Jon Whitaker 2024/25
Jon Whitaker was sworn in as Hampshire High Sheriff on 27 March 2024 at Winchester’s Great Hall.
Jon’s theme for his year was ‘Youth and Service’. He champions the work of organisations such as Cadet Forces, Police Cadets, Fire Service Cadets, Youth Commission, Scouts, Guides, and St John Ambulance, ensuring that there are many opportunities for adult leaders to meet and share good practice, and additionally to encourage and develop young people to have fun and achieve their full potential.
So far during his time as High Sheriff, Jon has undertaken the important role as returning officer for the Verderers’ Election, supported the Emergency services (Police, Fire, Ambulance, and Search & Rescue) at many events recognising officers and staff and raising their community profiles, launched a lifeboat with the independent lifeboat service, and represented the Courts and judiciary on numerous occasions.
Jon Whitaker was born and educated in Devon and after leaving college, moved to Hampshire taking up a position of management trainee with J Sainsbury Plc in 1985. He completed a post graduate diploma in Personnel Management and held a number of roles in the company’s Training and HR Division before retiring after 33 years, when he established an HR consultancy advising small businesses and undertaking executive coaching.
He qualified as a swimming and lifesaving teacher and spent many years assessing and examining at a national level with the Royal Life Saving Society. He served with the Royal Observer Corps and is currently a Reservist serving with the British Army in a HR/Mentoring role. He is a strong supporter of ex-service charities, in particular the Royal British Legion and RAF Association.
He has sat as a magistrate for the last 28 years in Hampshire, in both Youth and Adult Courts and on Appeals in the Crown Court. Appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in 2023, he is currently the Chair of Hampshire Youth Leaders Network, Hon HR Advisor to the Hampshire Scout Committee, Head of Hampshire & IOW Freemasons, and County President of Hampshire St John Ambulance.
Amelia Riviere 2023/24
Amelia Riviere was sworn in as the High Sheriff of Hampshire for 2023/24 in March 2023 in the presence of Mr Justice Wall at Winchester Crown Court.
Amelia was born in Winchester and grew up in Oxfordshire, but spent her working life in the City of London. She worked as both a fund manager and an equity salesperson in the UK and European stock markets, latterly specialising in the Media Sector.
Amelia spent 15 years on the North Hampshire Bench, sitting in both the Adult and the Youth jurisdictions. She has a particular interest in individuals struggling with substance addiction and its broader effects, especially among the young. Amelia was a member of the Drug Rehabilitation Requirement Panel as well as the Crown Court Appeal.
Additionally, she was a member of the Wiltshire Hampshire and Isle of Wight Recruitment Advisory Committee responsible for the recruitment and interviewing of new magistrates on behalf of the Lord Chancellor.
Amelia was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire in 2020.
Among other things Amelia is a Trustee of Allegra’s Ambition, a small family run grant giving trust supporting young, disadvantaged people through sport and nature activities.
She is Chair of Trustees at Trinity Winchester, a homeless charity supporting people who are vulnerable to the effects of homelessness, addiction, physical and mental ill health, poverty, social isolation, and domestic abuse.
In 2024 Amelia was appointed Chair of Trustees of The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation, which raises local funds to the benefit of local charities and community groups across both counties.
Lady Edwina Grosvenor 2022/23
Lady Edwina Grosvenor was sworn in as High Sheriff of Hampshire on 31 March 2022.
Most notably during her role, Lady Edwina read and held the proclamation service for the accession of HRH King Charles III to the throne, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Edwina is a Justice System Reformer with over 20 years’ experience and expertise of working in the criminal justice sector. Since graduating from Northumbria University with a degree in Criminology and Sociology, Edwina has combined her work as a criminologist, prison philanthropist, adviser and reformer to create systemic change within the Justice System.
She is a founding investor and Ambassador of the Clink Restaurant chain, and she has advised and worked with the Government on the Women’s Advisory Board for Female Offenders under The Secretary of State for Justice. This work, alongside Edwina’s broader experience in the justice system inspired the launch of One Small Thing, the charity which she is Founder and Chair of One Small Thing aims to redesign the justice system for women and their children and in 2023 they opened Hope Street, a pioneering purpose-built residential space for justice involved women.
Edwina joined Global Philanthropic as the first Chair of their Advisory Board. She is also Patron of Paladin, which is the country’s only national stalking advocacy service. In 2023 Edwina was presented with the International Corrections and Prisons Association (www.icpa.org) Presidents Award in Antwerp.
Edwina is currently a member of the Women’s Justice Board and is a Deputy Lieutenant for Hampshire.
Phillip Sykes 2021/22
Phillip Sykes was the High Sheriff of Hampshire between 2021-22. He moved to Hampshire in 1995 and now lives with his wife, Caroline, a Basingstoke based GP.
Phillip is a chartered accountant who has worked for many years in the restructuring field both in the UK and overseas. He started his career at BDO before moving to Arthur Andersen and then Moore Stephens before joining RSM in 2015. Some of his more notable appointments include the administration of Reader’s Digest and the German and Austrian Woolworths groups. He was also the senior international adviser to the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency during the Asian banking crisis in 1998-2000.
He was President of the Association of Business Recovery Professionals (R3) in 2015-16 and continues to serve on a number of R3 committees. He is currently a senior consultant for RSM, based in their Southampton office and acts as an expert witness in insolvency and fraud litigation.
During his time as High Sheriff, he commended the Lymington RNLI for their invaluable work and services to the community and was ‘dueled’ by the High Sheriff of Wiltshire to compete in raising money for the Charities Naomi House and Jacksplace through partaking in the Clarendon Way Walk.
Phillip is a trustee of several local charities, including the Brendoncare Foundation which runs ten care homes in the south of England. He was also District Commissioner of the Garth South branch of the Pony Club from 2006-2011.
He and Caroline are very keen riders and have three horses between them, together with two dogs and three tortoises. Their three grown-up children (and one granddaughter) live in London but are regularly to be found visiting Hampshire.
The High Sheriff of Hampshire 