The new Sheriffs were admitted to office on Friday September 26th.
The office of Sheriff, a pre-requisite to becoming Lord Mayor, is one of the oldest in existence and dates back to the Middle Ages. Their duties today include attending the Lord Mayor in carrying out his official duties, attending the sessions at the Central Criminal Court in the Old Bailey and presenting petitions from the City to Parliament at the Bar at the House of Commons.
The new Sheriffs are:
Alderman Dr. Andrew Parmley: He grew up in Blackpool, and was awarded an exhibition by the Royal College of Organists to study at the Royal Academy of Music before study at Manchester and London Universities and Jesus College, Cambridge. Alderman Parmley later moved into education and became Director of Music at Forest School and then The Grey Coat Hospital in Westminster before moving to The Harrodian School in West London where he is now the Principal.
Fiona Adler was born in Chelmsford. She emigrated to South Africa to train in structural engineering and stayed there for a decade. After returning to the UK to work in the tobacco trade, she travelled extensively promoting UK manufactured products. She has subsequently retrained as a Neuro Linguistic Programme coach and practices in Hampshire specializing in helping children to overcome bullying.