Diana Parkes attends event celebrating High Sheriff of North Yorkshire’s Year of Service

On 26th March, Diana Parkes was a guest speaker at the High Sheriff of North Yorkshire’s Awards ceremony.

The Joanna Simpson Foundation sponsored an award to New Beginnings Peer Support a charity founded by Lindsay Oliver who has worked tirelessly to create a charity which helps domestic abuse survivors.

A key priority during the High Sheriff’s year was to raise awareness of the effects of domestic abuse on children. With one in four women experiencing domestic abuse in their lifetime, the impact on children is devastating. Dr. Ruth Smith worked tirelessly to improve the experience of survivors and their children within the criminal justice and social services systems.

Speaking about the event, Diana Parkes commented, “It was an honour to attend the dinner to celebrate the High Sheriff of North Yorkshire’s Year of Service. The Joanna Simpson Foundation decided to sponsor a prize at the event because New Beginnings are a like-minded charity like ourselves and we know that the prize money will go a long way in support the charity.”

Reflecting on her year, Dr. Ruth Smith said, “This has been an incredibly rewarding year, full of both challenges and triumphs. The passion and commitment I’ve seen from the organisations here tonight, along with the resilience of the children they support, have been a true source of inspiration. As I conclude my time as High Sherif