Tunbridge Wells Sea Cadets to receive top honour from council

It's being marked with a Freedom of the Borough Parade on Sunday 12 October

TS Brilliant Rowing, Tunbridge Wells
Author: Martha TipperPublished 12th Oct 2025

The Tunbridge Wells Sea Cadets (TS Brilliant) are celebrating their 90th anniversary in 2025 and earlier this year they were awarded the Freedom of the Borough by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

The Honorary Freedom of the Borough is the highest award the Council can give to an individual or corporate body.

On Sunday 12 October from 10.30am the cadets will have the honour formally presented to them by the Mayor of Tunbridge Wells David Osborne.

They will exercise their freedom by marching in Royal Tunbridge Wells.

At this commemorative event TS Brilliant will host West Kent District Sea Cadets.

Around 250 sea cadets, junior sea cadets and Royal Marines cadets will take part in a ceremonial parade to mark two significant anniversaries – Tunbridge Wells’s 90th and the 220th anniversary of The Battle of Trafalgar.

Veteran Standard Bearers and a detachment of former TS Brilliant cadets and staff will also take part.

Guests expected to be in attendance alongside the Mayor include the National President of The Royal Naval Association, VAdm Duncan Potts CB and Mrs Georgie Warner Deputy Lieutenant of Kent.

Members of the public are warmly invited to come along to Mount Pleasant Road (near the War Memorial) to watch the parade and show their support for the cadets.

Mayor, David Osborne said: ‘The Sea Cadets have been part of the fabric of our Royal town for 90 years, enabling generations of youngsters to fulfil their potential whilst supporting important civic events. That's why I have made them my charity for the year .

‘The Freedom is thoroughly deserved, and I urge everyone to come along and help to make this historic parade a very special day.’

The Freedom of the Borough award is not often made and is normally only conferred on local people who have made a significant contribution to the locality or have achieved something outstanding.

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