Deputy Lieutenants
There are a maximum of 49 active Deputy Lieutenant appointments allowable for East Sussex – currently there are 36 assisting the Lord Lieutenant. The number is based on a formula (contained in the Lieutenancy Act 1997) relating to the population of the County . That may sound a lot but East Sussex has approx. 850,000 people who live in one city and many villages and towns.
Deputy Lieutenants come from all walks of life and all parts of the County and are honoured for their contribution to the Nation and/or the County.
The Lord Lieutenant leads this influential network of Deputy Lieutenants and provides the organisation for their individual networks to interlock for the benefit of East Sussex’s varied communities.
Their local and specialist knowledge and experience is increasingly being used to positive effect in key sectors ranging from education to youth services, and from business and the rural economy to social welfare.
They are the eyes and ears of the Lieutenancy in our local communities and liaise closely with the local authorities with whom we have much common cause.
They advise on events potentially warranting Royal visits, on how local people can put forward others suitable for honours or for invitations to Buckingham Palace Garden Parties, and on anniversaries warranting a message from The Queen.
They also advise on how community organisations can gain recognition in The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This award recognises the vital role played by the thousands of unsung heroes of the voluntary and community world which we in the Lieutenancy believe it is important to celebrate and encourage.
The Lieutenancy operates a community information service (entitled Lieutenancy in the Community) whereupon Deputy Lieutenants will attend a community group meeting, or a school, or a local organisation such as the Rotary or the Womens’ Institute to explain the history of the Lieutenancy, its relevance to the local community and how it can help you.
Deputy Lieutenants are not titled Deputy ‘Lord’Lieutenant and should be address as ‘Deputy Lieutenant’
Listed below (with photograph and short biographical note) are all the current Deputy Lieutenants. When they reach the age of 75 they retire from active duties but still retain the post nominal ‘DL’. Their talents and community connections are still highly valued by the Lord-Lieutenant even though they are retired and occasionally, if appropriate they will complete a duty for him. Listed below the currently active Deputies is a list of all retired Deputy Lieutenants for East Sussex.

Military Group
This group of Deputies give support to our serving armed forces, our veterans and our cadet forces throughout the County on any matters affecting their welfare and training.

Rural Group
Under the leadership of David Allam DL the Rural Group exists to support and help rural communities with issues that affect farming, rural housing, rural business, and village community life.
Deputy Lieutenants by alphabetical listing:
Marquess of Abergavenny
Crowborough

Running the family estate at Eridge Park he is very involved with Farming diversification and property and town centre re-development. District Councillor for Wealden from 1996 to 2005. Trustee for Royal British Legion Industries. Patron of various local and national charities.
David Allam DL
Seaford

I am a former Chairman of South of England Agricultural Society and the Sussex Community Foundation.
High Sheriff of East Sussex 2012/13.
Currently Patron and Ambassador for various County Charities and Chichester Cathedral.
Deborah Bedford JP DL
Lewes

Deborah Bedford has been involved in the criminal Justice system for many years. First as a member of the IMB of Lewes prison and then as a magistrate where she is also on the Family Panel. She is involved in a number of local charities, is a Trustee of Chichester Cathedral and a past High Sheriff.
Andrew Blackman DL
Hastings

Ambassador for Sussex Community Foundation; PCC member at St Mary & St Peter, Pett; board member, the Order of St Richard. Has been involved with appeals at St Michael’s Hospice and the Conquest Hospital in Hastings. Past Chairman of the Friends of Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve; former trustee Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival. High Sheriff of East Sussex 2020/21.
Geoffrey Bush DL
Fulking

Geoffrey is a steering group member of the Lord Lieutenant’s Volunteering & Voluntary Sector Council. Geoffrey was formerly Chairman of the Diageo Foundation for 25 years and Corporate Citizenship Director at Diageo plc. He has devoted his working life to supporting and developing corporate social responsibility, social enterprise and community support initiatives in the UK and internationally.
Maureen Chowen DL
Brighton & Hove

Maureen was the High Sheriff of East Sussex 2017/2018, is married to Michael and lives in Brighton. Maureen is an active supporter of many local charities as well as being a trustee of St Barnabas Hospice and Chestnut Tree House.
Timothy (Tim) Cobb DL
Eastbourne

