York is to honour actress Dame Judi Dench and composer John Barry - two of the city's most important 'exports' - in two separate ceremonies within the next few weeks.

Dame Judi - York's 'living great' of the Millennium and recently voted in one poll as one of the country's most popular women - will be made an Honorary Freeman of the city on Saturday, July 13 in a ceremony followed by a celebration lunch at the Chapter House in York Minster.

And Mr Barry OBE, will receive his Honorary Freeman title in another special luncheon on Tuesday, June 25 at the Assembly Rooms where he once played trumpet in a Saturday night jazz band.

The celebrities, both Oscar winners, are being honoured after nominations from Peter Stanhope, himself an Honorary Freeman of the city. They have been allowed to select their own dates for the ceremonies, which begin at noon, and have both invited family and friends in the area to their separate ceremonies.

Members of City of York Council will also be in attendance at each event. The titles will be bestowed in twenty minute ceremonies. Richard Clark, the council's new head of civic, democratic and legal services, will officiate at the ceremony for Mr Barry while York town clerk David Atkinson, the council's chief executive, will officiate in the ceremony honouring Dame Judi.

New Lord Mayor of York Councillor David Horton will also attend both events and present each of the celebrities with a specially-designed vellum scroll.

City of York Council agreed to honour Dame Judi, Mr Barry and local Civic Trust activist John Shannon with Honorary Freemen status at a meeting of the full council in November.

Then Lord Mayor of York Councillor Irene Waudby proposed that each of them should receive the award of Honorary Freeman for their outstanding contribution to the city's civic pride. The proposal was agreed unanimously by the 53-member unitary authority.

Today, new Lord Mayor Councillor Horton, said, "We are delighted and honoured that both Dame Judi Dench and Mr Barry have been able to accept our invitation to come home to York and accept these awards. Both have contributed enormously to the civic pride of the city."

Dame Judi has become one of the world's leading screen and stage actors with numerous awards including an Oscar in 1998 for her role as Queen Elizabeth 1 in the film Shakespeare in Love.

John Barry, born John Barry Prendegast in York in 1933, is an internationally acclaimed composer famous for film scores and credited with writing the James Bond theme.

Mr Shannon OBE, received his Honorary Freeman award in a special Mansion House ceremony on March 27 in recognition of his contribution to the civic life of the city.

The rarely-made honour, given only to those who have served the city with distinction or to those with very notable links to York, was the first of its kind since The Duchess of Kent was admitted on April 22, 1989.

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