Janey was raised on the Caribbean Island of Antigua, but spent her school life in the UK. 

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Taking an LLB in law at Buckingham University she also met her future husband Andrew Rhys Howell, a Cardiffian. 

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Janey trained as a barrister before moving into finance and finally teaching. The experiences learnt from each of these disciplines provided a foundation for her future role. In 1992 she married Andrew, and moving to Cardiff she began her role of Legal Director at BCB International which she continues to this day. Today she holds not only this role but is also Director of Operations and heads up the Human Resources team, ensuring UK and International standards are met and that the team continues to thrive across the International community.

 

In 2016 she directed the company to a more sustainable path with less plastic, more reshoring and more environmentally friendly raison d'etre. She created new projects and ideas, the most recent one being a team focussed on environmental and humanitarian sectors which she is currently running as Developmental Director.

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While working alongside Andrew at the family company, they raised three daughters, Emily-Jane, Gabriella and Isabella.

In 2020 Andrew was declared as High Sheriff on the eve of the the world shutting down through the threat of COVID. The family firm, BCB International, adapted quickly and flipped production on its head and began producing and manufacturing hand sanitiser and providing PPE to the NHS, and those frontline workers whose lives were on the line. As Director of Operations, switching the production to create an entirely new product and going directly into mass production and distribution was a huge goal that the company not only achieved but surpassed, while doubling their workforce, working 24 hr/6-day shifts and creating a connection with local businesses that had shut down, offering their staff temporary jobs until they were able to reopen, supporting the Welsh community.

Alongside her responsibilities at BCB and with her family, Janey has continued to study and grow both her knowledge and skill set that she can offer. Janey strongly believes that you should never stop learning, so she undertook a Masters in Georgian restoration.

 

Using this newly learnt knowledge, Janey began the arduous task of restoring her family's historic home and the furnishings of their historic properties in Antigua, which has since been converted into a boutique hotel. As a result of this work she was appointed Historic consultant on the restoration of Government House in Antigua, as well as undertaking the role of Project Director on the board of The Heritage Trust of Antigua and Barbuda. At her Declaration, Janey was honoured to have the delegation from Antigua include Their Excellencies Sir Rodney Williams, Governor General of Antigua & Barbuda & Lady Williams, and Her Excellency Dr. Karen Mae-Hill, the High Commissioner of Antigua & Barbuda. 

 

Janey is passionate about history and is a Trustee of the Museum of Cardiff. She is also keen to support the arts such as small local production companies, for example “Nazanin’s Story”, a play based on the real life story of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

Janey believes in 'doing' and not just giving when it comes to charitable work. In Antigua she provides regular gifts of medical aid to the hospitals and St John's hospice. In South Glamorgan she has supported a variety of charities, especially throughout the lockdowns of COVID-19 with PPE donations to both local establishments but also large donations of PPE to the hospitals of Yemen and Lebanon and of course, the British NHS. She has supported for many years the Cardiff homeless charity, Boomerang.

On a more personal level, after her battle and victory over cancer, she has supported personally both Velindre Cancer Centre who provide specialist cancer services across South and Mid Wales and Maggie’s cancer centre Cardiff, who offer free support to anyone with cancer and their families.

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As High Sheriff she will continue with her personal charities and has announced that she will be officially supporting the South Wales Police Youth Trust of which she is now a trustee, the Shrievalty charity National Crimebeat and City Hospice, caring for Cardiff. For more information on her Charities please visit her Charity Page which can be found HERE.

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In the coming year Mrs Howell is planning to visit as many charities and communities within Cardiff and South Glamorgan as possible, to support and congratulate them on their work. 

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If you are interested in Mrs Howell attending in her role as High Sheriff please do contact the team at hssglam@gmail.com.