City celebrates its last Citizens of Honor

Eight individuals’ unique contributions to Liverpool and beyond will be rewarded with one of the city’s biggest prizes

Professor John Ashton, Reverend Canon Dr Crispin Pailing, Leroy Cooper and Chrissie Byrne, as well as the four members of The Real Thing, have all been nominated to be Honorary Citizens.

The nominations will be presented for approval at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Full Council on Wednesday, July 24.

Professor John Ashton He attended the former Quarry Bank High School, before studying at Newcastle University Medical School and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He has held posts at the University of Southampton, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Liverpool School of Medicine and was also the Regional Director of Public Health for the North West of England for 13 years. His many achievements include setting up one of the world’s first needle exchange programmes in Liverpool, founding the Liverpool Public Health Observatory and initiating the World Health Organisation’s Healthy Cities Project. Professor Ashton was honoured with a CBE in 2000.

Reverend Dr. Crispin Pailing was made Dean of Liverpool in 2014, having been ordained in 2003, after graduating in classics from the University of Oxford. Before taking up his post at Liverpool Parish Church, he was Vicar of Perry Barr in Birmingham. Canon Pailing resigned his post in Liverpool earlier this year and held his final service in the city in June. He was made an MBE in the King’s New Year’s Honours List.

One of Liverpool’s most passionate advocates for green spaces, Chrissie Byrne She was the president and organizer of the Friends of Walton Hall Park, where she led campaigns to protect the park from development and also supported other park friends groups around the city. Chrissie passed away in 2023.

Liverpool Mayor Councillor Richard Kemp nominated Professor Ashton and Chrissie Byrne to receive his honours.

For over 40 years, the photographer Leroy Cooper captured life in Liverpool, particularly the black community in L8, leaving an archive of over 250,000 images when he died in 2023. His arrest and subsequent treatment by the police in 1981, when he was a student, was part of an incident that led to the first Toxteth riots. As well as being a photographer, Leroy also became known as a performance poet and DJ, and exhibitions of his work have been shown at the Unity Theatre and the Museum of Liverpool. Leroy Cooper’s posthumous appointment was made by Sonia Bassey MBE.

In reality formed in Liverpool in 1972. Best known for their hits You’re everything to me, I can’t survive without you It is Can you feel the force?the group remains the most successful black group in the UK. They were also the first black British soul group to have a UK number one and to appear on The best of pops. Chris Amoo and Dave Smith still perform as The Real Thing, following the passing of their bandmates Eddy Amoo and Ray Lake.

The Real Thing was nominated by Liverpool City Council’s UNESCO City of Music Chair Kevin McManus. The Citizens of Honour were introduced in 2008 to complement the higher honour of Freedom of the City. It recognises individuals who have made significant, exceptional or unique contributions to the image of Liverpool and/or its citizens.

Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Richard Kemp, said: “This group of nominees showcases the breadth of talent Liverpool fosters and the impact it has not only in its own communities, but across the world.

“From public health to entertainment and art, and community outreach, it is an honour to be able to formally recognise their achievements and welcome them to the impressive and growing family of Honourable Citizens. “The ceremonies at which recipients are invited to receive their scrolls are one of the great honours of the role of Lord Mayor and I look forward immensely to meeting them, or the families of posthumous recipients, later in the year.”