A DEDICATED charity worker and a former council leader are to be awarded the freedom of the City of London.

Hayley Thomas, founder of the Helping Care Team (HCT), which provides help and advocacy to homeless and vulnerable people across Caerphilly, Newport, Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent, and Philippa Marsden, who was until May leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, are being awarded the honour at a ceremony being held today, Thursday.

The award is an honour bestowed by a local authority upon a valued member of the community.

Ms Thomas, from Oakdale, founded the Blackwood-based HCT in 2019.

Ms Marsden was the first female leader of Caerphilly Council and was also one of the youngest councillors to take on the role – she was 52 at the time.

In the May 2022 council elections, Ms Marsden lost her seat in the Ynysddu ward.

At the ceremony, being held on Thursday, September 22, the prospective Freemen will be invited to read the ‘Declaration of a Freeman’ and to sign the Freeman’s declaration book.