Alan Sillitoe, Nottingham's most famous contemporary author will become an Honorary Freeman of the City of Nottingham this week.

A special ceremony will be held on Friday 6th June at 5.00pm at Nottingham’s Council House which will include the traditional presentation of a Certificate of Admission in a casket. This will be followed by a Celebration Dinner in his honour.

Guests at the Dinner will include:

• Members of Alan Sillitoe’s family including his wife, Ruth Fainlight.
• Mrs Karel Reisz also know as the actress Betsy Blair who was at one time married to Gene Kelly and later married Karel Reisz who made the film Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.
• Haya Hararit, the Israeli actress who starred in the 1959 film Ben Hur and who later married the film Director Jack Clayton.
• Local playwrights and authors including John Harvey, author of the Resnick novels, who will be speaking on the night.
• Honorary Freemen of the City, Tim Reddish and Mich Stevenson.

There will also be a display featuring photographs and scenes from Alan Sillitoe’s life and literary works in the foyer of the Council House from 5th – 14th June.

Alan Sillitoe will become Nottingham's 35th Honorary Freeman since William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, became the first person to be honoured in this way in 1905.

Born in Nottingham on 4th March 1928 Alan Sillitoe worked at the city’s Raleigh bicycle factory on leaving school at the age of 14.

His first novel, the ground-breaking and critically acclaimed "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" painted a vivid picture of Nottingham life. His next book "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner" was filmed in 1961 with Tom Courtenay in the leading role.

City Council Leader, Jon Collins says:

"This is a hugely prestigious honour and an entirely appropriate one for a man of Alan's outstanding achievements over the years.

We're really looking forward to the special ceremony when, as a City, we'll be able to pay tribute to Alan and thank him for the enormous contribution he's made to telling Nottingham's story to the world.