At the kind invitation of Alderman and Sheriff Gregory Jones and Sheriff David Chalk the 2025 Sheriffs’ Award Reception was held in the Judges’ Dining Room at the Old Bailey on Friday 21st February 2025.

The reception is held both to recognise the acts of bravery of the previous Principal Recipient as well as those who have been Highly Commended by the Sheriffs and to encourage nominations for the current years Award.

The Master, Michael Thwaites opened the proceedings and thanked the Sheriffs for hosting the event and the assembled guests for their support of the Sheriffs’ Award.

Junior Warden, Andrew Knights, the Chair of the 2025 Sheriffs’ Award Working Group Nomination Year then recapped the purpose and history of the award.

A spontaneous act of bravery to help another person is one of the great human characteristics. In many cases the helper does not know the individual who needs help, the act may put themselves at considerable risk, and there is no expectation by the person that they will get any reward or recognition for their actions.

The many acts of bravery carried out by members of the public in the immediate aftermath of the London bombings in July 2005 caused such a reaction and a discussion about how such acts could be recognised which ultimately led to the then Lord Mayor Sir David Brewer agreeing to the creation of the Sheriffs’ Award for Bravery in 2006 in order to recognise “someone who has displayed an act of courage in protecting, people property or liberty” with the responsibility for the running of the award being granted to the Security Professionals.

The guests were able to see the Roll of Honour Board mounted outside the Judges’ Dining Room and the Book of Honour with all the Principal Recipients Citations recorded in the book.

Alderman and Sheriff Gregory Jones noted guests coming into the dining room stop and look at and read the book of citations and comment on the acts of bravery recorded in the book. Also how moved the Sheriffs had been to see the details of the actions contained in the nominations they had been asked to judge. Kayley Mansfield, the 2024 Principal Recipient, had intervened in a violent assault by three men armed with a knife on a single man in a car park in Guildford Town Centre. The victim’s life was at risk in the violent altercation but Kayley intervened and saved the victim.

Nominations are now being sought from across the United Kingdom for the 2025 Award and are open to any person, whether a member of the public, the Emergency Services, the Armed Forces or anyone employed in the Security Industry. The closing date for this year’s nominations is 1 August 2025.
The Award is a highly prestigious one with the Principal Recipient receiving a trophy, a framed certificate and £5,000. As well as recognition on the Honors board and in the Honours Book.

If you know someone who deserves to be nominated, please submit your nomination on the WCoSP website: Sheriffs’ Award for Bravery – WCoSP or you can contact the Clerk, via email – [email protected]