Congratulations to Leon Unczer. He has just been appointed the new Sheriff of Nottingham. I know that the title will always be associated with the villain of the Robin Hood legend, but Leon is the total opposite (as I'm sure all the recent ones have also been). I've known Leon for about ten years in one way or another. As Chair of the Leisure and Community Services Department he was my "boss's boss" while I worked at Nottingham Castle. I've known him on a more personal level outside work, and I was pleased he accepted our invitation from NRH to be guest at our launch event in February 2008.
As a historian I am very pleased that Leon is heading a "Sheriff's Commission" to bring Robin Hood back into official recognition after years of being side-lined in favour of bigots like Brian Clough. It seems that at last we have a Sheriff of Nottingham who actually welcomes Robin Hood into the city (unlike the present council leader who really put the "No" into Nottingham by supporting the abolition of the Robin Hood logo in favour of the pathetic slanty N - or dozy Z - that blights the city).
Also as a historian, of course I should remind people that the Sheriff of Nottingham has nothing to do with Robin Hood. The Sheriff is a political appointment originating in 1449, a good 72 years after Robin Hood's first appearance in a ballad. The character which DOES appear is the High Sheriff of the county, a crown appointment (currently held by the suitably medieval sounding Roger Merryweather).
Let's hope that Leon will push for the re-opening of The Tales of Robin Hood. The city council showed its total disregard for world opinion and Nottingham as a tourist site by not lifting a finger to save it. Nottingham will NEVER become a leader in the contemporary arts world, so let's bulldoze that eyesore near the station and give the city what the world wants and not what the politicians want. Stop wasting council worker's salaries creating things we don't have and use it to preserve things we do.
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage, click on http://www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk/
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