News releases
PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH WEST CANCER RESEARCH FUND IS MADE HIGH SHERIFF OF MERSEYSIDE
12 April 2006
Michael S Potts DL has been appointed as High Sheriff of Merseyside.
Although there is some uncertainty as to the exact date of origin of the Office of Sheriff, it is known to be at least 1000 years old and so the oldest secular dignity under the Crown.� The appointment is made by the Queen and the High Sheriff remains the sovereign's representative in the county for all matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and order.
Mr Potts' year in office will be a busy and varied one, previous High Sheriffs have undertaken an average of 200 events.� In addition to overseeing the well-being and protection of Her Majesty's High Court Judges, he will attend them in court, be present at royal visits to Merseyside and, should there be one, be responsible for proclaiming the accession of a new sovereign.� On a day-to-day basis, the position will also give Mr Potts the opportunity to continue his charitable work, a role for which he is already well known.
In 1993, Mr Potts took over as Chairman of the Liverpool based charity, North West Cancer Research Fund.� He served in this unpaid position for nine years before retiring in 2002.� He then accepted the invitation to become the Fund's President, a role which he still holds.�
North West Cancer Research Fund is an independent regional cancer research charity which makes �750,000 available every year for fundamental research into the causes of cancer.� Virtually all of this money is raised through voluntary efforts and donations.� Founded in 1948, an average of nearly 90p in every � raised has consistently been spent directly on research.
Mr Potts is an accountant by profession having been a partner with Coopers & Lybrand prior to his retirement in 1993. �He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside in 2000 and is a Council Member and Pro-Chancellor of The University of Liverpool.
Mr Potts said, 'I was very flattered to be nominated for this role and I am looking forward to the coming year.� I am especially keen to use this time to work with charities and voluntary groups across the spectrum including, of course, Merseyside's various cancer charities.� I have over a decade's experience of working for North West Cancer Research Fund and I hope to visit many of the other cancer charities to hear their views and understand how we can work together to tackle a disease that is, sadly, so prevalent in Merseyside.'
ENDS
For further information, please contact Judith Roberts, Publicity Officer, North West Cancer Research Fund, on 0151 236 6605 or [email protected]
ATTACHED� Photograph showing�Mr Michael Potts DL (left), the incoming High Sheriff of Merseyside and Mr Alan Waterworth, Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside (left
Notes for the editor
THE OFFICE OF HIGH SHERIFF
There is a High Sheriff for each county in England and Wales.� High Sheriffs are appointed for a year.� The post is unpaid (except for a nominal court attendance allowance) and the general expenses of the office are borne personally by the holder.�
Originally the Office of High Sheriff held many of the powers now vested in Lord Lieutenants, High Court Judges, Magistrates, local authorities, coroners and the Inland Revenue.� The Office remained first in precedence in the counties until the reign of Edward VII when an Order in Council in 1908 gave the Lord Lieutenant the prime office under the Crown as the sovereign's personal representative.� Lord Lieutenants were created in 1547 for military duties in the shires.�
In March each year, the Queen, at a meeting of the Privy Council, formally selects one of the nominated Sheriffs to serve for the next twelve months by, literally, pricking a hole through his or her name on the list with a bodkin.
Over the last few years, there has been a marked increase in the number of women Sheriffs and Sheriffs from ethnic minorities.
NORTH WEST CANCER RESEARCH FUND
Full details about the work of the Fund can be found at: www.cancerresearchnorthwest.co.uk
If you have helped to collect money for The North West Cancer Research Fund, don't forget to tell us all about how you raised the money so we can publicise your efforts.