Geoff Thompson has been appointed by HM The Queen to be High Sheriff of Rutland at a Declaration Ceremony at Oakham Castle on 5 April 2022.
The office of High Sheriff is an independent, unpaid, non-political royal appointment, dating back to Saxon times. It has evolved to include a mix of ceremonial, charitable and community functions. Supporting the Crown (for example, attendance at royal visits) and the judiciary remain vital parts of the role.
Geoff moved to Rutland with his family in 2011. He retired from HSBC in 2018 after 40 years service, starting in branches. For two years, Geoff was seconded to the London Stock Exchange, to be a public speaker focussed on how technology companies could list on London markets. He spent five years in Canada and Switzerland with the bank and ended his career as HSBC’s European Head of Business Risk Management for IT and Operations.
Geoff said “I am honoured to have been selected as High Sheriff for the county of Rutland. Our communities are only just recovering from the impact of Covid. This year as High Sheriff comes at a time when there is a need for greater support. I am looking forward to supporting the judiciary, the emergency services and our community organisations in any way I can. Part of the role is to recognise, thank and celebrate those who go ‘above and beyond’ to support their communities and I will be looking for ways to do this wherever possible. I have also seen first-hand that there are strong mental health benefits from volunteering to help others and so I would like to encourage people to volunteer however they can. It’s a win-win!”
Since retiring in 2018, Geoff and his wife Janet have thrown themselves into volunteering in more than a dozen local community organisations. Geoff has focussed on Education and Health and, amongst other things, has been chair of governors for Uppingham Community College for nine years. He also ran the Resilient Rutland PSG, a £0.5m project to deliver resilience and well-being support to all children educated in Rutland, funded by the National Lottery.