A FORMER Ryedale area county councillor has been appointed one of the Deputy Lieutenants of North Yorkshire.

Clare Wood was councillor for the Hovingham and Sheriff Hutton constituency, with its 37 villages and hamlets, from 2001 to 2017.

She has been appointed Deputy Lieutenant alongside three others; all were appointed with the Queen’s agreement by the Lord-Lieutenant

of North Yorkshire, Barry Dodd CBE.

The Queen’s consent to the appointments was given with the traditional phrase: “the Queen does not disapprove.”

The county is the largest Lieutenancy area in the country and the Deputy Lieutenants act as “the eyes and ears” of the Lieutenancy and help the Lord-Lieutenant in his role as the Queen’s official representative.

The Deputy Lieutenants are spread across the county and are drawn from different disciplines and backgrounds.

What they have in common is their commitment to communities and voluntary work.

The appointment of the four brings the total number of Deputy Lieutenants in North Yorkshire to 47, the number allowed based on the population of the Lieutenancy area.

The other three appointees were Heather Hancock, Captain Stephen Upright RN and Trevor Watson.