Keely Hodgkinson's Town Hall star to receive makeover after Olympics

The Atherton-based former Leigh Harrier received the Wigan Council 'Believe' star in March 2023 to recognise her career accomplishments to date.

The star stands proudly outside Leigh Town Hall next to the plaques of former schoolfriend and Lioness Ella Toone and her former Leigh Harriers coaches Joe and Margaret Galvin.

Following Keely's historic victory in Paris, where she became just the third British woman to win 800m Olympic gold, Wigan Council will update the wording of the plaque to reflect her Olympic champion status.

It will also be given a golden trim to highlight her gold medal.

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Keely's family and friends celebrating the Believe Star with council officials (Image: Wigan Council)
Leader of Wigan Council, David Molyneux MBE, said: “It’s clear that the entire borough was cheering Keely on, and her performance was amazing on the biggest stage.

“We were delighted to host Keely, her family and friends at Leigh Town Hall last year and we believe it is fitting to update her star given this recent triumph.

“She is an inspirational athlete and a fantastic ambassador for the borough.”

With the original star being worded as ‘Olympic athlete’, this will now be replaced with the words ‘Olympic champion’. The makeover is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

Keely's Believe star will be updated to reflect her Olympic champion status (Image: Wigan Council)
Councillor Chris Ready, cabinet member for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “We know how proud everyone is of Keely, she has achieved so much and still has a long career ahead of her.

“Her dedication and hard work in becoming a top-class athlete is clear to see and she is a real role model.

“We’re incredibly proud that she was the recipient of our Believe Talent Fund earlier in her journey to the top.”

Keely's former school friend Ella Toone also has a Believe star outside Leigh Town Hall (Image: Wigan Council)
Wigan Council’s Believe Talent Fund was set up to help young athletes, with grants of up to £500 available to help towards travel, accommodation, training, equipment, and competition entry fees.

A product of the Leigh Harriers athletics club, Keely received funding in both 2017 and 2018 helping her take part in national and international competitions.

The Believe Stars for Keely and Ella Toone were announced by Wigan Council as part of International Women’s Day celebrations in 2023.

A Believe Star is the highest accolade awarded to Wigan Borough residents using their platform for good. Only two are issued each year (one in Wigan and one in Leigh) and nominations can be made online here.

Applications to Wigan Council’s Believe Talent Fund are currently open until the end of October. For full details and how to apply, visit this link.