Latest news with #FreedomofGlasgow
BBC News
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Comedian Elaine C Smith honoured with Freedom of Glasgow
Actress and comedian Elaine C Smith says it is "quite the honour" to be granted the Freedom of Glasgow as part of the city's 850th birthday star, one of only five women to have received the award, now has the right to graze cows on Glasgow Green and fish in the River joked: "I had hoped I would get the keys to every pub in Glasgow but, sadly, I don't."Smith joins a distinguished list, dating back to 1800, which includes Marie Curie, Nelson Mandela, Sir Kenny Dalglish, Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Billy Connolly. The city's highest honour also entitles her to bear arms for the city and have a jail cell to herself if she is ever will be officially recognised at a civic reception for her contribution to the arts and support for women's rights. Asked about the fact she is only the fifth female recipient, Smith told BBC Scotland News: "All I think of are all the women I know and from history in this city who should have been given this award."I do feel I'm standing on the shoulders of giants."Smith exercised some of her new rights in a photoshoot by grazing cattle borrowed from Glasgow's Pollok Park. Smith is best known for her roles in Rab C Nesbitt and Two Doors Down in a showbiz career that has spanned more than 40 has starred in her own series Elaine on BBC Scotland and has had roles in a string of comedy series, including City Lights and Naked is a regular on the Glasgow pantomime scene and on stage has starred in shows including Calendar Girls, Annie and the Susan Boyle musical, which she is also a charity campaigner and political activist, particularly on issues such as poverty and women's Lord Provost Councillor Jacqueline McLaren said: "Elaine's dedication to advocating for and supporting women, and her successful and impactful work in the arts, makes her a deserving recipient of the Freedom of the City.
Sky News
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Elaine C Smith grazes cows on Glasgow Green to mark receiving city's highest honour
Comedian Elaine C Smith has grazed cattle on Glasgow Green - a right that comes with being awarded the Freedom of Glasgow. The city's highest honour, which she is one of the few women to receive, also allows her to fish in the River Clyde. The Rab C Nesbitt and Two Doors Down star said it was "quite the honour" to be granted the award in recognition of her contribution to the arts and her embodiment as an advocate for women's rights and values. The official civic reception will take place on Friday, on the eve of International Women's Day. Smith exercised some of her new rights by grazing cattle borrowed from Pollok Park on Glasgow Green on Thursday. She said: "As a newly minted freeman of Glasgow, I must say, it's quite the honour. "But let's be clear, while I may be a 'freeman' by title, I am, and always will be, a free woman at heart. "So, if you see me grazing Highland cattle on Glasgow Green or fishing in the Clyde, just remember, I'm exercising my rights as a free woman." Freemen traditionally have the right to graze their cows on the common land (Glasgow Green) and also have the duty to "patrol and guard the town" and to defend it by arms. If freemen do not perform this duty, they could be prosecuted for perjury of their oath and, if convicted, have a right to a prison cell of their own. Others granted the Freedom of the City of Glasgow include Sir Billy Connolly, Sir Kenny Dalglish, Sir Alex Ferguson and the late Nelson Mandela. Only a handful of women have been awarded the honour, which has included scientist Marie Curie, who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. Smith's career has spanned more than 40 years in radio, television, film, and theatre. She is a regular on the Glasgow pantomime scene, and on stage she has starred in shows including Calendar Girls, Annie and the Susan Boyle musical I Dreamed A Dream, which she co-wrote. Smith is also a charity campaigner and political activist, particularly on issues such as poverty and women's rights. Glasgow's lord provost, councillor Jacqueline McLaren, said: "Elaine's dedication to advocating for and supporting women, and her successful and impactful work in the arts, makes her a deserving recipient of the Freedom of the City. "In her own way, Elaine has highlighted that while she holds the title of 'freeman', she proudly identifies as a free woman, and I think this playful, yet profound sentiment perfectly captures the essence of the values we celebrate on International Women's Day."
