High Sheriff’s Community Festival – Sunday 11th June 2023

Professor Veronica Pickering DL celebrates the achievements of the county's young people and community organisations at Sherwood Forest on Sunday 11th June.

Born in Kenya, Veronica moved to the UK in the late 1960s and has spent over 25 years working in child protection and with multi-cultural communities.

She is a trustee and champion of several local charities and is a council member of the RSPB, the UK's largest conservation charity.

She has served the county as a Deputy Lieutenant since 2013 and is an Honorary Air Commodore of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force 504 (County of Nottingham Squadron).

She is now the first black woman to be appointed to the office of the High Sheriff of Robin Hood's county.

Professor Veronica Pickering DL, High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.

The event has been made possible thanks to the support of a many organisations, in particular Nottingham University and the RSPB.

Among the other organisations to be represented at the event are:

• Himmah, the largest independent food bank in Nottingham.
• The Mojatu Foundation, a charity that works to empower and support Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities in Nottingham.
• YMCA Robin Hood Group, which provides services and support to young people.
• The Windrush Foundation, which designs and delivers heritage projects, programmes and initiatives which highlight African and Caribbean peoples’ contributions to UK life.

Please note that this is an invitation-only event.

12.30pm - Drinks reception

12.45pm - Battle of Britain Memorial Flight fly-past

1.05pm - Marquee opens for lunch

1.30pm - Speeches

Welcome from Professor David Park, Dean of Nottingham University Business School

High Sheriff Poem – Ravelle-Sade Fairman

High Sheriff Address – Professor Veronica Pickering DL

Lord-Lieutenant Address – Sir John Peace

2pm - Lunch

Performances from singer Aaminah Hussein and musician Jude Kirk

2.30pm - Speeches

RSPB Address – Kevin Cox, Chair of RSPB Council

RSPB Sherwood Forest Address – Gemma Howarth, RSPB East Midlands Area Manager and Senior Site Manager (Sherwood Forest and Budby South Forest)

Opportunities for Young People – Alex Peace-Gadsby, Deputy Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire

The Impact of Windrush – Clive Foster MBE, Founder of Nottingham Windrush Support Forum Creating

Unimagined Futures – Kerrie Henton, Principal of Stone Soup Academy

2.50pm - Performances

Rapper Charnz Samuel-Stephenson and musician Tracy Addy, featuring Edward Simmons

3.15pm - Performances

Jess Fisher, Tracy Addy, featuring Edward Simmons,and the St Giles School, Retford signing choir

3.30pm - Afternoon Tea

3.45pm - Performances

Freedom Foundation music and dance project, musician Ka Boukie, Adam Pickering

5pm - Close