The Lord-Lieutenancy of County Durham
The Lord-Lieutenant is responsible for the present County Durham, plus those areas within the boundaries of Darlington Borough, Hartlepool Borough and that part of Stockton-on-Tees which is to the north of the River Tees.
The Lord-Lieutenant’s duties include:
- Receiving royal visitors to the county.
- Representing Her Majesty The Queen in presenting medals, attending special church services, parades and events such as Remembrance Day Services.
- Presenting The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, The Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service and Medal Presentations for Honours when the recipient has elected to have his or her presentation within the county, instead of attending Buckingham Palace.
- Promoting awareness of the Honours system, The Queen’s Awards to Industry, The Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service, and messages of congratulation from Her Majesty The Queen.
The Lord-Lieutenant with Her Majesty The Queen on a visit to Durham
Origins of the Lord-Lieutenant
The office of Lord-Lieutenant dates from the first appointment by King Henry VIII and has its origins in the military when the holder became responsible for local military defence and the maintenance of order.
In modern times the traditional link with the military is preserved through the Lord-Lieutenant’s association with the Territorial Army, the cadet forces and other uniformed and voluntary organisations.
Honours Nominations
One of the functions of the Lord-Lieutenant is to promote the Honours system. Anyone in the UK can make a recommendation for a British National to receive an honour.
The UK honours system recognises merit, exceptional achievement and service to the community at every level of society, locally, regionally or nationally.
And nominating someone for an honour needn't be complicated. The aim is to ensure that the large numbers of people not in the public eye who give valuable service are recognised.
They could be charity volunteers, members of the emergency services or Armed Forces, industrial pioneers or specialists in various professions. Honours nominations are not handled by Buckingham Palace but by the Ceremonial Secretariat, part of the Cabinet Office.
To nominate someone for an honour, you should get a copy of the nominations form and read the guidance notes. Forms can be downloaded and printed off from the Honours website of the Cabinet Office. Alternatively, you can obtain a form by writing, telephoning or emailing the Cabinet Office. Forms can also be sent from Durham’s Lieutenancy Office.
Forms and more information can be downloaded from www.honours.gov.uk
The completed forms should be sent to:
Ceremonial Secretariat
Cabinet Office
35 Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BQ
Tel: 0207 2762777
More details on the Honours system
Lieutenancy Office Contacts
The Lord-Lieutenant of County Durham is Sir Paul Nicholson. He is supported by the Clerk to the Lieutenancy, Kingsley Smith and the Assistant Clerk, Linda Smith who provide information, support, advise and help to organisations, companies and individuals on such issues as:-- Nominations for honours.
- Requests for Royal visits to the county.
- Medal presentations.
- The Queens awards to Industry and for voluntary service.
- Messages of congratulations from Her Majesty The Queen in respect of wedding anniversaries and birthdays.
For more details on any of the above issues. Please contact:
The Lieutenancy Office
The Rivergreen Centre
Aykley Heads
Durham
DH1 5TS
Tel: 091 3708703
Fax: 0191 3708893
