Beverley in Bloom Chair Linda Freeman has been awarded the title of Freewoman of Beverley at a ceremony held in the town this week.

The honorary title of Freewoman is the highest honour that Beverley Town Council can confer and is presented to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the life of the town and its community.

Linda has been involved with Beverley in Bloom since 2005 and has served as Chair since 2015. During that time, she has played a central role in guiding the organisation’s development and expanding its work across Beverley.
In recent years, the group became community rail station adopters, a move led by Linda’s vision to introduce more vibrant, biodiverse planting at Beverley Town Station, including along the platforms and surrounding areas. Supported by funding from local train operator Northern and Community Rail Network, the station planting project has earned widespread recognition.

The success of the initiative was marked by Gold Awards from Yorkshire in Bloom in both 2024 and 2025 for the station displays. At the Freewoman ceremony, the official citation highlighted Linda’s impact, stating: “Her most visible impact remains the transformation of Beverley Town Station.”

Sue Dyer, joint coordinator at Beverley in Bloom said: “We are delighted that Linda’s leadership, hard work and commitment to the group and to Beverley has been recognised in such a significant way.”

Learn more about the work of Beverley in Bloom here.