THE HIGH SHERIFF ' S ROUND UP
THE HIGH SHERIFF ' S ROUND UP
We’ re delighted to welcome back The High Sheriff of Merseyside, Billy Hui, for his second column in Wirral Life. Since his appointment earlier this year, Billy has been a constant presence across the region— celebrating community spirit, recognising unsung heroes and shining a light on the people who make Merseyside such a special place. In this issue, Billy shares highlights from his busy few months in office— from royal visits and charity events to courtroom experiences and community celebrations— offering readers another fascinating insight into life as our High Sheriff and the heartwarming stories behind the role.
Being in the role of High Sheriff of Merseyside 2025 / 26 continues to be exciting, rewarding and surprising in the best possible way. Alongside my consort, Kerry Berrisford, we have attended over 130 engagements since the end of April across the five Merseyside boroughs, meeting some truly fantastic people, dedicated charities and wonderful organisations across all sectors.
Our diary has also included many social occasions, dinners, award ceremonies, and more than a few ribbon cuttings to open great new projects— plus numerous Royal visits to our wonderful county.
Before stepping into the role, I was told that although the duties would keep us very busy, there was usually a lull in August. Definitely not the case! In fact, the number of events seemed to increase through that month, reaching a real crescendo in September— but it has been a very good kind of busy.
A question I’ m often asked is: what has been your favourite event so far? Hand on heart, I simply can’ t choose. Every engagement has been special and important in its own unique way. However, it has been especially rewarding to visit marginalised communities and smaller charities who so deserve recognition for their selfless work to bring positivity to their local areas and the people they serve.
Part of the role of High Sheriff links me directly with the judiciary and 999 services. This has given me the privilege of sitting on The Bench during High Court cases and visiting our world-class emergency service headquarters across Merseyside— including the brand-new Merseyside Fire and Rescue HQ in Aintree, the HART Unit of the North West Ambulance Service, and the new Merseyside Police Headquarters.
The past few months have also brought some incredible and unexpected experiences: sitting in a vintage race car on Southport Promenade, walking through muddy fields in full uniform to meet the Merseyside Scouts, attending several Royal visits, spending time aboard a Peruvian tall ship, and even putting out a fire( in a controlled environment, of course!) with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service— to name just a few!
One of the most recent highlights was a special service at Liverpool Cathedral to mark the start of the legal year. This is a key High Sheriff event, and the Merseyside service is one of the largest in the country. It was a proud and humbling moment to see so many people in attendance on the day.
There’ s still plenty to come, especially as we head into the Christmas period, and I look forward to updating you in the next issue of Wirral Life Magazine. Please do come and say hello if you see me at any local events you’ re attending.
And yes— I’ m still running my choir, SingMe Merseyside, hosting theatre shows and presenting programmes on BBC Radio Merseyside! No rest for the wicked!
Billy Hui BEM DL High Sheriff of Merseyside 2025 / 26
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