Freedom of John O’Groats to be conferred on former councillor John Green

30th October 2013

The Freedom of the most northerly community in Great Britain – John O’Groats – is to be bestowed by The Highland Council on former Highland Councillor and local resident of John O’Groats Mr John H. Green.

The decision to award the Freedom came after a number of organisations and businesses in the John O’ Groats area wrote to The Highland Council requesting the council consider conferring the Freedom of John O’Groats on Mr Green.

Letters of support highlighting the positive impact Mr Green has had and continues to have within his community and the high esteem, in which he is held, were received from:
· Seaview Hotel, John O’Groats;
· Pentland Rifle Club;
· John O’ Groats FC;
· Violet Leitch School of Dancing Festival;
· John O’Groats Crafts Ltd. First & Last;
· TEAM Motor Cycle Club; and
· Dunnet & Cansibay Community Council.

Mr Green served as a Highland Councillor for 12 years for North East Caithness from 1995 – 2007. He was:

· Convener of the Highland & Western Isles Valuation Joint Board;
· Caithness Area Chairman of the Transport, Environmental and Community Services; and
· Caithness Area Chairman of Protective Services.

John Green is stil heavily involved in assisting the community in a number of groups such as chariman of the Dunnet and Canisbay Council, chairing the Caithness Association of Community counils. Latterly he has been the chairman of the Caithnenss Partnership and pushed may aspect on transport in the Caithness Transport Forum. These are but a few of John's many involvements in activities to help the area.

Since Mr Green’s retirement from his role as an Elected Member of Highland Council, he has continued to serve his community and in particular the area in and around John O’ Groats. Letters of support have been received from:

Seaview Hotel, John O’ Groats
Pentland Rifle Club
John O’ Groats FC
Violet Leitch School of Dancing Festival
John O’ Groats Crafts Ltd First & Last
TEAM Motor Cycle Club
Dunnet & Canisbay Community Council.

Violet Leitch School of Dancing Festival siad, "John is a great ambassador for the area and over the years has helped our Dancing School with fundraising by helping us with grants and bringing to our attention opportunities to raise money for our funds".

Dunnet and Canisbay Community Council said,"Over the years John has worked tirelessly for the benefit of the community".

John O’Groats Crafts Ltd First & Last said,"John Green has been the one person who has been a constant and was the driving force behind almost everything that has happened in this community over the last 5 decades".

Seaview Hotel, John O’ Groats said,"John has given up countless days and weeks during his life to better the community here in John O’ Groats on a business level and also on a community minded level".

John O’ Groats FC said,"He was on the Council at the time when talks of a new pitch were in the pipeline in the late 1980’s and was a major driver in having the Council purchase the land for the community and install the pitch where it is now".

TEAM Motor Cycle Club said,"John has supported us fully since we started…going beyond the call of duty if a problem happened and being able to call on him 24/7 for that weekend".

Pentland Rifle Club said,"During discussions with our shooters everyone agreed that the redevelopment of John O’ Groats Hall has been valuable to our club and other local clubs in the area and without John’s drive and enthusiasm and countless hours of work this would not have happened".

Convener of The Highland Council, Councillor Jimmy Gray said: “John Green has been a terrific public servant both in his local community and the wider Highland area and he richly deserves this accolade bestowed upon him.”