David Medlock granted Freedom of Boston Borough at ceremony

Mr Medlock, who is chairman of the Medlock Trust, was awarded the Freedom at a ceremony on Monday, April 17 in recognition of his charity work to support people in Boston.

The Freedom of the Borough is the highest honour that can be awarded to anyone or any organisation.

The Medlock Charitable Trust was founded by David's father, Leonard Medlock in 1985 and is a grant-making organisation focused on supporting all sectors of the community.  Leonard was an Old Boy of Boston Grammar School and was raised in Ingelow Avenue, Fenside, with his eight brothers and sisters. He went on to be awarded the Honorary Freedom of the Borough on April 26 1991.  

The funds originated from the Hebron and Medlock group of engineering companies established in 1951. The Trust's emphasis is spreading donations across a lot of smaller grants to organisations for whom this money will have a transformative impact.

The Trust is now run by Leonard's son David Medlock, who took over the family charity and business when his father retired. 

£50m has been donated to various good causes across the UK and abroad. In its formative years, the Trust supported Hinton Court, Fenside Together with the bungalows in Joy Paine Close, St Mary's Convent Boston, Medlock Voluntary Centre and Resource Centre, Church Lane.

Over the last ten years the Borough has benefitted from over £2.5m in contributions to various good causes, including St Botolph's Church, Boston College, St Barnabas Hospice, Boston Grammar School, SSAFA, Butterfly Hospice and the new Medlock House on the site of the old Duke of York public house.

David, a keen Freemason, has worked in the company since 1980 and together with Leonard's brothers Ron and Bernie assisted to make the company one of the leading engineering design consultancies in the country.

Since selling the company David has increased his voluntary activities and since 2019 the Trust has contributed approximately £10m to good causes, the most significant being £1m to St John Ambulance for re-equipping their vehicles.

David said that despite the family now being spread around the world, they all see Boston as our spiritual home and look forward to their return visits.

He said of the Honour: "It's with gratitude and humility I accept this, the highest honour which the Borough can bestow, may we be given many more years in which to work together."

David joins Professor Jonathan Van Tam who was awarded the Freedom of the Borough in 2021 and Alison Fairman in 2016 and many others going back to 1901.

What is the Freedom of the Borough?

The Freedom of the Borough is a high honour which is only awarded in exceptional circumstances where the prospective recipient is an individual or organisation of distinction that has rendered eminent services to the Borough. Having demonstrated outstanding achievements in the Borough and/or on the international stage which have brought pride and satisfaction to the Borough.