Council leader proud to award civic honour to Royal British Legion branches

The Freedom of the District is the highest honour the council can bestow and recognises the amazing work and support the Royal British Legion gives to the Armed Forces community, serving men and women, veterans and their families.

Just one of the things that these local branches do so well is their engagement with our communities.

Last year’s lamppost poppies, for example, were a beautiful and poignant tribute as part of the Armistice Centenary commemorations.

By awarding the Freedom of the District during a special ceremony at Retford Town Hall on Tuesday, March 5 (starting at 6.30pm), everyone can pay tribute to the tremendous work of the branches past and present – from Worksop’s first branch president, Sgt William Henry Johnson VC to today’s selfless hardworking volunteers.

If you pass the Lowtown area of Worksop you will have seen that Priory Court, the council’s new independent living centre, is really starting to take shape.

The building will be a state of the art centre for elderly residents – with ‘extra care’ provided by the county council – and will boast 52 modern apartments, a hair salon, a library and a cafe.

The development already looks fantastic thanks to the hard work of the Woodhead Group.

And I am delighted that the council will be able to deliver this facility to support our elderly residents by the end of this year.

Finally, the weather has been unseasonably warm this week and down at the Canch the purple crocus’ are now in full bloom.

Worksop Rotary Club has planted 5,000 bulbs in the Memorial Gardens as part of the End Polio Now campaign and the results look stunning.