Director of British Disability Swimming Tim Reddish MBE will be nominated Honorary Freeman of Nottingham City at a special City Council meeting. The Nottingham-born former swimmer is only the 34th person in more than 100 years to be given such an honour and will be recognised alongside fellow townsman Mich Stevenson OBE.

Reddish follows in the path of fashion designer Sir Paul Smith - who was the last person to receive the honour in 1997, ice skating champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, former Nottingham Forest Manager Brian Clough and record-breaking Everest mountaineer Doug Scott.

His accolade comes after a fantastic 2004, which saw him lead a strong Paralympic swimming squad to one of their most successful Games yet.

"It's an unbelievable honour to be recognised by the town where I was born and bred and cut my teeth on swimming," said a delighted Reddish. "Although it might be hard to understand, to be honoured by my own city is a higher accolade for me than my MBE.

"To be recognised by my peers, the people I've grown up around and those I've worked with in the city makes it more of a personal honour for me.

"I've achieved this through Nottingham and those who've supported me throughout my career. The honour really belongs to my family who've sacrificed a lot for me over the years and to all my friends who've had an impact on my life. Some of them will be able to be there on the day to celebrate with me."

Reddish learnt his trade in Nottingham and was a competitive swimmer from an early age. In 1988 he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, an hereditary degenerative condition affecting sight and the following year he took part in his first major international event, the European Championships, scooping two gold, five silver and four bronze medals.

During his 13-year international career he has attended three Paralympic Games, three World Championships and five European Championships, where he has collected a total of 22 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals.  

He competed in the ITU World Triathlon Championships in Perth, Australia, in 1997, winning gold and recording the best time ever for a blind athlete. He then retained his title with a new best time of 2 hours 3 minutes and 6 seconds in Ohio the following year.

In 2003 he was appointed Director of British Disability Swimming and led the team to success at last year's Athen's Paralympic Games in September with a medal haul of 16 gold, 20 silver and 16 bronze - more than half of Team GB's overall medal tally. After renewing his contract with British Swimming at the end of last year, he will now lead the team to the Beijing Paralympics in 2008.

Reddish is due to be admitted as Honorary Freemen of Nottingham at an extraordinary meeting of the council that will follow the annual council meeting, and the Freedom of the City ceremony will take place on Monday 23 May in the Council House.  

The Freemen's Rolls will be signed and sealed and illuminated certificates of the granting of the Honorary Freedom, in specially-made caskets, will be presented by the Lord Mayor.