Charity gets Freedom of the City

LCVS is preparing to plant 100 trees across the city

A charity which has helped set up thousands of organisations across Liverpool has been awarded Freedom of the City.

Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS) celebrated receiving one of the highest honours in city at a ceremony at St Georges Hall earlier.

The honour comes as the charity is celebrating its 100th year.

Chief executive Alan Lewis said: "We will continue to strive for a thriving voluntary sector in Liverpool."

Sue Newton, chair of the trustees at LCVS, signed the freedom roll, awarded for their outstanding contribution to the voluntary sector.

She was presented with it by the Lord Mayor Councillor Mike Storey.

Protect green areas

As part of the centenary celebration it is also supporting a city-wide Year of the Environment project by planting 100 trees across Liverpool, the first of which was planted in St John's Gardens before the Freedom of the City ceremony.

The organisation is giving the rest of the trees away to local voluntary and community organisations that are keen to help protect the city's green areas.

Mr Lewis added: "I am delighted and lucky to be the chief executive when this honour is being bestowed on LCVS and I am deeply conscious of the contribution of our former staff and trustees over the last 100 years."

LCVS recently bought Stanley House on Dale Street, and has started a multimillion-pound scheme to redevelop the offices to become the city's central hub for charity and voluntary work.