Organisers of the Preston Guild have officially launched a chance for a special group of Prestonians to make it into the history books.
AdvertisementPeople who have contributed something special to the city will be made honorary burgesses of Preston.
It will be the first time members of the public have been able to nominate their community heroes, as Blog Preston reported last month.
The crowning of honorary burgess’ stretches back to 1179 and Guild festival director Stella Hall explains why they are opening up the process.
She said: “For the first time ever, we are asking members of the public to nominate people from their community who they think should be recognised for what they have done and continue to do for our great city.
“Honorary Burgesses can also pass their status down to their sons and daughters and these new families will make the 2012 Guild Roll a more representative picture of Preston today, helping to bring a tradition that started more than 800 years ago into the 21st Century.”
Twenty people will receive the accolade at a special ceremony on Saturday 8 September, and have their name recorded on the Guild Roll.
Ms Hall said they would be following in the footsteps of the likes of Sir Tom Finney and former Mayors by joining the list.
“Being a Burgess is an extremely special honour which has been passed down from generation to generation. Only once has this process been interrupted, which was in 1942 due to the Second World War,” she said.
Nominations close on 31st March 2012 and nomination forms are available on the Preston Guild website.