DEVON’S new High Sheriff has pledged to use her year in office to highlight gambling addiction and tackle reoffending.

Caroline Harlow was declared for the royal appointment at a ceremony in Exeter Cathedral on Friday, March 28.

Caroline (70), who lives in Exeter, is a trustee of Devon Community Foundation and member of the Independent Monitoring Board at Channings Wood Prison.

Her service to her community across many years brought her attention to the often hidden and devastating harms caused by gambling addiction.

She said she will be dedicating her year as High Sheriff to getting people in Devon talking about the issue and supporting those with gambling addiction going through the prison system.

She is also committed to supporting organisations that keep people out of custody and help prisoners returning to society.

The Office of High Sheriff is an independent non-political Royal appointment for a single year. It is the oldest secular office in the United Kingdom after the Crown and dates back over 1,000 years from Saxon times when the Shires were formed.

The “Shire Reeve” was responsible to the king for the maintenance of law and order within the county, and for the collection and return of taxes due to the Crown. Today, there are 55 High Sheriffs serving the counties of England and Wales.

She began her career as a speech and language therapist, raising her two children with her GP husband Tim.

She then worked in the NHS and private sectors as a specialist in communication disorders for people with acquired brain injury.

On taking early retirement she then devoted her time to community service, starting with six years spent volunteering in the kitchen at St Petrock’s homeless centre in Exeter.

“Listening to people’s stories while volunteering in the kitchen at St Petrock’s alerted me to how many of those who were sleeping rough or were without a home of their own had come out of prison and were continuing to struggle with addiction.

“This led to my volunteering for the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Channings Wood. The role of the Board is to represent the prisoners’ voice and to ensure they are treated with dignity, humanity, fairness and respect.

“This in turn introduced me to two former prisoners who had lost their high-level careers, homes and families to gambling addiction. They opened my eyes to this often-hidden addiction’s pernicious grip and the devastating harm it causes. I am now focusing my volunteering work on bringing about awareness and change for those whose gambling addiction has led them to prison in Devon.”

Caroline said: “My career as a speech and language therapist gave me my first taste of the satisfaction of working closely with people to help them achieve what at one time they thought would be impossible.

"Fifty years later I’m still committed to the same values. But now I’m in a pivotal position to bring together people working in crime reduction, the voluntary sector, the judicial system and the custodial services. I can’t wait to get started.”