5 June 2009
Olympic Gold Medallist Mark Hunter receives Freedom of the City
of London
Mark Hunter MBE, who won Gold in the Lightweight Double (Rowing)
at the Beijing Olympics last year, will receive the Freedom of the
City of London at the Guildhall at 1200 noon on Thursday 25
June.
Mark, who is a full member of the Worshipful Company of Watermen
and Lightermen, was nominated for his Freedom by Ian Luder, Lord
Mayor of the City of London, and William Fraser, Chief Commoner of
the City of London Corporation.
During his ceremony at the Guildhall, which will be attended by
members of his family, Mark will be shown items from the City of
London’s archives, including the London Schools Rowing Club Rules,
which date from 1876, and the Official Report of the British
Olympic Association from 1952.
“As a Londoner born and bred, it’s a great privilege to be
awarded the Freedom of the City of London and in particular, to
have been put forward for the honour by the Lord Mayor himself.
Whether or not it’ll allow me to take time off from training to
drive sheep over London Bridge or walk around the City with a drawn
sword, I’m looking forward to my special day at the Guildhall,”
says Mark.
Previous Olympic medal winners to receive the Freedom of the
City of London include five times Gold Medal winner, Sir Steve
Redgrave; Richard Leman, who was a member of the GB Hockey XI which
won Gold in Seoul in 1988; and Marjorie Jackson-Nelson MBE,
Governor of South Australia, who - as ‘The Lithgow Flash’ - won
Double Sprint Gold (100m and 200m) for Australia in Helsinki in
1952.
Ends
For further information and interviews, please
contact:
Colin Middlemiss, Clerk, The Worshipful Company of Watermen and
Lightermen, telephone 020 7283 2373, email
clerk@watermenshall.org
Andrew Buckingham, Press Officer, City of London Corporation,
telephone 020 7332 1452 or mob: 07795 333 060; email
andrew.buckingham@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Notes for Editors:
Photographers who would like to take photographs of Mark Hunter
in Guildhall Yard after his Freedom ceremony (at approx 12.30pm)
should contact Andrew Buckingham (see above).
The City of London Corporation, which provides
local government services for the ‘Square Mile’, the financial and
commercial heart of Britain, works nationally and internationally
to maintain and enhance the City as a world-leading international
financial and business centre. Its other special
responsibilities and services to London and the wider UK include
the Barbican Centre, Tower Bridge, the Central Criminal Court at
the Old Bailey, 10,000 acres of open space including Hampstead
Heath and Epping Forest, three wholesale food markets, two
inner-London City Academies, the City Bridge Trust and acting as
London’s Port Health Authority. The Lord Mayor of the City of
London (currently Ian Luder) works extensively at home and abroad
to promote the City.
The Company of Watermen and Lightermen was
established by Act of Parliament in 1555 to control the Watermen on
the River Thames responsible for the movement of goods and
passengers. Today, the Watermen and Lightermen still work on the
River Thames, the former being concerned with passenger transport
and the latter with the carriage of goods. The young Freemen of the
Company are eligible to participate in the Doggett's Coat and Badge
Race, which has been held annually since 1715. This gruelling boat
race is held each July and goes along the river from London Bridge
to Chelsea. The winner has the honour of wearing the scarlet coat,
breeches and silver arm badge that are based on the original
costume of an eighteenth century Watermen.