Frances Stanley ‘honoured’ to become county’s new High Sheriff

There’s a new High Sheriff in town.

Frances Stanley has replaced the outgoing David Way in the role for Cambridgeshire.

Frances – or The Hon Frances Stanley DL, to give her her full title – lives at New England Stud, near Newmarket, where she and her husband Peter breed thoroughbred horses and live with their three children.

She is also the executive chairman of the National Horseracing Museum (NHRM) based in Newmarket.

She has been involved and led several fundraising and community projects raising funds for organisations including Palace House (The Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art), the East Anglia Children’s Hospice, (Each), Breast Cancer Haven Trust, the Blood Bank (NHS), Countryside Alliance, and the Charity Race Day in aid of Racing Welfare.

Frances said of the role: “It is one of the oldest appointments in the history of England, and it dates back to from before the Magna Carta was signed.

“It’s over 1,000 years old, which is obviously a great responsibility to get things right. Basically, you are the monarch’s representative for law and order in the county, and that’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly.

“It’s very idiosyncratic, steeped in tradition, but it’s our job to bring it up to the modern age. Every year there’s 55 High Sheriffs that are appointed by His Majesty the King.”

Frances, who also serves as deputy lieutenant to Julie Spence, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, continues: “Our job is to champion the royal family and support the judiciary, the police and the emergency services and voluntary organisations, local authorities and also unsung heroes.

“So we’re looking for unsung heroes in the county and championing them and thanking them for what they do for all of us.”

Frances took over as High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire on Sunday, 23 March, and will hold the position for a year.

She said: “It’s such an honour, and I’m lucky enough to be a deputy lieutenant for the county already, so Julie Spence is a massive part of my life and a real role model, and I see this as a continuation of being a deputy lieutenant.”

Frances says that her charity of the year will be Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF), adding: “They know where the money’s needed.”