A SHERIFF has been appointed as Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran by the Queen.

Sheriff Iona Sara McDonald, MA, LLB, DL, will succeed Mr John Duncan, CVO, QPM, who retired last month.

Sheriff McDonald is also a Senior Sheriff in the Sheriffdom of North Strathclyde at Kilmarnock On her appointment Sheriff McDonald said: “I am truly honoured to have been appointed as Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran.

“Having been born, raised and having worked in Ayrshire I have a deep seated reverence for the area and it’s people.

“We have much to be proud of and it is my intention to build, not only, on the gifts that the area has given us but to promote the Royal family and the role of the Lieutenancy as much as possible.

“I would also like to record my appreciation to the previous LordLieutenant, John Duncan, for his contribution to the Lieutenancy over the last 10 years and wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement.”

Sheriff McDonald was educated at Cumnock Academy and she graduated from Glasgow University with a Master of Arts in 1976 and Law degree in 1978.

She subsequently joined the Ayr firm Mathie-Morton, Black and Buchanan and became a partner in 1982.

She was appointed as a temporary Sheriff in 1994 and received a full appointment in 2000 to the Sheriffdom of North Strathclyde, sitting in Paisley and Kilmarnock Sheriff courts.

Since 2007 she has been Senior Sheriff at Kilmarnock.

During her distinguished career Sheriff McDonald has held a number of other positions. She has acted as a court reporter in family cases and as a safeguarder in children’s hearings.

Sheriff McDonald is involved in charity fundraising, in particular for the British Heart Foundation.