OVER the past few years there has been an increasing number of women High Sheriffs, but today (Friday) it will be a first for Pembrokeshire when Mrs. Penny Drew DL is installed in the office of High Sheriff of Dyfed.

Australian-born Mrs. Drew has lived in the UK since her marriage to Mr. Duncan Drew when they made their home in Westminster, London. After Mr. Drew's death, Mrs. Drew kept on the town house until she moved permanently to Pembrokeshire in 1975.

Over the years she has been deeply involved in the life of the county, serving on South Pembrokeshire District Council and later Preseli District Council until she decided not to stand for re-election after local government re-organisation.

For the past eight years she has been a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed and has consistently dedicated herself to charity work and during her year of office intends to give her support to the voluntary organisations.

She is currently president of the Mid, West Wales and Powys section of the British Red Cross; Pembrokeshire president of the NSPCC; and president of the Pembrokeshire Cystic Fibrosis branch. In addition she is a voluntary blind visitor for the Pembrokeshire Blind Society, sits on the Community Health Council and on the PCC of St. Nicholas Church, New Moat.

At the time of the formation of the Trust for Sick Children in Wales at the Heath Hospital, Cardiff, she mounted a highly successful fund-raising campaign in Pembrokeshire to provide parent accommodation at the hospital, following this by leading the Pembrokeshire Cystic Fibrosis branch silver anniversary bid to raise £25,000. In the event the campaign raised £30,000.

The office of High Sheriff is the oldest office in the country and is the only secular office remaining from Saxon times although it did not exist in Wales until 1284 AD.

Since 1974, the post, which is unpaid with the general expense born by the holder, has been held in turn by nominees from each of the three counties of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthen and Ceredigion.

Mrs. Drew takes over from Ceredigion nominee, Clr. Keith Evans, of Llandyssul.