Five new faces to help Lord Lieutenant

From left to right Deborah Jenkins, John Robinson, Ruth Thompson, John Mowbray, Lord Lieutenant Susan Winfield and Jeff Brown.

Five new Deputy Lieutenants have been appointed to support the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear fulfil her official duties.

They will join an existing team of 35 Deputy Lieutenants who cover a wide range of interests across the area.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, Susan Winfield, OBE, commissioned the new Deputy Lieutenants in a ceremony at Trinity House Newcastle.

The five people commissioned to take on the role are Jeff Brown, Deborah Jenkins, John Mowbray, John Robinson and Ruth Thompson.

A well-known face on regional television in the North East and Cumbria for more than 20 years, Jeff Brown works as a news and sports reporter and presenter with BBC Look North

Deborah Jenkins, MBE, is Chief Executive of the Derwent Initiative, an independent charity based in Newcastle, which aims to reduce the risk of sexual offending which was set up after the enquiry into the Cleveland child abuse cases of the early 90s.

John Mowbray, OBE, retired as Director of Corporate Affairs at Northumbrian Water in 2012. He was awarded an OBE for services to the water industry and charity in the same year.

John Robinson is currently a non-executive Director for Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Ruth Thompson, OBE, is an experienced executive and non-executive director and chair, working across energy, economic development, higher education, health and charity sectors.

Mrs Winfield said: “Deputy Lieutenants all hold important positions in our communities and these new appointees have been chosen because of their contribution to the community and society in general.

“Each one of them brings their own contribution to the Lieutenancy Team and I am really looking forward to working with them.”