TWO West Somerset women are among three new Somerset Deputy Lord Lieutenant appointments announced this week.

They are former High Sheriff of Somerset Jennifer Duke, who lives in Luxborough, and former Somerset County Council chief executive Sheila Wheeler, who lives on the Quantock Hills.

They will assist and support the Lord Lieutenant in Somerset, Mohammed Saddiq, who is the King’s representative in the county.

Mrs Duke, who was brought up in the north of Scotland, has lived on Exmoor for the past 26 years and is managing director of an IT consultancy which delivers solutions and services to financial markets and industry, using advanced algorithm-based technology.

Former Somerset County Council chief executive Sheila Wheeler, who has been appointed a Deputy Lord Lieutenant.
Former Somerset County Council chief executive Sheila Wheeler, who has been appointed a Deputy Lord Lieutenant. ( )

She has served the Luxborough community as a churchwarden and parish councillor and is an ambassador for The Nelson Trust, which supports vulnerable people who have multiple and complex needs, including addiction, trauma, and offending.

Mrs Duke said: “Having served as High Sheriff in 2022, I am delighted and honoured to be offered the opportunity to continue some of that work as one of our county’s Deputy Lieutenants.”

Mrs Wheeler was born and grew up in Ireland but moved to China to teach after gaining an English and theology degree.

She later retrained as an accountant and spent much of her career in the public sector, including as finance director of the London Symphony Orchestra, and in local government.

Mrs Wheeler is a lay trustee of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark, and a governor of Taunton School.

She said: “I am delighted, honoured, and humbled to be asked to support the Lord Lieutenant in his role across Somerset, my adopted county.”

The third Deputy Lord Lieutenant appointment was Cornwall-born Suresh Ariaratnam, from Bath, who is a non-executive director for NHS Somerset and NHS Dorset HealthCare and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Welcoming their appointments, Mr Saddiq said: “Jennifer, Suresh, and Sheila bring wide and diverse experiences and I am sure will do much to help the Lieutenancy celebrate all that is good in our county.”

The trio of appointments bring to 41 the number of Deputy Lieutenants in Somerset.