Tributes paid to former High Sheriff
TRIBUTES have been paid to the ormer High Sheriff of Berkshire Victoria Fishburn, who has died at the age of 64.
Mrs Fishburn, from Englefield, who served as High Sheriff in 2016/17, died on March 22 following a short illness.
She was well known and well loved in the local area and her death has been felt deeply by the community she did so much for.
As well as her role as High Sheriff, Mrs Fishburn had also served for many years as chairwoman of Englefield Primary School and governor of Elstree School at Woolhampton.
Englefield Primary School headteacher Hilary Latimer, said: “Victoria had a long and loyal association with our school.
“All her children came here and her interest was such that she joined our governing body in early 1991, remaining as a governor until she stepped down in 2014 to allow her to devote her time to her role of High Sheriff of Berkshire.
“She led our governing body as chair of governors for 12 years, during which time our school saw many physical changes, always done sympathetically and in keeping with Victoria’s values of a Christian, rural school.
“She was not only an excellent chair of governors but also a good listener; if staff had any problems she always had time for them.
“She was keen that Englefield retained its Christian ethos and developed in keeping with our place in a conservation village.
“Even after she retired, Victoria retained that supportive caring role, often popping in to see how we were doing. We will miss her very much.”
Former Newbury MP Richard Benyon said: “We all adored her.
“She was a total life enhancer. “Few have so much love in them, or were so loved.
“Victoria was someone I have known for more than half a century and we grew up living 300 metres from each other.
“I knew her really well and she was just a really special person. Every community needs a Victoria Fishburn. It is a tragic loss.”
During her tenure, Mrs Fishburn worked closely with the Thames Valley Partnership, which protects the victims of crime, while also supporting offenders and their families. She also supported The Elizabeth Fry Charity, which runs approved premises for women in Reading.
In addition, she was a patron of the John Simonds Trust in Bradfield and a director of the Greenham Trust.
Greenham Trust chief executive Chris Boulton said: “She was just a lovely lady who was incredibly supportive of the trust and to me personally.
“She was deeply invested into what went on locally and was well connected. She knew so many people and so many people loved her. It is a very sad loss. She really was a wonderful person.”
Mrs Fishburn sat on the advisory board to the Museum of English Rural Life at the University of Reading, where she received her undergraduate degree in history and more recently she championed the work of Alana House, which uses a holistic approach to support vulnerable women in Reading and West Berkshire.
The charity said: “We are so sad to learn of the death of Victoria Fishburn.
“Victoria championed the work of Alana House and visited us often. A warm and genuine person, truly focused on making a difference. A great loss to her family, friends and the community.”
The office of High Sheriff is an independent, non-political, royal appointment for the period of one year. It is the oldest secular office in the country apart from the monarchy. The role is now largely ceremonial, but carries the status of being the Queen’s highest judicial officer in the county.