Squadron to be granted Freedom of City

AN historic Swansea air squadron is to be granted Freedom of the City. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Honorary Freedom of the City & County of Swansea will be presented to the 215 (City of Swansea) Squadron in a special ceremony in the city’s Guildhall on March 12, at 10.30 a.m. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Air Cadets squadron celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, is one of the six largest squadrons in the UK and has been awarded Best Squadron in Britain four times. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The honour is also in recognition of its community and voluntary work in support of the Swansea Branch of the Royal British Legion in organising Remembrance events and the annual poppy appeal for Swansea. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other organisations the squadron has raised funds for include Mr X, the RSPCA, the RNLI, Maggie’s Cancer Centre, Cancer Research UK, as well as military charities RAFA and SSAFA. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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. We are immensely proud and grateful of the work they do particularly their support for local events and good causes. Over the past 12 years, the squadron has raised more than £503,000 for remembrance events ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Granting the squadron honorary freedom of the City and County of Swansea is an apt way of helping celebrate their 75th anniversary this year and recognising all the terrific fundraising work they’ve done.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The squadron will be awarded freedom of the city at a ceremony at city’s Guildhall on Saturday (March 12) and exercise their right to march through the city. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Parade will start with an inspection outside the Guildhall at approximately 10:45am, travel along St Helens Road, Dillwyn Street, Oxford St, and turn at Castle Square before returning along Oxford Street, St Helens Road and back to the Guildhall. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Temporary road closures and traffic diversions will be in place. For further details of the event and closures go to http://www.swansea.gov.uk/freedomofthecity ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​