Her Majesty the Queen has approved the appointment of Michael Gurney as a new Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Norfolk.
He has also been appointed High Sheriff for a year, beginning on Easter Monday, April 5.
Michael lives in Northrepps near Cromer. Born and raised in North Norfolk, he was Commissioned into The Blues and Royals in 1973 from Sandhurst and served for 13 years in Northern Ireland, Germany, Oman, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Turkey, and Jamaica.
On return to England in 1985 he went into advertising and in 1987 he joined an agency in Hingham, where he lived for seven years and was treasurer of the PCC. In 1994 he formed The Point marketing communications agency in Norwich with two colleagues and moved with his wife Georgina back to live on the family farm at Northrepps.
It was here that his three children grew up here; two are now married and he has four grandchildren.
Michael worships at St Mary’s Northrepps, which is a member of the Poppyland Benefice. It currently has a building project to modernise the church for the next century. He started PCC news and was responsible for the development of the publication, helping communicate with all PCC members across the Diocese, spreading good ideas and best practice.
He retired from The Point in 2019 after 25 years. He is a Partner of the family farm and set up the North Norfolk Business Centre.
Michael has served for five years as a trustee of the Norfolk Community Foundation, was for over 10 years on the Norwich Diocesan Board of Finance, and was for a time Chairman of Wispire. He has also served on the advisory boards of the Norwich Business School and Norwich4Jobs; was a Board member of the Local Economic Growth Initiative in Norwich and Deputy Chair of the Norfolk Reserve Forces Association.
Deputy Lieutenants support the work of the Lieutenancy and represent the Lord-Lieutenant at various events throughout the county. Having been chosen on the basis of service already given, a Deputy Lieutenant will continue to serve the community both within and outside the framework of the Lieutenancy. Their post nominals are DL.
Michael said: “Having taken my declaration on April 5, I am looking forward to serving all of Norfolk as High Sheriff for the next year. As well as supporting the judiciary and the police, the traditional role of the High Sheriff, I want to focus on helping the vulnerable young from all communities which is especially important post pandemic. I hope to support all the statutory and voluntary organisations working to make young people’s lives better.”
The Lord-Lieutenant, Lady Dannatt commented: “I am pleased to welcome Michael to the Lieutenancy, a role to which he will bring a wealth of world experience and local knowledge and I know I can rely on him to use all of his skills to maximum effect.”
Pictured above is Michael Gurney
Eldred Willey, 20/04/2021
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