IT all started with a phone call about five years ago. ‘If HM The Queen asked you to be High Sheriff of Wiltshire, would you accept?’

In my usual way of engaging mouth before brain, I said “of course”. Then I did the research.

There have been High Sheriffs for at least 1,000 years. The original ‘Shire Reeves’ were Royal officials appointed to enforce the King’s Interest in a County, in particular the collection of Taxes and the Enforcement of law and order.

Now from childhood, I remember Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham – the baddie , collecting taxes from the poor and never getting his damsels. High Sheriffs had extensive powers. They judged cases in monthly courts and acted as law enforcement officers.

They could raise the ‘hue and cry’ after criminals in the County and could summon and command the ‘posse comitatus’ – the full military force of the county.

So in some respects they were they were not to be trifled with!

Yet from 1300 their powers started to wane. No more tax collecting, floggings or issuings of writs.

No more organising the courts, prisoners and juries.

Along came the Lord Lieutenant, who looks after the Sovereign’s interests in the county and the High Sheriff office is now a largely honorary title, with charitable and judicial interests.

In fact, nowadays, The High Sheriff doesn’t even get away with a car parking ticket when on High Sheriff duties. Mind you, you can wear a sword down the high street, although not in church.

Since I bravely agreed to take on the task five years ago, my name slowly floated up the list until I got to number three.

Then my name was read out in open High Court along with all the other High Sheriff nominations for all the counties in England. The following year I became the ‘Sheriff in Nomination’, although learned that I should never make the mistake of saying I was going to be High Sheriff for fear of knee-capping by the ‘great and the good’.

You can’t be sure of that until your name has been ’Pricked’ by the Her Majesty the Queen with the traditional silver bodkin into a wool sack in front of her Privy Council.

So you never actually know if you will get to wear your tights and velvet outfit until you are literally reading your High Sheriff Declarations, and being sworn in by a Magistrate or Judge.

The appointment is for one year and each High Sheriff is expected to make his or her own stamp on their year.

One emphasised youth justice, another prisons—most have a judicial element in their theme for the year.

I hope to use my climbing and polar exploring background to help inspire young people across the county to get away from their computers and out on to the hills for a bit of adventuring.

I have been so blessed with invaluable advice from previous High Sheriffs who all have fond memories of their year.

It is early days yet but it has started with a fantastic eclectic mix of invites that have ranged from standing in pig pooh to meeting HM The Queen.

I’m loving every minute of it but unfortunately, after waiting five years, this one year will be over all too soon.