The Vice Lord-Lieutenant

Colonel (Retd) Chris Sanderson OBE JP DL

Chris was brought up in Ambleside and Grasmere, and educated at Heversham Grammar School.  

He returned to Cumbria in 2013 after a 30 year career in the Army and eight years providing risk management support to governments and international organisations operating in challenging areas overseas.  Chris was influential in the development of professional and human rights standards for the UK and global armed security industries, and was awarded an OBE for his contribution to human rights and conflict prevention.

More recently, Chris has led a number of local charities including Cumbria’s Army Benevolent Fund, Cumbria Scouts and Patterdale Mountain Rescue, and served as a Trustee for others, most notably Cumbria Community Foundation.  He has also sat as a Magistrate on the North and West Cumbria Bench for a number of years.

Chris is a non-executive director of L & K Group and one of the Group’s two Vice-Chairmen.  The Group runs the J36 and Lancaster livestock auction marts and a number of related businesses, principally serving the farming communities of Cumbria and North Lancashire.

Chris lives in the South Lakes and was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in 2020, and most recently appointed Vice Lord Lieutenant, in August 2026.