I have recently retired as a Circuit Judge. For 15 years I sat exclusively in the family court, where a large percentage of my work related to child protection. As a barrister I also specialised in family law. I have always tried to do my best for children in difficult circumstances. Sometimes, because of issues beyond my control, that was not easy to achieve.

From my work, I understand some of the deep-rooted issues that affect young people in this county such as poverty, substance misuse, mental health difficulties, trauma, self-confidence issues, lack of opportunity and ambition, difficulties with accessing education and a paucity of services which might offer some of them a real alternative to criminal activity.

I also think I understand the community issues in Gwent. My journey to becoming High Sheriff has not been typical. I come from many generations of mining families on both sides. I was educated through the comprehensive system and was the first in my family to go to sixth form and University.

I returned to Gwent after my professional training in 1983 and I have lived in the county ever since. I have a keen interest in children’s rights and equal opportunity for all structures of society particularly through the education process. It is my primary ambition to try to use my year as High Sheriff to make the Office more relevant to young people in Gwent. Many have not heard of the office; others do not know anything about the role of the High Sheriff. Inevitably those who have only heard of the “High Sheriff” or “Shrievalty” are under the impression that we have little understanding or experience of the issues that children and young people face as they progress towards adulthood. I want to try and change that perception and give a voice to young people, through me and the office I hold. I want therefore to meet and talk to as many young people as I can.

It will come as no surprise to those who know me that the theme for my year is to shine a light on the poverty of opportunity for children and young people in Gwent, who I know could achieve great things with the right support and services, both to have ambition and to achieve it.

However, intervention needs not only to be timely but focused, simply throwing money at parts of the problem is futile. I am aware that we need to do much more from a practical perspective. I am a keen supporter of mentoring as a way of helping young people, and I am keen to support mentoring programmes in Gwent.

I also want to spotlight those charities and organisations supporting our young people. They are tirelessly making a difference with little recognition. My aim is to ensure that they understand how much their efforts are valued.

My overarching message will be - let us encourage as many of our young people as we can to realise their potential whatever that may be. We can all make a contribution and time is the most valuable resource that we can give.

As Executive Assistant her role will be to assist the High Sheriff in her Shrieval duties and in
particular, connecting with organisations supporting young people in Gwent.

The High Sheriff has a legal duty to appoint an Under Sheriff on a yearly basis, whose duty is to advise the High Sheriff on matters of law, provide a link to the judiciary, and amongst other duties, to officiate at the High Sheriff's Declaration Ceremony. Natalie read Classics at Oxford University and later converted to law. She was called to the Bar in 2000 at the Middle Temple. Natalie practises as a barrister specialising in divorce finance and aspects of civil law at 9 Park Place, Cardiff. She also sits as a Deputy District Judge on the Wales Circuit and holds civil, public and private family law authorisations.

Katie McColgan has been appointed as the Chaplain to the High Sheriff. 

One of the key objectives of the High Sheriff, as well as empowering young people, is to promote understanding, cooperation and good relations between organisations and people of different faiths – as well as those of none. Katie brings a wealth of experience and her valuable interfaith perspective in order to assist the High Sheriff in this task, as Chair of the Interfaith Council for Wales, having been a member since 2018. 

Katie is a very experienced family law solicitor and the Head of the Family Team at Berry Smith solicitors. She was the first solicitor to train as a family mediator in Wales in 1992 and latterly, an early adopter of the Collaborative Law approach, believing that separating couples and particularly, their children, do best when they are able to continue working with each other. Katie is also a representative on the Council of the Third Sector Voluntary Partnership for Wales.