South Tyneside key workers to be given Freedom of the Borough

The local NHS, care services and key workers are set to receive the Freedom of South Tyneside for their contribution to keeping people safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cabinet members endorsed key workers to receive the highest honour the council can bestow in 2020, however with coronavirus still at its height it was not felt appropriate at the time.

South Tyneside Council will consider the conferral during an Extraordinary Meeting on Thursday but this is largely a formality.

Representatives of all the different key worker sectors will be present at the meeting.

Councillor Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council, said: “During the Covid-19 pandemic, we made a declaration to celebrate and thank the thousands of local key workers who provided essential services and support to local residents.

"They placed themselves on the frontline, working during lockdowns and times of great uncertainty.”

After the Extraordinary Meeting, the ceremonial scroll will be put on display within South Shields Town Hall, with smaller copies available for any key worker to collect.

"The Freedom of the Borough is the highest award the Council can bestow on any individual or organisation and we delighted to be able to honour and celebrate the extraordinary contribution and dedication of our amazing NHS, care services and key workers in this way,” Councillor Dixon concluded.

Only 11 other people or organisations have been awarded the Freedom of South Tyneside since 1981. These include the Citizens of Wuppertal, 205 (3rd Durham Voluntary Artillery) Battery Royal Artillery (volunteers), South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade and, more recently, Ray Spencer MBE.

As well as honouring key workers, on Sunday 12 March at 11 am South Tyneside will unveil covid memorials across the area.

The memorial stones will serve as lasting tributes to those who lost their lives to covid as well as acknowledging the extraordinary efforts and resilience of local communities- from key workers to volunteers- at the height of the pandemic.

The sites include: South Marine Park, South Shields; West Park, Jarrow; Fountain Park, Hebburn; Cornthwaite Park, Whitburn; Front Street, Cleadon and Boldon Colliery.