One of Liverpool's oldest charities to be honoured
- Published
A ceremony is due to take place at Liverpool Town Hall later
One of Liverpool's oldest charities is set to receive the city's highest civic honour.
YMCA Together, established in 1846, will be admitted to the Freedom Roll of Associations and Institutions, Liverpool City Council said.
The charity helps people dealing with homelessness, domestic abuse, addiction or mental health issues and provides more than 100,000 bed spaces annually.
The ceremony is due to take place at Liverpool Town Hall later.
The City of Liverpool Young Men's Christian Association, now known as YMCA Together, was founded two years after George Williams joined 11 friends to organise the first Young Men's Christian Association in London.
In 1877 it opened its first purpose-built YMCA on Mount Pleasant in the city centre.
In 2002 the building needed considerable work to bring it up to modern standards and a new centre was built on Leeds Street.
The charity now also operates accommodation and support services across Liverpool.
Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Mary Rasmussen, will officially bestow the Freedom to YMCA Together's chief executive Ellie McNeil and chairman Mike Barker.
Why not follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk, external