25 March 2026

Dame Fiona Reynolds CBE DBE, Chair of the Royal Agricultural University’s Governing Council, has been formally installed as the new High Sheriff of Gloucestershire.

The traditional ceremony for the Declaration of the High Sheriff, which took place at Gloucester Cathedral on Sunday and was attended by community leaders, representatives of the judiciary, local organisations, as well as members of the public, included three traditional Cotswold Lion sheep to celebrate the county’s rural heritage.

Dame Fiona, who will serve as the county’s High Sherriff for the next year, has lived in the village of Coates, close to the RAU’s Cirencester campus, since 2002 and was appointed as the Chair of the University’s Governing Council in January 2022 having served as Vice-Chair for the preceding year.

During the service, she spoke about her plan to focus on rural heritage and life in Gloucestershire during her tenure. She said: “It is a great honour to serve as High Sheriff of Gloucestershire and I look forward to using this role to champion the vitality, resilience, and beauty of rural Gloucestershire while getting below the surface to understand the challenges and opportunities that rural communities face.”

The installation began with a procession from the city’s Law Courts to the Cathedral of the Civic Procession, the Legal Procession, and the High Sheriff’s Procession which included the three ‘Cotswold Lion’ sheep, named Valerie, Ursula, and Robert, which were led by the Parkes family from Stow-on-the-Wold.

RAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter McCaffery was one of four representatives of local organisations and institutions to say a prayer during the hour-long service. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed refreshments - including the RAU’s own Cotswold Hills wine - in the Cathedral’s historic cloisters and Cloister Garth garden.

Dame Fiona added: “With a lifetime’s love of the countryside, and many years working to champion it, I am keen to use my year as High Sheriff to shine a spotlight on the many challenges and opportunities facing rural areas.

“From global issues such as climate change, nature loss, and sustainable food production, to local pressures such as the need for affordable housing and rural services, there is so much to explore, share, and learn from.”

The role of the High Sheriff, the origins of which date back more than 1,000 years, is for one year and High Sherriffs support the judiciary, the emergency services, voluntary organisations, and community initiatives throughout the county.

Dame Fiona will also attend events in the county throughout the year and has planned a series of monthly public walks to explore all aspects and areas of rural Gloucestershire. For more information, please visit her website www.damefionareynoldsgloshighsheriff.com.