Deputy Mayor Niels Wouters will present the silver medal of honor of the municipality of Nuenen to Mr. Fred Heering (78) at the town hall on Tuesday afternoon, May 14, 2024 at 3:45 pm. He has dedicated himself for 20 years as chairman of Veilig Verkeer Nederland (VVN) department Nuenen. He recently resigned this position.

VVN department Nuenen was founded in 2004 and Fred has been its face from the beginning. He provided the municipality with solicited and unsolicited traffic advice. Whether this concerned municipal zoning plans, reconstructions of the road network or the bicycle path network. Fred was involved in important developments in the areas of traffic safety, mobility and accessibility. Many activities were organized. The traffic exam was given a new impetus. Bicycle, mobility scooter and e-bike courses followed. But also blind spot actions and 30-km actions. Thanks to Fred's efforts, Nuenen has become a lot safer.

In addition to his volunteer work at VVN afd.Nuenen, Fred has also been active as a guide at the Van Gogh Village Nuenen since 2010. He walks through Nuenen with groups of visitors to show them the beautiful Van Gogh Monuments. At all stops he tells an informative story. He addresses foreign groups neatly in their native language. He usually accompanies German groups.

For the past ten years Fred has been chairman of the foundation Near Home Home Latesteyn Nuenen. As chairman, he has been the initiator from the first moment, with the first years not going without a struggle. Fred is a go-getter and now there is a warm house where quality of life is offered when treatment in the hospital is no longer possible or when it is no longer possible at home.

As of 2017, Fred has been active at Savant Health as chairman of the Central Client Council. He is committed to the clients and residents in the residential care centers and those who use home care.

With this silver municipal award, the municipal government, on behalf of all residents in general, wishes to express its appreciation and gratitude.