Our Patrons

Dione Angela Grimston, Countess of Verulam (née Smith; born on 19 July 1954), is a British artist and the present Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire. The Countess of Verulam served as High Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 2002 and was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire in June 2007 following the retirement of Sir Simon Bowes-Lyon. She is the first woman to hold that office. Lady Verulam has worked on churches, Cliveden Hall and Hambleton Hall, and has exhibited her paintings in London. She is the patron of Home-Start St Albans.

An alumna of the University of Hertfordshire, Sarah Beazley received an honorary Doctor of Laws for her contribution to the county and to the University of Hertfordshire. Sarah was High Sheriff of Hertfordshire for the 2019-2020 term, and was instrumental in setting up new services to benefit those in need of legal support and advice, while offering the University’s Law students valuable experience and opportunities to be involved in real cases. She supports a number of charities across Hertfordshire, and is a member of the Professional Advisory Group supporting the Hertfordshire Law School.

Penny is a retired social worker, magistrate and supplemental deputy lieutenant of Hertfordshire and a vice president of both HACRO and Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline. Currently she is chairman of Vincent’s charity, a small st. albans housing charity, co-chairman of st albans amnesty international group and a trustee of centre 33. She is also on the lieutenancy team assessing local groups for kings award for voluntary service. in her spare time she sings badly in the local Rock Choir , loves gardening and seeing films at the odyssey, and plays and exhibitions/museums in London. She has 4 grandchildren and enjoys spending time with them

Cllr Brewster is the county councillor for Harpenden Rural and Mayor of St Albans for 2013-14, who has worked at a parish, district and county level for more than 15 years; She is a Justice of the Peace on the West & Central Magistrate Bench; As portfolio holder for culture, heritage and sport at St Albans district council she was responsible for the creation of the award-winning new St Albans Museum + Gallery; She was HCC’s deputy executive member for public health and prevention during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, was the vice-chairman of the Luton Airport consultative committee and is an executive board member of the Hertfordshire Sports Partnership; A former athlete, at the age of 17, Cllr Brewster won silver in the 1,500m at the UK Championships and at 35 she came third in the world in the 5K racewalk.

Patron