THE new High Sheriff of Kent took up office this week and announced that voluntary work, members of the armed services and prisons would be on top his list of priorities.

Andrew Wells TD, was installed at a service at St Lawrence’s Church, Mereworth, near Maidstone.

The ancient office, known as the Shrievalty, dates back 1,000 years and was once associated with wide financial, judicial, policing and military powers.

The Sheriff would once have raised the hue and cry in pursuit of felons, collected taxes on behalf of the Crown and nominated county representatives for Parliament - although those functions have long since been taken on by police, local authorities and the Inland Revenue.

Now the Sheriff’s main responsibility is to look after High Court judges when they are in Kent, and make sure law and order is upheld.

Mr Wells, who lives at Mereworth, said: “It is a great honour. It is a very historic office.”

As a volunteer himself, Mr Wells pledged to work for volunteers around the county. He said: “There are an awful lot of people doing voluntary work and I hope, in my position, I can open a few doors for people.”

He is also interested in prisons and hopes to visit prison officers and the police during the next 12 months.

Mr Wells said: “It worries me knowing that the prison population is increasing. There are an awful lot of people in prison who could make a useful contribution to their own lives and who should be earning an honest penny.

“People need to be taught the error of their ways, but it seems to me a waste of thousands of people.”

Mr Wells, a former officer in the Wessex Yeomanry and Royal Green Jackets, also hopes to visit all the county’s Volunteer Reserve Force Units.

He said: “It is something that has become much more important recently in the last two or three years, with Iraq and Bosnia and so on. People need to understand the sacrifice they are making.

“One of my sons is in the Army and went to Iraq, and the other is training to be in the Army, so it has been in my thoughts a great deal recently.”

Mr Wells, an historic property management consultant and agent, and a consultant to the Leeds Castle Foundation, also serves on the national executive of the Historic Houses Association and is a trustee of Kent Gardens Trust.

The Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Alan Willett, said: “Andrew has given - and continues to give - a great deal of valuable voluntary service in support of historic properties and gardens, both in Kent and nationally, and to the Volunteer Reserve Forces.

“We warmly welcome Andrew and his wife Tessa and wish them a happy and successful year.”