A NEW vice Lord-Lieutenant has been appointed to represent the Queen in Essex.

Rear Admiral Roy Clare is now the vice to Jennifer Tolhurst, the current Lord-Lieutenant of Essex.

He joined the Royal Navy as a Junior Seaman and served at sea in the lower deck.

He has lived in Tollesbury for more than 20 years with his wife Sarah.

He has three adult children and two granddaughters.

Mr Clare is a trustee for art, heritage, digital inclusion and social welfare charities.

Gazette:

He is the president of the Armed Forces charity, SSAFA in Essex and a councillor on Tollesbury Parish Council.

He has been the deputy lieutenant for Essex since 2018.

Mr Clare said: “My family and I moved to Essex more than 20 years ago.

“We love the diversity of the county and we appreciate especially the strength of character and distinctive vitality of its people.

“I acknowledge the excellent work of the lieutenancy on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, not least recently for the Platinum Jubilee.

“I look forward to being able to lend support to the Lord-Lieutenant in her important leadership role representing the Sovereign across Essex.”

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Mrs Tolhurst said: “Roy brings a wealth of experience from his years in the Royal Navy and from his time as director of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich and Auckland War Memorial Museum, New Zealand.

“He is already actively involved as a volunteer in several aspects of life in Essex and I am confident he will be a great support to me and a significant asset to the Lieutenancy and the county.

“I would also like to pay tribute to retiring Vice Lord-Lieutenant Vincent Thompson, who has served with distinction since his appointment in 2019.

“He has been closely involved in a number of lieutenancy projects and he has deputised for me on many occasions.

“I have been particularly grateful for his advice, wise counsel and encouragement."