Peaches Golding appointed first black female Lord Lieutenant for Bristol

Peaches Golding has served on several boards including AWP and Bristol Water

The Queen has appointed Bristol's first ever black female Lord Lieutenant.

Peaches Golding, formerly the city's High Sheriff, has also served on the boards of several public bodies and private organisations.

She said: "It will change the course of my life. I'm pleased and thrilled and very humbled."

She will hold the role, which is largely ceremonial and involves representing the Queen in the city, for the next 12 years.

Although historically the role involved being in charge of the armed forces within the county area, it has become more of a symbolic role.

'Tremendous work'

Lord Lieutenants focus on promoting civic, voluntary and business activities.

They also have a role in the administration of honours nominations.

Ms Golding's aim is to extend the number and diversity of honours nominations for people's "unsung, tremendous work."

She has served as a board member for organisations including Bristol Water, Moon Consulting, Business in the Community, the Ethnic Minority Business Forum and Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP).

She lives at Leigh Woods with her husband, Bob. They have an adult son, Charles.

"There are a lot of things going on in Bristol; a lot of good practice we can talk about, a lot of tremendous work by volunteers in the communities," she said.

She will step into the role when Mary Prior retires on 22 April.