Founder of Southend's Music Man Project given freedom of city

The Music Man Project and David Stanley (centre in the white coat) pictured making a Christmas single last year

The founder of an internationally-renowned disabilities charity based in Southend-on-Sea has been awarded the Freedom of the City.

David Stanley BEM set up the Music Man Project for children and adults with learning disabilities.

The charity has performed for the Royal Family, at the Royal Albert Hall, on TV and says it has delivered more than 15,000 workshops in primary schools.

The late Conservative MP Sir David Amess was one of its proudest patrons.

The Music Man Project performed at the former Southend West MP's funeral mass at Westminster Cathedral.

Mr Stanley still wants to take the Music Man Project to Broadway in Manhattan

"I could not be more proud of this city," said Mr Stanley.

"Sir David was a dear friend and a great champion of everything this city stands for - in particular those people who we might not necessarily know about as much as other people.

"He was a great champion of the vulnerable and of the underdog, people who had hidden talent.

"For the past 23 years he encouraged me and supported me to believe in myself, which gave me great strength to believe in them."

Sir David Amess was fatally stabbed during a constituency surgery in October 2021

Mr Stanley is also the UK's Disability and Access Ambassador for Arts and Culture.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service at a ceremony at Southend-on-Sea City Council on Thursday, he also renewed Sir David's pledge in 2019 that the group would make it to Broadway.

Freedom of the City is an honour believed to date back to medieval times, giving someone who was not a feudal lord the right to earn money, land and trade.

It is a purely ceremonial title in the modern day.

Mr Stanley was given the honour by Southend Conservative mayor Stephen Habermel.

Former Tory councillor Andrew Moring was awarded Honorary Alderman at the same meeting for his 21 years' service the local authority.

Mr Stanley was given the honour at a meeting on Thursday