A man who has raised thousands of pounds for charities and upped the profile of the town is to become the first person to be given the freedom of Keswick.
The town council has agreed to give Kerry Irving, who has a massive global following online for his escapades with his spaniel dogs, the highest order of merit the local authority can give.
The Freedom of the Town is given to someone who is, in the opinion of the council, a person of distinction and has rendered eminent services to the local area.
There is no material honour or special privilege attached, although historically there was and these are now symbolic.
He will be bestowed with the honour at a special ceremony to be held at Hope Park – the home of the statue of Mr Irving’s beloved spaniel Max – on Friday May 26 at 1.30pm.
Max died last year but has left a huge legacy behind. The popular dog was awarded the animal equivalent of an OBE – the PDSA Order of Merit – and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charities and supported people through the Covid-19 pandemic through social media updates of adventures with Mr Irving in the Lake District.
Mr Irving credits Max for turning his life around after a traffic collision left him with chronic pain and unable to walk as well as mental health issues.
There will be a short council meeting at the park to confirm that the authority will confer the honour, and then the mayor, Cllr Steve Harwood, will present Mr Irving with the Freedom Scroll before a short speech is delivered.
Council clerk Vivien Little said the honour was being conferred on Mr Irving because he had raised the profile of the town so much, had done incredible work for charity and for Hope Park.
He had also done a huge amount to bring mental health issues to the forefront nationally.
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