The Sheriff of Canterbury is Councillor Tom Mellish.
Tom was born and grew up on a council estate in southeast London, went to school in Blackheath, and then art college in Sunderland. After college Tom had several jobs but from 1988 he worked at the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
As the TUC’s Health and Safety Policy Adviser, he helped to bring in the EU Health and Safety Directives, wrote guidance, and influenced politicians and trade unions on numerous workplace health and safety issues. He then worked on the TUC's Regional Economic Development policy, working with Local Enterprise Partnerships at national level, the Confederation of British Industry, and the Federation of Small Businesses.
Tom has been a primary school governor at five schools. He is currently the Chair of the Herne Bay Coastal Community Trust, which secured government funding to establish the Neptune Co-working Hub in Herne Bay, and supported up to thirty local business people.
As well as his interest in local politics, Tom has actively supported the Herne Bay Swing and Jazz festival and Herne Bay’s Beach Creative.
In his spare time Tom likes to paint, dance swing and lindy hop, listen to a wide range of music but particularly jazz, and is a member of the Up The Creek ukulele club - and he grows cacti!
The Sheriff's Consort is Fred Pearce.