Mark Cavendish has been presented with the illuminated address commemorating his award of the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Douglas. Councillors, officers and guests, including Honorary Freemen His Honour Deemster Jack Corrin CBE and former Mayor of Douglas Mr George Chatel MBE., together with family and friends of Mr Cavendish attended the presentation made by His Worship the Mayor of Douglas, Councillor Ritchie McNicholl JP at a short ceremony held on Thursday April 14 in the Council Chamber of Douglas Town Hall. The Manx-born international sprint cycling star is the youngest recipient of the honour, which was awarded in recognition of his outstanding sporting achievements and his service as an ambassador for the Isle of Man. Created in calligraphy and finished in watercolour and gold leaf, the illuminated address is the work of local artist Colleen Corlett and depicts some of the many sporting triumphs of Mark Cavendish’s career. In his address His Worship said it had been in August 2008, the year when the late Mrs Dot Pitts had been Mayor of Douglas, that the Council had made the decision to confer the honour, a time when Mark Cavendish had started to make his mark ‘in spectacular fashion’ in the European cycling world. He continued: ‘His star has continued to rise ever since and his fame is now worldwide,’ adding, ‘And I think he is the first famous Manxman to be regularly referred to as “Manx” rather than “British” by commentators and the press, and that brings very welcome recognition of his island home.’ In closing His Worship said he believed that, at the end of his sporting career, Mark Cavendish’s legacy would serve as an ‘inspiration to a generation of young people, in the Isle of Man and around the world, to take up cycling.’ Accepting the illuminated address Mark Cavendish said that he was proud to have his sporting achievements recognised by the Council and the people of the Isle of the Man. He was ‘truly honoured’ to have been awarded the Honorary Freedom of the Borough and it was, for him, ‘massively important’ to be able to call such a special place as the Isle of Man ‘home.’ Council leader Councillor David Christian JP said: ‘Mark Cavendish has a huge following in the Isle of Man. We were therefore delighted to be able to recognise his achievements by conferring the highest honour Douglas Borough Council can bestow on this young Manxman who continues to be an inspiration and a truly exceptional worldwide ambassador for the Isle of Man.’ Ends