Tim is a public relations professional having set up a public relations company in 1995 which now employs 22 in Eastbourne and Brighton. He is very involved with the Sussex business community. Currently he is President of the Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce and he has established networking clubs in Brighton, Gatwick, Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne to encourage support for local suppliers and to offer support for local charities where he uses his PR/media skills to help the local community whenever he can.
Simon Corello JP DL
Battle

Simon has been a Justice of the Peace since 2006 and is currently Chairman of the Sussex Eastern Bench. He sits both as a magistrate in the criminal court and as a tier 1 Judge of the family court. He is also a member of the regional leadership committee within the judiciary.
He has served in the military and has been a trustee for a number of Sussex charities dealing with a wide variety of issues including palliative care, community relations, mediation, homelessness, immigration, and hardship.
Earl De La Warr DL
Crowborough

Has worked in the city for over 30 years, and is currently Vice Chairman with Shore Capital, a Non-Executive Director of a number of quoted companies, and a farmer. He is President of Bowles Outdoor Centre, a Trustee of Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare Centre, and a former joint Vice President of Sussex Association of Youth Clubs.
Davinder Dhillon DL
Brighton & Hove

Davinder is well known in Brighton & Hove where for more than 20 years he has organised the annual Chattri memorial service for World War One Indian soldiers who died of their wounds in Brighton and Hove hospitals. He is married to Wendy and lives in Hove. He is a retired teacher who for many years has used his skills to reinforce the cultural and ethnic diversity of the City and the County.
Michael Foster DL
St Leonard-on-Sea

Michael Foster is a solicitor and Freeman of Hastings. He represented the town as Member of Parliament for 13 years and served in Government as the Minister for Equalities up until 2010, helping to steer the Equality Bill through Parliament. He is now Principal and Employment Specialist of Michael Foster Law.
Roger French OBE DL
Brighton & Hove

Headed up Brighton & Hove’s buses for over 30 years from 1982 to 2013 as well as involved in many city business forums and groups. Chairman of the Martlets Hospice between 2004 and 2013 and Trustee of the Argus Appeal charity between 2000 and 2019. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport and was awarded a Freeman of the city of Brighton & Hove.
Christopher John McLean Gebbie OBE DL
Ringmer

Chris is a past chairman of the East Sussex Drugs Advisory Council (1985-95) and of Lewes Victoria Hospital League of Friends (1991-2013). He was chairman of Sussex Heritage Trust for five years (2008-13) and a Member of Brighton Health Authority (1981-85). Chris retired from his role as a Magistrate in 2015 where he served for 26 years. He was High Sheriff of East Sussex for the year 2014/15
Carola Godman Irvine DL
Lewes

A farmer running Ote Hall farms producing beef and arable crops, and a variety of diversification enterprises. A Trustee of several local charities including the South of England Agricultural Society.
Kathy Gore OBE DL
Uckfield

Worked for a US investment bank in London before moving to East Sussex in 1993. Is Chair of Friends of Sussex Hospices (since 2001) and a Trustee of the Sussex Community Foundation (since 2006).
High Sheriff 2011/12 and a former trustee of Martlets Hospice and Sussex Beacon. Currently patron of Chestnut Tree House, Martlets Hospice and Whitehawk Inn.
Amanda Hamblin DL
Heathfield

Amanda has volunteered within the Criminal Justice system for many years, initially delivering cognitive behaviour courses, then as a member of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Lewes, and now as a Restorative Justice facilitator. She is Patron of Homecall and a former High Sheriff of East Sussex.”
Veronica Hamilton-Deeley LL.B DL
Lewes

Veronica is a solicitor and has been the Coroner for the City of Brighton and Hove since 1997 and Deputy for East Sussex prior to that for a number of years. She has an ongoing interest in training and remains actively involved in that role with a local Hospice, Brighton and Hove Medical School and the Preparation for Practice course; also in training junior doctors . Veronica assisted in setting up the local Medical Examiner scheme at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
Violet Hancock DL
Ringmer

Violet is a retired company director and consultant who was the High Sheriff for East Sussex (2019-2020).
Violet is a former trustee and Vice-Chair of Sussex Heritage Trust where she is now a patron. She currently serves on the national charity, Fitzroy, and locally she particularly supports activities which help engender a community spirit or help young people escape chaotic lives.
Miles Jenner DL
Lewes

