Civic Honours

Freedom of the Borough

The Honorary Freedom of the Borough is the highest honour a council can give and is awarded to ‘persons of distinction and persons who have, in the opinion of the Council, rendered eminent services to the Borough’. Recipients of this honour are:

2021 - Nirmal (Nims) Purja MBE

2013 - Dani King MBE

2013 - David Smith

2011 - Philip Spearey

2008 - Doreen Wellfare*

2006 - Christopher Tapp

2005 - Lord Chidgey*

1986 - Frank E Brown*

2003 - Margaret Kyrle OBE JP BA*

1995 - George E Raymond MBE*

1989 - Suzanne Bartlet*

1986 - Dennis A Tranah LLB

1977 - Peter A T Green*

1977 - Norman F N Norris*

1977 - Godfrey G Olson OBE*

1977 - Sir David E C Price DL*

In addition to conferring the honour to individuals, the Freedom of the Borough was also awarded to The Royal Hampshire Regiment in September 1991. This gives the Regiment the right ‘to march through the Borough with drums beating, bands playing and due ceremonial’.

In September 1992 The Royal Hampshire Regiment amalgamated with The Queen's Regiment to form The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (Queen’s and Royal Hampshires). The honour of Freedom has been transferred to the new Regiment.

Citizen of Honour

The title of Citizen of Honour was created by the Borough Council in 1987 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Borough Charter. This award is given every two years with the next one due in 2023. If you would like to nominate someone for this award, please email mayorsoffice@eastleigh.gov.uk with the reason why they should be nominated.

The 2023 additions to this roll of honour are:

Val Down

Val is the current president of Eastleigh Rotary (her third time in this office).  She is a very hands-on volunteer and can be found at all of their events, helping to raise funds for local causes.  She retired from her coaching/training business some time ago however  has continued to support local small businesses through the networks she has set up locally and continued networking on behalf of Eastleigh Rotary to raise funds and increase membership.  She volunteers as a Dementia awareness trainer and speaks to local groups on a regular basis, she is a volunteer with Brendon care and as well as supporting their community hub is also an active volunteer on the home’s allotment.  The allotment has provided lots of fresh food for Eastleigh Basics Bank and flowers for the dementia home.  One of Val’s chosen charities as President of Rotary this year is Eastleigh Basics Bank.  

Mohammed Mossadaq (Moss)   (Moss very sadly passed away earlier this year)

Until he retired, Moss was Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Adult Services, Hampshire County Council and in 2011 he was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list for his services to Local Government.

Moss did an incredible amount to promote and encourage inclusion and diversity and community spirit in general in Eastleigh Borough.

In 2002, Moss was instrumental in setting up the Asian Welfare and Cultural Association.  The Elders’ Group not only provided a place where people could meet up in a relaxed and informal environment, but it also improved the Health and Wellbeing of the members, many of whom were isolated and had poor access to information about services and resources in the community. 

Moss was a member, a Trustee and an advisor of the AWCA (Asian Welfare & Cultural Association since its inception.  He was the brainchild of Eastleigh Mela which started in 2006 as a mini festival – which now is a firm favourite in the calendar of events and attracts thousands of people each year.

In 2014, Moss initiated an annual Diversity and Inclusion Award, which recognizes the achievements and contributions of individuals, businesses and organisations promoting accessibility, inclusion and full community participation.

Moss was also a Trustee for EGNA (Eastleigh Gurkha & Nepalese Association) and has given them a tremendous amount of support over the years. 

He also volunteered for Bishopstoke Carnival Committee.

Steve Smith

Steve has volunteered for One Community for over 8 years, providing over 10,000 hours of support across our projects.

He has regular volunteering roles supporting young carers with transport to vital respite, driving vulnerable, older, isolated individuals to a social lunch club twice a week and, installing telecare services to over 500 homes across the borough of Eastleigh.

He is dedicated, reliable, compassionate, and understanding – Steve’s reason for volunteering is because ‘it gives him a purpose and keeps him active whilst also helping people’.

Steve has supported individuals by speaking up and is excellent at recognising when individuals are in need and signposts them to get the right services or support. He has improved the lives of over 5,000 Eastleigh residents and we hope he will continue to do so for years to come.

Other recipients of this award are as follows:

2021 - Melanie Phillips

2021 - Stan Newell

2021 - Pat Statham

2019 - Audrey Steele

2019 - Sri Kandiah

2017 - Mr D Carter MBE

2017 - Mrs R Carter

2017 - Mr G Taylor

2017 - Jim Vaughan MBE

2015 - Mr A Hunt

2015 - Mrs M Hunt

2015 - Kath Rau

2013 - Andrew Chesshire

2013 - Sonia Davison

2013 - Malcolm Young

2011 - Pam Baker

2011 - Tony Balcombe*

2011 - Ed Dawes BEM

2011 - Pat Higgins

2011 - Devan Kandiah

2009 - Jack Ashton MBE*

2009 - Vera Blunt

2009 - Derik Brooks*

2009 - Caroline Husain

2007 - Norman Brown MBE*

2007 - Geoffrey Owen MBE*

2005 - Barry Alford*

2005 - Phil Oates

2005 - Nick Wise

2003 - Robert Carey*

2003 - Dolly Dawes*

2003 - Cole Mathieson

2003 - Don Watson*

2001 - Jean Hawkins*

2001 - Colin Hearn

2001 - Sylvia J Williams*

1998 - Raymond Vincelot*

1998 - Derrick Shearwood MBE*

1997 - Robert Crompton*

1997 - Lloyd Nias*

1997 - Frederick O'Garr JP*

1997 - Gordon Pigney*

1995 - Mrs G Evans*

1995 - Phil Gardiner*

1995 - R P Moody*

1993 - A J Betts*

1993 - Harry Frith*

1993 - Mrs D G Hindmarch*

1993 - R A L Lofting*

1991 - William Allen BEM*

1991 - Mrs M A Browning*

1991 - Pearl Mace

1991 - Freda Molyneux*

1989 - Walter Mills MBE*

1989 - Iris Price

1987 - Una Collings

1987 - Gordon Cox*

1987 - Len Harvell*

1986 - M Faisse*

1986 - Ernst Fischer*

* deceased