The owner and chair of Hays Travel has been declared High Sheriff of Tyne and Wear for 2023/24.
The Office of High Sheriff is an independent non-political Royal appointment for a single year. Dame Irene Hays has taken up the position after receiving a Warrant direct from His Majesty’s Privy Council.
On Monday, an installation ceremony was held at South Shields Town Hall in South Shields, South Tyneside, for her. Dame Irene was joined by the Lord Lieutenant Lucy Winskell OBE, the region’s Mayors and many other dignitaries.
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During the ceremony, led by His Honour Judge Paul Sloan KC, Dame Irene made a formal declaration, promising to "promote the peace, wellbeing and prosperity of our county and all its people".
She said: "As a woman of the North East it is a great honour to represent Tyne and Wear as High Sheriff.
"I am looking forward to a busy year meeting and supporting many of those who give their time, skills and commitment for the benefit of others."
Dame Irene was born in the Gosforth area of Newcastle, and brought up in Ashington, Northumberland. She built her careers in both Sunderland and South Tyneside local authorities and was Chief Executive of both.
She moved to work in Whitehall in London as Director General for Local Government and had responsibility for the then 353 councils across England. She was Permanent Secretary to the Department of Local Government and Communities for the six months until her retirement.
Dame Irene has been chair of the Hays Travel Group since 2009. Her late husband John founded Hays Travel in 1980 and she was co-owner of the company.
The couple were hailed as "heroes of the high street" in 2019, when they acquired the Thomas Cook estate and offered jobs to nearly 3,000 people. John sadly passed away in November 2020, aged 71.
Hays Travel is now the UK’s largest Independent Travel Agent with 450 shops around the UK. The headquarters remain in Sunderland.
The travel agency funds a community partnership in every one of its 400+ branches across the country – an investment into local areas of over £200,000 a year. It enables colleagues to support and contribute to the areas where they are based.
The Hays Travel Charitable Foundation has also donated more than £1.5m so far to support young people to be the best they can be in education, sport, the arts and their health.
Dame Irene is now one of 55 High Sheriffs in England and Wales. They commit to supporting the crown, the judiciary and emergency services, while also promoting the voluntary sector in their county.
The title dates back to Saxon times and pre-dates the judiciary and the police.
Each High Sheriff will approach their year slightly differently depending on their particular skills, experience and their own areas of interest.
The key objectives of the role are:
- To lend active support to the principal organs of the Constitution within their county – the Royal Family, the Judiciary, the police and other law enforcement agencies, the emergency services, local authorities, and church and faith groups
- To take an active part in supporting and promoting the voluntary sector and giving all possible encouragement to the voluntary organisations within a county, particularly those involved with crime reduction and social cohesion
- To ensure the welfare of visiting High Court Judges, to attend on them at court and to offer them hospitality
- To make a meaningful contribution to the High Sheriff’s county during the year of office and to uphold and enhance the ancient office of High Sheriff
- To support the Lord Lieutenant on royal visits and on other occasions as appropriate
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