Leaders of VGC Group, Sean Fitzpatrick (Chairman) and his daughter Ciara Pryce (COO), were honoured with the Freedom of the City of London on Friday 24th May 2024 at a prestigious ceremony at the Guildhall, home to the City of London Corporation. The ceremony took place in the Chamberlains Court room witnessed by close family and friends.
They were honoured to have been nominated by, and joined during the ceremony by Alderman Vincent Keaveny, who served as the Lord Mayor of the City of London in 2021/22 and Vincent Dignam, Business Performance Manager for the City of London/ Court Assistant, Worshipful Company of Carmen Livery.
This honour was bestowed upon them following their contribution to the construction and recruitment sectors in London, as part of the VGC Group.
The VGC Group has grown to be one of the largest and most forward-thinking recruitment and sub-contracting companies within the construction industry.
Employing over 2000 highly skilled people on major infrastructure projects, the award winning VGC Group has directly contributed to the built environment in London, including the Elizabeth Line, Farringdon and Blackfriars stations, Thames Tideway, the East London Line, and Silvertown Tunnel, as well as national projects including HS2, Sellafield & Sizewell, national highways & rail projects.
VGC Group has demonstrated an ethical approach to delivering national infrastructure programmes. With social impact initiatives encouraging sustainable careers for under-represented groups (including ex-offenders, ex-military, NEETs and women), leading the way in modern slavery prevention, and proactively investing in learning and development, the award winning VGC Group has delivered over £45 million in social value over the last two years and demonstrated that successful business can exponentially grow through focusing their culture and approach on ESG strategies.
Being admitted as a Freeman of the City of London is one of the oldest surviving traditional ceremonies still in existence today, which is believed to have been first presented in the early 1200s.
Becoming a Freeman of the City was a privilege, freeing the individual from being bound to the federal lord and earning the right to trade and own land in the city. During the Medieval ages, the title also provided protection by the City, thus those citizens were often perceived as free – this privilege is still preserved in the title ‘Freedom of the City’.
As the city evolved over time, between the Middle Ages and the period of Queen Victoria’s reign, freedom eventually became an essential requirement of a member of a livery or guild to trade within the well-known Square Mile.
In the modern world, most privileges and practicalities have now disappeared, however, many people who work or live in the city perceive this title as an honour and it remains to be an important tradition which has been maintained and respected since medieval times.
“I am extremely honoured to have received the Freedom of the City alongside my father Sean Fitzpatrick, in recognition of the work that has been done by the VGC Group team. We are incredibly proud of the contribution our company has made to the city of London and its residents, and we look forward to continuing this work, both now and in the future. A huge thank you to Alderman Vincent Keaveny and Vincent Dignam (Business Performance Manager for the City of London) for their recognition.”
Ciara Pryce, Chief Operating Officer