Miles is Head Brewer and Joint Managing Director of Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd. He is a Freeman of the City of London and a Court Assistant at the Worshipful Company of Brewers. He is well known in the County for his support of local charities, education and local business in both a formal and informal capacity, and he is President of the Lewes Little Theatre Company where he both acts and directs.
Jenny KilBride Roberts MBE DL
Ditchling

After an early career in the family silk-weaving business, Jenny worked for many years in arts fundraising at Glyndebourne, the Yehudi Menuhin School, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and Garsington Opera. She has recently retired as Chairman of Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft and is a Director of Ditchling Commoners’ Association.
Sarah Kowitz DL
Hastings

Sarah is well known locally for her support right across the local community. In particular for her fund raising for voluntary and charity groups and for her work with education, the visual arts and the support of music performance in Hastings. She is an active Board member of Sussex’s newest art museum, Hastings Contemporary and has commissioned sculpture in support of the town.
Colonel Anthony T Lamb MBE DL VR
Eastbourne

Anthony is a Colonel in the Army Reserves and has held a number of senior posts including Corps Colonel (Reserves) Royal Signals and latterly Vice President of the Army Officer Selection Board where he has been one of the team responsible for selecting candidates for the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Formally he was Commandant of Sussex Army Cadet Force, Colonel Cadets for 11 Infantry Brigade and HQ SE, Chair of the Sussex Joint Service Cadet Committee. He is currently a CCF Contingent Commander, is the SE Regional Representative of the Combined Cadet Force Association and the first nationally appointed Colonel Cadets (CCF Army). Anthony lives in Eastbourne with his wife Linda, a local solicitor, and their two daughters.
James May DL
Brighton & Hove

Lives in Brighton and has a background of over 30 years in banking, Jim has many links with the local community . He is currently Chair of Governors at Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, is on the Executive Committee of Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership and advises small businesses. He was Chairman of Sussex County Cricket Club and was both a Chairman of Shoreham Port Authority, and a Non Executive Director of NHS Brighton and Hove, amongst other roles.
Alan Roy McCarthy DL
Brighton & Hove

Alan is a qualified civil engineer who was born in Brighton. He has over 40 years in public service in East Sussex. He worked for 30 years in local government with East Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC), retiring as Chief Executive of BHCC in 2009. Since retirement Alan has been Chair of several NHS bodies and Trustee on a number of local organisations. He is currently Chair of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust and Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and a Trustee of Albion in the Community.
Major General John Moore-Bick CBE DL
Ewhurst Green

John grew up in Sussex and was a career soldier in the Royal Engineers, and later, General Secretary of the Forces Pension Society. He speaks German, Serbo Croat and Italian, and maintains enduring connections to these areas. He has filled several military appointments in the County and wider, and his principal interest in East Sussex is the rural economy, its farming and forestry. He is a governor of Plumpton College and he and his wife Anne live in Ewhurst Green. He was the High Sheriff for 2018.
Graham Peters DL
Robertsbridge

Graham has a long-term interest in rural regeneration, and is Chairman of Team East Sussex, Vice Chairman of SELEP and has other voluntary regeneration roles as Chairman of the Newhaven Enterprise Zone and co-Chairman of the Hastings Town Fund Board. He is also a Director of Woodland Enterprises, Flimwell, a Governor of Frewen College, a trustee of Sussex Heritage Trust and a director of the Rother Valley Railway.
He was High Sheriff of East Sussex in 2013 – 14.
Michael Rudman DL
Burwash

Michael retired as a London businessman and now farms near Burwash, he is involved with many East Sussex charities.
Prof. Alasdair Smith DL
Lewes

Professor of Economics at the University of Sussex since 1981; and Vice-Chancellor 1998-2007. Chair of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, 2010-13. Deputy Chair, Competition Commission since 2012.
John Smith JP DL
Eastbourne

John has lived and worked in Eastbourne for most of his life and is now retired from teaching. He was a Magistrate in East Sussex for over thirty years and is President of East Sussex Magistrates’ Association. He has been an East Sussex charity mentor since the inception of the scheme.
Mrs Juliet Smith JP DL
Brighton

Juliet is a former High Sheriff of East Sussex (2015-2016) and was a magistrate for 30 years, during which time she was Chair of the Central Bench and of the East Sussex Branch of the Magistrates’ Association. She is Vice President of Ditchling and District branch of the Royal British Legion, as well as patron of various charities, including Children with Cancer Fund and Brighton and Hove Talking Newspapers for the Blind. Her professional life has been in the educational field, ultimately managing and inspecting schools, as well as appointing, appraising and training head teachers. She has chaired four schools’ governing bodies and is currently Chair of Trustees of Martlets Hospice.
Baroness Steadman-Scott OBE DL
Hastings

Debbie Scott was formerly Chief Executive of a national employment charity (Tomorrow’s People) that helps disadvantaged people to get, and keep, a job. She became a member of House of Lords in July 2010 and her particular interests are in welfare to work.
Derek Stevens DL
Bexhill and Rother

Derek is the former Chief Executive of Rother District Council and is married to Lesley with two daughters Sophie and Amy. He is involved in a number of local organisations and a member of the Corporation of Sussex Coast College Hastings. Derek represented Great Britain at the marathon and still likes to try to maintain a “level” of fitness!
Christopher Whittick DL
Lewes

Christopher is the County Archivist of East Sussex and has served with the County Council for 40 years. He is chairman of the Sussex Historic Churches Trust, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the Society of Antiquaries and the Artworkers Guild. He regularly teaches palaeography and local history at the Universities of Sussex, London, Oxford, Cambridge and Keele, and has recently completed his catalogue of the Battle Abbey archive at the Huntington Library in Pasadena, California.
Chantal Wilson DL
Crowborough

A former independent town councillor and Chairman of Wealden District Council, Chantal is Chairman of the Crowborough Community Association (which runs Crowborough Community Centre) and Chairman of the Friends of Crowborough Hospital. She is a recent past trustee of several Sussex charities such as the Friends of Sussex Hospices and Action in Rural Sussex (AirS). Chantal sits on the primary care patient reference group for the High Weald and on the pan-Sussex Community and Village Halls advisory group under the auspices of AirS. She has been an East Sussex charity mentor since the inception of the scheme.
Retired Deputy Lieutenants
Michael Ann Esq OBE DL – Lewes
Charles Anson Esq CVO, DL – Alfriston
Julian Avery Esq DL – Etchingham
Colonel John Barkshire CBE TD JP DL – Arundel
Quinton Barry Esq DL- Shioreham-by-Sea
His Hon Judge Richard Brown DL – Hove
Hugh Burnett Esq OBE DL – Hove
Sir Edward Cazalet DL – Plumpton
Michael Chowen CBE DL – Brighton
Mrs Elspeth Clarkson DL – Steyning
Sir Gordon Conway KCMG, FRS, HonFRAeng DL – Ripe
Baroness Cumberlege CBE DL – Newick
Mrs Phyllida Fane de Salis DL – Mayfield
Colonel Alan Dexter OBE DL – Heathfield
Lt Col Anthony (Tony) Feek DL – Seaford
Baroness (Janet) Fookes DBE DL- St Leonards-on-Sea
The Rt. Hon. Viscount Gage DL – Firle
Mervyn Griffiths Esq TD DL – Isfield
Christopher Hall Esq OBE TD DL – Tunbridge Wells
Mrs Verena Hanbury MBE DL – Chailey
Dr Glynn Jones Esq OBE DL – Hassocks
The Rt. Hon. The Lord and Lady Lloyd – Polegate
Sir John Lovill CBE DL – Ringmer
Keith Millar Esq DL – now London
Mrs Ann Moore BA DL – Battle
Major Roderick Petley DL – now Marlborough
The Rt. Hon The Lord Renton of Mount Harry PC DL – Lewes
Colonel MJN (Nick) Richards DL – Hailsham
Mrs James (Angela) Sellick DL – Ticehurst
William (Bill) Shelford Esq DL – Chailey
Mrs Marion Shepherd DL – Horam
Colonel David Stevens OBE TD DL – Brighton
David Tate Esq OBE DL – Crowborough
Michael Toynbee Esq DL – Wadhurst
Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Woodhead KCB DL – Brighton
Mrs Shirley Whitley DL – Lewes
Dr Richard Wray DL – Hastings