Stepping down...

Thursday 30 October 2014

After five Lieutenant-Governors, 35 Royal visits and more than 23 years in the post, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Woodrow is retiring as chief-of-staff at Government House.

Lieut-Col Woodrow steps down from the post tomorrow, to be succeeded by Justin Oldridge, a former Major in the Royal Engineers, who first came to Jersey in 2005 as the officer in charge of the Jersey Field Squadron.

After attending every major ceremonial occasion since 1991 and planning two visits by the Queen, Lieut-Col Woodrow said that he had loved the job.

He said: “None of this would have been possible without the advice and encouragement I have received from the Lieutenant-Governors and their wives, as well as from my wife Fiona, coupled with the outstanding support I have been given by the other members of the Lieutenant-Governor’s staff.

“It is an honour and a privilege to have served The Queen’s Representative in Jersey for so long.

“It has given me some of the happiest and most memorable days of my life.”

He served for 26 years in the Armed Services before coming to Jersey, including a three-year spell in the mid-80s commanding the 2^nd Battalion Genadier Guards in Northern Ireland, and service in Berlin and Cyprus.

Mr Oldridge – who is married to Emily, with two children – said that he was delighted to be following in Lieut-Col Woodrow’s footsteps.

He said: “I feel extremely privileged to serve as the next Chief of Staff to the Lieutenant-Governor and Deputy Receiver General. I very much look forward to joining the team at Government House.”