Speaker Brian Wills-Pope talking about – Role of Devon’s Lord Lieutenant
On Tuesday 2nd March, Brian Wills-Pope made a zoom presentation about the role undertaken by David Fursdon as Devon’s Lord-Lieutenant.
The Lord-Lieutenant is Her Majesty’s representative in the County and is appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister. It is a non-political and unpaid role, supported by a Vice Lord Lieutenant and a number of Deputy Lieutenants. The Lord-Lieutenant undertakes many tasks, including: arrange Royal visits to Devon; involved in recruitment of magistrates; supports the Services and, in particular, the Reserve forces and cadets; supports and promotes Devon communities, including heritage, business and charitable success; keeps Her Majesty the Queen informed of how the County is faring and making Devonians aware of how to nominate people for the Honours process to recognise exceptional achievements in the community, business, charity, etc., especially during the Covid pandemic.
As well as hosting Royal visits, the Lord-Lieutenant inspects troops on parade on behalf of the Queen, including taking the salute at events like Armed Forces Day and passing out parades at Dartmouth and Lympstone. He recommends companies for the Queen’s Award for Enterprise and he presents winners with the award at the company which boosts staff morale. The company sends a representative to attend a Royal reception at Buckingham Palace and they fly the Queen’s Award flag, use the emblem on packaging, advertisements, stationery and on the company website.
The Lord-Lieutenant and his team take every opportunity to make the Devon public aware that it is simple to recommend people for Honours and Awards. To find out more, people can contact Rosalie Robison who supports the Lieutenancy team from County Hall and she can explain how to nominate somebody. Her telephone number is 01392 383042 and her e-mail address is: [email protected].
Club members were given top tips on how to successfully nominate somebody for an Honour or Award. Start with a good opening sentence, such as “He made significant changes, saving £X by restructuring the charity…” Avoid acronyms, abbreviations or flowery language. Make it interesting to read so that it stands out from the competition and talk about the individual personally, rather than their organisation or team.
Photo of David Fursdon, Devon Lord Lieutenant: