriothesley, 2nd Duke of Bedford
- 1689-1700 William, 5th Earl and 1st Duke of Bedford (died 1700)
- 1685-1688 Thomas, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury
- 1667-1685 Robert, 1st Earl of Ailesbury (died 1685)
- 1646-1651 Henry, 10th Earl of Kent (died 1651)
- 1643-1646 Oliver, 4th Baron St John of Bletso, 1st Earl Bolingbroke (died 1646)
- 1639-1667 Thomas Earl of Cleveland (died 1667) (1660, Robert, 1st of Ailesbury, jointly)
- 1623-1639 Henry, 8th Earl of Kent (died 1639) (1625 Thomas, Lord Wentworth, created Earl of Cleveland 1626 jointly)
- 1615-1623 Charles, 7th Earl of Kent (died 1623)
(1621-1623) Sir Henry Grey, Lord Ruthin, jointly with his father - 1580, 1585-1615 Henry, 6th Earl of Kent (died 1615)
- 1560-1569 Oliver, 1st Lord St John of Bletso (died before 1582)
- 1549-1551 Williams, 1st Marquis of Northampton (died 1571)
Service of Thanksgiving and Re-dedication for Voluntary Organisations
Sir Samuel Whitbread KCVO, together with Lady Whitbread, held his final Service of Thanksgiving for Voluntary Organisations on a very bright, but windy, Sunday at St Andrew's Church, Kimbolton Road, Bedford by kind permission of Canon Christopher Dent. A congregation of over 350 included the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, Andrew Slack and Mrs Elisabeth Slack, Dignitaries from adjoining authorities and Town Councils, Deputy Lieutenants and MPs as well as attendees from Military, Uniformed and non-uniformed Organisations.
Following the Service refreshments were held in St Andrew’s Church Hall with a wonderful selection of cakes produced by the ladies of the Church.
Photographs from the day can be seen here: Lord Lieutenant's Service of Thanksgiving for Voluntary Organisations: Sunday, 22 May 2011
Photographs taken by Photographer, Keith Mayhew, are available here.
Vice Lord-Lieutenant appointment information
A nomination by the Lord-Lieutenant for the appointment of a Vice Lord-Lieutenant is submitted to the Prime Minister in order that the approval of Her Majesty The Queen may be obtained. The Vice Lord-Lieutenant's appointment automatically lapses when the Lord-Lieutenant who appointed him ceases to be Lord-Lieutenant.
The Vice Lord-Lieutenant stands in the place of the Lord-Lieutenant when the Lord-Lieutenant is absent, sick or otherwise unable to act (i.e. if abroad).
Deputy Lieutenants appointment information
Deputy Lieutenants are appointed by the Lord-Lieutenant "subject to the non-disapproval of Her Majesty".
The establishment of Deputy Lieutenants varies according to the number of inhabitants in any county. It is the maximum number who may be appointed, though whether so many are appointed is entirely at the discretion of the Lord-Lieutenant.
A person may be appointed a Deputy Lieutenant if he or she possesses the following qualifications:
He/she has a place of residence in the county (or area in Scotland) or within seven miles thereof, and
He/she is shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary of State to have rendered either:
(i) worthy service as a member of, or in a civil capacity in connection with, Her Majesty's naval, military or air forces,
(ii) such other service as, in the Secretary of State's opinion, makes him/her suitable for appointment as a Deputy Lieutenant.
The current requirement of the Ministry of Defence is that service (full or part-time) as a member of Her Majesty's naval, military or air forces, should, in the absence of other qualifications, be of not less than six years.
The Lord-Lieutenant is responsible for the selection of persons for appointment as Deputy Lieutenants. Their names forwarded to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Scotland or Wales, as appropriate, who submits them to Her Majesty The Queen. (The Ministry of Defence advises the relevant Secretary of State on the service record of candidates recommended on the military qualification). The Lord-Lieutenant may grant their commissions, when he is informed by the Secretary of State that Her Majesty does not disapprove of the granting of such a commission.
The commission of a Deputy Lieutenant is not terminated when the Lord-Lieutenant who granted the commission ceases to be Lord-Lieutenant. Deputy Lieutenants retire at 75.
A Deputy Lieutenant who retires after approved service over a long period may be given permission to wear the authorised uniform on appropriate occasions and to continue to use the letters DL
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- sue.zubrot@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk alan.millbery@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
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