High Sheriff of Oxfordshire

The current High Sheriff of Oxfordshire is Professor Graham Upton MA Med PhD.

The office of High Sheriff is the oldest secular office in country outside the monarchy. Today, the former very extensive powers which the office enjoyed have gone and the role involves a mix of ceremonial, charitable and community functions. The role is voluntary, unfunded and non-political.

Duties include:

Participating in civic and community events and functions
Conferring High Sheriff’s Awards which recognise the work of individuals and community groups in the county
Pursuing themes and initiatives which bring communities together and benefit the social fabric of the county.
Ensuring the well being of High Court Judges when in Oxfordshire

The current High Sheriff of Oxfordshire

The current High Sheriff of Oxfordshire is Professor Graham Upton.

Graham was born in Birmingham but grew up and was educated in Australia and taught in secondary and special schools before moving back to the UK in 1972. After a distinguished academic career Graham became Vice Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University in 1997, a post which he held for ten year until he retired. Subsequently he spent 16 months as Interim Vice Chancellor of the University of Cumbria. Graham is currently President of the Oxford Playhouse, Deputy Chair of the Board of Governors and Chair of the Finance Committee at the University of the West of England, Chair of the Board of Oxford Expression Technologies and Chair of Experience Oxfordshire.

Prior to leaving Oxford Brookes Graham held a range of senior appointments in both the private and public sector in Oxfordshire. In the private sector these included two start up companies, Oxford Bio-Innovation Ltd and Miles Internet Ltd, while in the not for profit sector these included being Chair of the Oxfordshire Community Partnership and a member of the Boards of the Oxfordshire Economic Partnership, the Heart of England Training and Enterprise Council and the Remuneration Committees of Oxford City Council and Business Link in Milton Keynes Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Graham is a Chartered Psychologist, a Fellow of the British Psychologist Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. During his academic career he carried out research and wrote on a wide range of topics in the fields of Educational Psychology and Special Educational Needs. He has published over 100 articles, books and research reports.

He has chosen ‘celebrating diversity’ as the principal theme for his year as High Sheriff. His objective is to help promote better understanding between the diverse groups which make up the Oxfordshire community by supporting a range of initiatives which promote communication and bring people together in the pursuit of issues of mutual benefit to them and the society in which we live.

Graham will be an active fundraiser during his year and plans to raise money in support of the Cowley Road Carnival, Oxford United Women’s Football, Oxford Playhouse and Emmaus here in Oxford.

High Sheriff Coat of Arms He is married to Bebe Speed and they have four children and five grandchildren. Bebe was a consultant family therapist at the Warneford Hospital for a number of years and continues to do some consultation and clinical work freelance. She is also a Trustee of Emmaus Oxford.

His Coat of Arms reflects some key aspects of his life and interests; the 4 pigs represent his children and his love of pigs, the kangaroo his links with Australia, the quill his academic background and the crossed sticks his love of DIY and his wife’s love of the garden. The motto in Welsh refers back to the time he lived and worked in Wales and reads "Dilyna dy Lwybr I Ryddid" which translates as "Follow your path to freedom".