City freedom honour proposed for air cadet squadron

An historic city air training cadet squadron could soon be granted honorary freedom of Swansea.

A meeting of Full Council is taking place on Thursday (December 17) to consider granting Freedom of the City and County of Swansea to 215 (City of Swansea) Squadron Air Training Cadets.

The honour would help celebrate the squadron’s 75th anniversary, their long-standing relationship with Swansea Council and their community work in supporting the Swansea branch of the Royal British Legion, remembrance events and the annual poppy appeal.

In the past, the council and its predecessors have bestowed similar honours on The Welsh Guards, The Royal Welch Regiment (Royal Welch Fusiliers) and its antecedent regiments, HM Coastguard, the RNLI, former US President Jimmy Carter, the late Lord Callaghan, the late John Charles, HMS Scott, the Archbishop of Canterbury and, more recently, 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards.

Cllr John Newbury, Lord Mayor of Swansea, said: “215 (City of Swansea) Squadron Air Training Cadets is one of the UK’s largest and most successful units. They’ve been named best squadron in Britain on four occasions – three times in the last 10 years alone.

“If approved by Full Council, granting the squadron honorary freedom of the City and County of Swansea would be an apt way of helping celebrate their 75th anniversary next year and recognising all the terrific fundraising work they’ve done. Over the past 12 years, the squadron has raised more than £503,000 for remembrance events.

“But not only do they support the Swansea branch of the Royal British Legion. They also support and carry out voluntary fundraising activities for many other organisations as well.”

Other organisations the squadron has raised funds for include Mr X, the RSPCA, the RNLI, Maggie’s Cancer Centre, Cancer Research UK, RAFA (Royal Air Forces Association) and SSAFA, the UK’s oldest national military charity. They also collected £11k for the tsunami appeal in 2006 and are a lifetime honorary member of the Normandy Veterans Association.

The squadron will attend a ceremony at Guildhall and exercise their right to march through the city early in the New Year if the proposed honour is approved at Full Council.