Sheffield MP Richard Caborn to be given Freedom of the City for sporting success

Sheffield Council is due to officiate the honour in a special meeting on Wednesday, December 14.

In a statement the council said: “[The honour is] in recognition of his contribution to the advancement of sport in Sheffield, nationwide and internationally, and, in doing so, rendering eminent services to the city.”

Mr Caborn represented Sheffield Central in Parliament for 27 years and for five years before that he was a member of European Parliament.

He has lived in Sheffield all of his life and left school at age 15 to start work in Forgemasters steelworks as an apprentice engineer before moving into politics.

In his last speech in the House of Commons he said: “I will continue to work for the betterment of British manufacturing, and particularly engineering, in which I believe very strongly, having had a father and a grandfather who were in the engineering industry-indeed, it runs through our DNA.”

Mr Caborn has remained active in the city since, in roles including chair of Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park and adviser to the leader of Sheffield Council.

He previously said: “I’m still very active in the city today. That’s largely because of my belief in the people, the distinct economy of strong manufacturing and good public institutions, such as the two universities and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, plus access to some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK.”

New Sheffield honours

Sheffield Council is overhauling the way it celebrates local people who make significant contributions to the city as well as setting up awards for its own staff.

It follows a period where few new honours were given out due to the cost and a lack of clarity around how the system works.

An overhaul is needed because there is a lack of diversity in those honoured and the lists do not reflect the make-up of the city.

The current types of honour also do not relate to each other in a logical way, officers said.

James Henderson, director of policy performance and communications at the council, and Jason Dietsch, head of democratic services, co-authored a report outlining the changes proposed.

They said: “The range of awards are designed to recognise the outstanding work that people do in their communities.

“We also want the process of nominating people for an award to be fair and inclusive, so there’s an opportunity to shine a light on the incredible efforts and talents of people in our city.

“The different awards may also help to promote the achievements of people in our city and put a positive spotlight on Sheffield as a great place to live, work, study and to explore as a visitor.”

There are currently three main ways Sheffield heroes are recognised: Civic Awards, Sheffield Legends and the Freedom of the City.

The highest honour is the Freedom of the City, given to people or groups who have given outstanding service to Sheffield – this includes Nelson Mandela, Jessica Ennis, Helen Sharman and the Yorkshire Regiment.