Five new Deputy Lieutenants Appointed to Serve Buckinghamshire

The appointees are Martin Curtis, Laxman Kastala BEM, Pippa Kirkbride, Rachael Shimmin OBE and Alex Siviter-Platts JP. Each has received a Commission from The Countess Howe, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire.

As His Majesty The King's representative in Buckinghamshire, the Lord-Lieutenant celebrates and supports the people, organisations and communities that make the county a vibrant place to live and work. The Lieutenancy promotes public service, recognises achievement, supports royal visits and honours, and builds connections across Buckinghamshire.

Appointed from a range of backgrounds and professions, Deputy Lieutenants bring experience, expertise and local knowledge to help deliver this work.

Working with communities, voluntary organisations, businesses, schools and public bodies, they represent the Lord-Lieutenant at civic, ceremonial and community activities from Milton Keynes to southern Buckinghamshire. There are currently 35 Deputy Lieutenants serving the county.

Congratulating the new Deputy Lieutenants, Lady Howe said:

"Today's Deputy Lieutenant appointments come with my warmest wishes for a successful and rewarding period in office. Each brings a wealth of experience, a strong commitment to serving the community, and much to offer the county. I look forward to working with them for the benefit of our communities."

Through their voluntary service, the new Deputy Lieutenants will extend the Lieutenancy's reach and support civic and ceremonial activity across Buckinghamshire.

Martin Curtis, DL

Martin has been the Chief Executive at Chiltern Open Air Museum since June 2024.

Since 2013, he has been a volunteer with Bucks Search and Rescue (formerly a trustee and currently the Vehicles Officer and operational team leader). Martin is also an active Scout leader at the 2nd Amersham-on-the-Hill group.

He lives with his family in Chalfont St Giles.

Prior to working at the Museum, Martin worked for 12 years with the youth work charity, London Youth. There he ran their two outdoor education centres as well as overseeing health and safety and safeguarding. One of the outdoor centres was Woodrow High House, just up the road from Amersham.

Martin originally trained and qualified as a solicitor, working in London, Tokyo and Manchester for Herbert Smith Freehills and Addleshaw Goddard. He then made the move into the charity sector where he worked for the Solicitors Pro Bono Group, LawWorks.

Laxman Kastala, BEM DL

Laxman Kastala BEM is a technology and transformation director, charity founder and community leader based in Milton Keynes, drawing on extensive experience in digital transformation and organisational change. Originally from a small village in South India, he has lived in the United Kingdom since 2002 and, since 2010, has built a strong record of voluntary and civic service, bringing communities together and supporting people in need.

Laxman is the Founder and Chairman of DREAMSAI, a volunteer-led charity working across faith and community boundaries in Milton Keynes. Alongside its food, health and wellbeing work, DREAMSAI runs the Shri Shirdi Saibaba Temple from its own leased premises, open seven days a week as a welcoming space offering community meals and cultural celebrations for all. DREAMSAI received The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2021 in recognition of its volunteers.

He is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees at ID:MK, promoting Indian culture and strengthening connections across Milton Keynes' diverse communities, and a Trustee of Arts & Heritage Alliance and co-founder of Milton Keynes Ethnic Business Community. Under his leadership, DREAMSAI has grown to over 1,000 volunteers, with many women and young people developing into community leaders.

In 2022, Laxman was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the community in Milton Keynes. He remains committed to public service, community cohesion and creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds across Milton Keynes and beyond.

Laxman lives in Milton Keynes with his wife and their two teenage children. Outside these commitments, he enjoys time with his family and travelling.  

Pippa Kirkbride, DL

Pippa Kirkbride has a broad background spanning business, education, the voluntary sector and public service. A graduate of Exeter University, she spent almost 30 years in senior commercial, marketing and product development roles with United Biscuits, Grand Metropolitan, Northern Foods and Marks & Spencer, where she led major food development programmes and multidisciplinary teams.

Since leaving her commercial career, Pippa has dedicated much of her time to community service. She volunteered for ten years with Citizens Advice as a Money Advice Caseworker, has supported Sense, served as a school governor, and is a Trustee of Heart of Bucks Community Foundation, with a particular focus on fundraising, grant-making and support for children and young people.

Pippa served as High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire for 2025-26, championing opportunities for young people and strengthening volunteering across the county. She now continues this work as an Ambassador for Buckinghamshire Scouts and Community Impact Bucks, a Patron of WheelPower, and Co-Chair of the Volunteering Faculty of the Buckinghamshire Health and Social Care Academy.

Through her voluntary and civic roles, Pippa remains committed to promoting volunteering, supporting young people and building stronger, more connected communities across Buckinghamshire.

Rachael Shimmin, OBE DL

Rachael joined Anchor as Chief Executive Officer in January 2026. Anchor is England's largest provider of specialist housing for older people alongside being a provider of older peoples care homes and a range of supported living schemes.

Her distinguished career in public service leadership spans health, social care and local government transformation. During her time as a senior leader Rachael has had a number of responsibilities including social care for adults and children, education, supported housing, arts and culture and community safety.

She was appointed as the CEO of Buckinghamshire County Council in 2016 and led Local Government in the county through its formation and evolution into a billion-pound turnover organisation, merging five predecessor bodies and with more than 4,000 staff.

Rachael has served on a wide range of regional and national bodies and boards and is also a qualified Executive Coach. She was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Buckinghamshire New University in 2025 for her significant contribution in her professional field, which includes voluntary and community services, health, and education, both within Buckinghamshire and across the UK.

Rachael was awarded the OBE for services to social care in 2014.

Alex Siviter-Platts, JP DL

Since moving to Buckinghamshire with his wife in 2022, Alex has become actively involved in supporting communities across the county. He is a trustee of a local secondary school, has recently been appointed as a magistrate, and serves as Chair of Bucks Search and Rescue. At a national level, he is Vice-Chair of Mountain Rescue England and Wales, helping to support and represent mountain rescue teams across England and Wales.

In his professional career, Alex is a Civil Servant with extensive experience in project delivery, policy and strategy roles across central government. He has also worked within the UK Honours System, experience which provides valuable insight in supporting the Lieutenancy's role in recognising achievement, service and contribution across Buckinghamshire.