Scroll marks freedom of town

A commemorative scroll will be given to the Nottinghamshire battalion to mark its freedom of Southwell.

The town council’s finance and policy committee agreed to have two scrolls made.

One will be presented to 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters) and the other will be kept by the town.

Southwell was among the first towns to take advantage of a change in the law allowing towns and parishes to give regiments the freedom of the town.

Previously, borough or district councils had to give approval.

The Mercians were granted the freedom before marching through Southwell a year ago.

Town councillor Mr Andy Gregory thought it was important that the Mercians were presented with something to mark the occasion.

He said: “We have got to think about inviting them over pretty soon because they go back to Afghanistan in October and, because they are based in Northern Ireland at the moment, we would probably want to tie something in with when they are over here so they don’t waste money.”

Mr Brendan Haigh said the traditional way to mark a freedom of a town was to give a regiment a scroll in a casket.

He said a craftsman could be commissioned to make a casket featuring the town council and the regiment’s seals.

He did not think it was necessary for the Mercians to make another ceremonial visit to Southwell to receive the scroll because it could be presented in a smaller ceremony.

The committee agreed to provide a budget of £200 for the project and to contact the Mercians to arrange a suitable time for the presentation.