Eamonn O’Neal, a trustee of Francis House Children’s Hospice, has been selected by King Charles as the next High Sheriff of Greater Manchester. The announcement of his appointment was made by Buckingham Palace on March 13th and O’Neal will officially assume his role next month.
In a unique turn of events, O’Neal will be serving as High Sheriff for a second time, having previously held the position in 2020. This is an unprecedented occurrence in the history of Greater Manchester, as O’Neal has now been chosen by two different monarchs. He will be installed as High Sheriff at Wardley Hall in Salford in April, taking over from Mary Elizabeth Walker whose term of office will come to an end.
O’Neal, a father-of-three from Sale, is a well-known broadcaster and journalist in the North West. He has held positions such as head of regional programmes at Granada Television, Managing Editor of the Manchester Evening News, and presenter with BBC Radio Manchester.
Expressing his gratitude for the appointment, O’Neal said, “It’s a huge honour and quite humbling to be chosen as High Sheriff of Greater Manchester again. I am grateful for the opportunity to connect and engage with the charitable, voluntary, faith, ethnic, cultural and business communities across the county.”
O’Neal has been a member of the board of trustees at Francis House since May 2023 and has been a strong supporter of the hospice since its establishment in the early 1990s. The hospice provides support to over 600 families from all over Greater Manchester, offering a range of services including respite care, homecare, sibling support, end of life care, and bereavement support to children and young adults with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.
David Ireland, the chief executive of Francis House, congratulated O’Neal on his selection, saying, “It’s great to see trustees actively participating in the community.” O’Neal was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts degree by the University of Bolton in 2015 for his outstanding contribution to the media and charity.
The Office of High Sheriff is the oldest secular title in British history and one of the oldest in the world, dating back over 1,300 years. In the past, the Sheriff represented the monarch, collected taxes, raised armies, and enforced the law in the county. While O’Neal will not be responsible for these tasks, he sees his role as a representation of the King as the ceremonial head of the judiciary in the county.
“I also regard this Royal appointment as recognition of the importance of meaningful connection with the communities,” O’Neal stated. “Francis House is a perfect example of how a hospice can be of substantial benefit to the lives of our children and their families.” O’Neal was previously the Chair and Chief Executive of St Ann’s Hospice in Manchester.
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