Six new deputy lieutenants have been appointed to support the duties carried out by the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire.
Lord Lieutenants are appointed by the Queen to represent individual counties. Robert Voss CBE was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Herts to succeed the Countess of Verulam, who stepped down in 2017.
The role involves promoting voluntary and charitable organisations and local businesses, arranging visits from the Royal Family, attending civic and social activities, supporting the work of the armed forces and appointing vice and deputy lieutenants.
The new deputies were invested in a ceremony at Moor Park Golf Club in Rickmansworth. There are currently 50 deputies appointed in Herts, although some will retire this year once they reach the age of 75.
One of the new deputy lieutenants is Darryl Keen, the county's chief fire officer and director of Herts County Council's community protection directorate. Mr Keen has been a member of the fire and rescue service for 28 years, with the last eight years working in Herts, and has lived in the county for 25 years.
Vice Admiral Alan Richards, who lives in Chorleywood, was also appointed deputy lieutenant. He served in the Royal Navy for 38 years, specialising as a helicopter pilot and surface warfare officer.
During his time in the navy he commanded two frigates, HM ships Monmouth and Cumberland. He retired from the Navy as chief of defence intelligence in 2015 and was appointed a justice of the peace in 2016.
Berkhamsted resident Justin Apthorp has become a deputy lieutenant, after retiring at the end of 2015 from his role as buying director at Majestic Wine. He remains on the Majestic board as a non-executive director.
Justin is married to a local dentist and has three daughters who all attended Berkhamsted School, where Justin sat on the board of governors for 12 years. He is currently a trustee of The Friends of St Peter's.
Kate Holland-Hibbert was also made a deputy following 25 years working with Mid and West Hertfordshire NSPCC. She trained in primary education in London before moving to Herts with her husband in 1992, and has been involved with the Hertfordshire Gardens Trust schools initiative, known as 'Mrs Wheelbarrow', and the Keech Hospice Braveherts appeal.
She now works alongside her husband in their property and events business.
Another new deputy lieutenant is Michael McGrath, who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in 1984, at the age of 18.
Michael made history by becoming the first disabled person in the world to lead polar expeditions, travelling to the North Pole in 2002 and the South Pole in 2004.
He has been named one of Britain's most influential people with a disability in the Power 100 list for the past three years, and was awarded an honorary degree at the University of Hertfordshire last year.
He later went on to become founder and chief executive of the Muscle Help Foundation (MHP), which is based in Herts and offers experiences, called 'Muscle Dreams', for children and young people with muscular dystrophy.
Michael also works as a keynote speaker, was appointed the 'disABILITY' champion for Hilton Hotels UK & Ireland in 2004, and was a London 2012 Paralympic torchbearer.
Finally, former High Sheriff of Hertfordshire Suzy Harvey was made a deputy lieutenant, following a career as a wedding dress designer and role as partner in a family firm.
She was also chair of the Bishops Stortford branch of Cancer Research UK, and volunteered for the charity Fine Cell Work, which makes handmade products in prisons.
Lord-Lieutenant Robert Voss said: "I am delighted to appoint six new deputy lieutenants (DLs) to join the existing team of hard-working DLs assisting me in the vast number of duties carried out on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.
"The six new deputies represent a wide variety of interests, experience and expertise and come from the four quarters of Hertfordshire, and have already demonstrated their commitment to helping the people and communities of the county and their desire to continue to do so.
"They will all be helping me achieve my mission statement of 'taking the lieutenancy to the people of Hertfordshire', and asking how we can help you."
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