Freedom of Borough awarded to Wallsend Boys’ Club
On Thursday 14th June 2007, Wallsend Boys’ Club were awarded the biggest honour North Tyneside Council could possibly give. At a meeting of the full Council, Councillors wanted to recognise the work by the Boys’ Club and unanimously agreed to award them the freedom of the borough. Moving the motion calling for the honour Councillor Jim Allen said that they wanted to recognise the work undertaken by the volunteers and the impact they had on youngster’s lives.
Councillor Allen said “It’s a jewel in the community. The players retain strong links with the club and give their time to the club. The club is proud of this and these men are role models for the youngsters.” Labour leader Councillor Frank Lott said, “The club has grown from strength to strength, providing an outlet to youngsters in North Tyneside and beyond.”The motion to award the freedom of the borough said: “This honour is in recognition of the outstanding achievements made by Wallsend Boys’ Club, in providing an important and long lasting community resource for the young people of Wallsend and beyond. The Boys’ Club have been exemplary ambassadors for our region, producing stars such as Michael Carrick, Alan Shearer, Peter Beardsley and many others on the football field but, more importantly providing a focus and outlet for young people of all abilities.”
Wallsend Boys’ Club is a fine example of grass roots community enterprise that harnesses the enthusiasm of our young people and channels it positively, to create a proud institution that is recognised as a prodigious factory line of talent. We as a borough are proud of their achievements and we believe Wallsend Boys’ Club are an example to us all. Many of the people involved are volunteers, who give up their time freely and willingly, to put something back into their community and we as a borough, are proud to have played a small part in bringing the Boys’ Club football teams back to Wallsend and the borough”. The motion added “Freedom of the borough is only a small gesture, but we believe it is right to honour the club, as it is rightly seen as part of the fabric of our borough.”
Wallsend Boys’ Club chairman Steve Dale said “It’s a great honour for the club. I think most importantly it’s recognition for all the thousands of volunteer hours that have gone in from an awful lot of people from the 1960’s through to now. It’s a nice way of recognising all the hard work has been worthwhile. We have been very fortunate that our ex-players have been really good role models for all the boys and girls. It’s good for them to see what can be achieved in later life. It just so happens that a lot of cases have been in football, but we have other examples of success in business, arts and the civil service.” On Wednesday 13th February 2008, Wallsend Town Hall hosted the ceremony conferring the Freedom of the Borough of North Tyneside to the Club.
