University honoured by borough
CEREMONIAL FREEDOM MARKS CENTENARY YEAR
OADBY and Wigston Borough Council has bestowed the highest civic honour it can give – Freedom of the Borough – on the University of Leicester in the year that it celebrates its centenary.
The university was honoured in recognition of its “commitment to showcasing the contribution and impact of its people, places and events, which demonstrates the university’s full and diverse history and steadfast commitment to inclusivity”.
The official ceremony for the conferral of the honour took place this week.
Deputy council leader Samia Haq, said: “In the university’s centenary year, the borough council wanted to find a way to say thank you to for its decades of outstanding service to our communities.
“Freedom of the Borough is the honour we can bestow and this felt appropriate given the positive contributions the university brings to our communities year in, year out – not to mention the impact it makes on the thousands of students that study there.”
Professor Nishan Canagarajah, president and vice-chancellor of the university, said: “We are deeply honoured to be awarded this great accolade by our friends and colleagues at Oadby and Wigston Borough Council.
“Residents in Oadby and Wigston played a pivotal role in our founding story by contributing to the community fund-raising effort to establish the university as a living war memorial following the First World War.
“We are proud of the long and fruitful relationship between the university and the borough and I firmly believe this will continue to remain a vital element of our future success.”
of Oadby and Wigston, Councillor Lily Kaufman, said: “It was a real honour for me to bestow the Freedom of the Borough upon the university and I’m sure it will continue to be a hugely positively influence on our commuhighest nities for hundreds more years to come.”
The university has a student village hub, accommodation and its Botanic Garden in Oadby.
The only other organisations or individuals bestowed with the FreeMayor dom of the Borough in Oadby and Wigston are:
■ 1988: H. Embacher
■ 2011: The Royal Anglian Regiment ■ 2012: B(LDY) SQN RY [B (Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry) Squadron, Royal Yeomanry]