Police chief Sue Sim and the owner of Fenwick are among a five-strong group newly appointed to help the lord-lieutenant of Tyne and Wear in his official duties.

Sharing the deputy lieutenant honour with the chief constable of Northumbria Police and Adam Fenwick are Lucy Winskell, a pro-vice chancellor at Northumbria University, and medical professionals Lieutenant Colonel Ben Banerjee and Professor Chris Day.

The commission means that the five now represent the Queen in Tyne and Wear and their new role will see them work alongside the lord-lieutenant Nigel Sherlock who said: “These five new deputy lieutenants all hold important positions in our communities and they have been chosen because of their contribution to our community.

“Each one of them has something unique to offer and I am really looking forward to working with all five of them.”

Mr Sherlock was himself appointed to his position by the Queen in 2000 and is formally tasked with upholding the dignity of the Crown.

The chosen five might find themselves deputising in his absence with typical duties including filling in at local ceremonies and event openings.

Sue Sim, who joined Northumbria Police as assistant chief constable in 2004 became deputy chief constable in 2008 and has been chief constable since 2011.

Adam Fenwick is group managing director of Fenwick Limited, joining the family business behind the flagship Newcastle store after a decade spent in management positions in Asia and the US with the Swire Group for which he now holds a non-executive directorship of John Swire and Sons Limited in London.

Lucy Winskell works in business and engagement at Northumbria University where she develops its relationships with the government and public bodies, contribution to regional economics and links with the cultural and business worlds. She is also a trustee of Live Theatre and Centre for Life.

Lt Col Banerjee, is a consultant vascular surgeon at City Hospitals Sunderland. While still a medical student at Newcastle University, he joined the Army Reserves and his medical career has seen him deployed to Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan.

Professor Day trained in general medicine and hepatology in Newcastle, after qualifying at Cambridge, and became a consultant hepatologist on the liver unit at the Freeman Hospital then professor of liver medicine at Newcastle University in 2000 where he is also pro-vice chancellor of the faculty of medical sciences.