Grenadier Guards Association - Kent Branch

Branch Annual Dinner
2026-09-12 18:30 - 23:00 (Europe/London) | Masonic Hall, Windmill Street, Hythe, Kent, CT21 6BH, United Kingdom
In celebration of our 78th year as a Branch, we are in the process of organising our Annual Dinner 2026.
We welcome attendance from all Branch members, the widows of former Branch members, and our many “Friends of the Branch”.
We also welcome applications from fellow Grenadiers and the widows of former Grenadiers irrespective of whether they are, or are not, living or working in Kent, or are members of our Branch or the wider Association.
ONCE A GRENADIER, ALWAYS A GRENADIER!

Booking: During 2026, booking pro formas will be emailed, or posted, to all Branch members and to Friends of the Branch for whom we have contact details and who have attended previously. Completed pro formas, with payment, should be returned soonest thereafter and certainly no later than by 1700 hrs on Monday 31 August 2026. Other Grenadiers wanting to attend and be added to our planning list, are requested to send their details to us via our Contact Us page so that we may communicate further with you.
Venue: The Masonic Hall, Windmill Street, Hythe, Kent CT21 6BH
Timings: 1830 for 1900 hrs
Cost: This has yet to be costed, but – like in previous years – will be as “affordable” as we can make it.
Drinks: Port will be served at the table for the Loyal Toasts. Guests are kindly requested to purchase any additional beverages from the bar.
Dress: Lounge suit, or jacket/blazer, collar and tie for gentlemen and cocktail style dress or equivalent for ladies.
Menu: As our planning progresses, a pre-booked choice of starter, main course and sweet will be published. In addition there will be a cheese board, mints with tea or coffee served.

13/09/2025 | Masonic Hall, Hythe, KentBRANCH ANNUAL DINNER0000Days00Hrs00Min00Sec

Branch Meeting
2026-09-06 11:15 - 12:00 | Hythe Sports & Social Club, 2 St Leonards Road, Hythe, Kent, CT21 6EN, United Kingdom
Scheduled date of our bi-monthly Branch meeting.
Please note the 1115 hrs start time.
This meeting is being held one week earlier that our usual 3rd Sunday of a meeting month. This enables us to deconflict with the weekend and date surrounding our 2026 Annual Dinner.
In addition to physical attendance, the Hon. Secretary will organise a Microsoft Teams meeting for members, plus any Branch widows and Friends of the Branch who would like to attend it. Please contact the Hon. Secretary (info@kentgrenadiers.co.uk) if you are in one of those categories and wish to receive a Microsoft Teams invite.
Members are requested to notify the Hon. Secretary if they cannot attend physically or via Microsoft Teams.
An after-meeting Sunday luncheon and raffle will also be organised and held at a venue nearby. Profits from the after-luncheon raffle will be donated to charity.

Branch Meeting
2026-07-19 11:15 - 12:00 | Hythe Sports & Social Club, 2 St Leonards Road, Hythe, Kent, CT21 6EN, United Kingdom
Scheduled date of our bi-monthly Branch meeting.
Please note the 1115 hrs start time.
In addition to physical attendance, the Hon. Secretary will organise a Microsoft Teams meeting for members, plus any Branch widows and Friends of the Branch who would like to attend it. Please contact the Hon. Secretary (info@kentgrenadiers.co.uk) if you are in one of those categories and wish to receive a Microsoft Teams invite.
Members are requested to notify the Hon. Secretary if they cannot attend physically or via Microsoft Teams.
An after-meeting Sunday luncheon and raffle will also be organised and held at a venue nearby. Profits from the after-luncheon raffle will be donated to charity.
Hythe Sports & Social Club and online via Microsoft Teams | Sunday 13/07/2025JULY 2025 BRANCH MEETING0000Days00Hrs00Min00Sec

Armed Forces Day (UK Wide)
2026-06-27 | UK Wide, United Kingdom
This is the date of the National Armed Forces Day.
Armed Forces Day (formerly known as Veterans’ Day) in the United Kingdom is an annual event celebrated in late June. It commemorates the service of men and women in the British Armed Forces. The day was first observed in 2006 as Veterans’ Day, with a focus on honouring living ex-servicemen and women. In 2009, the name was changed to Armed Forces Day. The date was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the first investiture of the Victoria Cross in 1857.
Please visit Armed Forces Day for further details

King's Birthday Parade
2026-06-13 10:00 - 14:00 | Horse Guards Parade, Off Horse Guards Road, Westminster, London, SW1A 2HQ, United Kingdom
Not a Branch organised event, but is advertised here as it is an event of great military interest.
We have received confirmation that the date for the King’s Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour) is Saturday 13 June 2026.
Trooping the Colour is an annual event that has marked the sovereign’s official birthday for two-and-a-half centuries. Upholding the tradition, His Majesty King Charles III, who was born on November 14 1948, will celebrate his birthday twice. Once on his actual birthday and then publicly at Trooping The Colour in June. Each Regiment has a Colonel who is either a member of the Royal Family or a senior officer.
The Grenadier Guards will Troop their Colour in the presence of His Majesty The King.
The parade has historically featured more than 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians. Beginning at Buckingham Palace, the Parade moved down The Mall to Horse Guard’s Parade, where it was joined by Members of the Royal Family on horseback and in carriages. The Parade closed with the traditional RAF fly-past, watched by The Monarch and Members of the Royal Family from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Please go to www.kbp.army.mod.uk to purchase your tickets to the Major General’s Review and the Colonel’s Review. These are likely to be on sale from February 2026 onwards.
Tickets for the King’s Birthday Parade are extremely popular and are therefore usually allocated via a ballot. To enter the ballot so that you may purchase tickets, please visit that same www.kbp.army.mod.uk URL. These tickets sell out very fast.

Presentation of New Colours
2026-06-09 | Buckingham Palace, Westminster, London, SW1A 1AA, United Kingdom
The 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards will be presented with new Colours at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, 9 June 2026. This prestigious occasion comes just four days before the Battalion takes its place on parade for the King’s Birthday Parade on Horse Guards Parade, where the Grenadier Guards will provide the Sovereign’s Escort as this year’s Trooping the Colour ceremony.

The Kent Branch is delighted to announce that we have been fortunate to receive an allocation of tickets for the Colours presentation. A number of our members — and their ladies — have already expressed interest and submitted bids for places at this remarkable event.
Further updates will be provided as details are confirmed.

Colonel's Review
2026-06-06 10:00 - 12:30 | Horse Guards Parade, Off Horse Guards Road, Westminster, London, SW1A 2HQ, United Kingdom
Not a Branch organised event, but is advertised here as it is an event of great military interest.
Trooping the Colour is an annual event that has marked the sovereign’s official birthday for two-and-a-half centuries.
We understand that the date for the Colonel’s Review (the second rehearsal) is Saturday 6 June 2026.
Tickets usually go on sale in January/February each year, so visit Official King’s Birthday Parade 2026 | Trooping the Colour – Home (mod.uk) regularly in the New Year (2026) for an opportunity to purchase tickets for this parade.

Major General's Review
2026-05-30 10:00 - 12:30 | Horse Guards Parade, Off Horse Guards Road, Westminster, London, SW1A 2HQ, United Kingdom
Not a Branch organised event, but is advertised here as it is an event of great military interest.
Trooping the Colour is an annual event that has marked the sovereign’s official birthday for two-and-a-half centuries.
We understand that the date for the Major General’s Review (the first rehearsal) is Saturday 30 May 2026.
Tickets usually go on sale in January/February each year, so visit Official King’s Birthday Parade 2026 | Trooping the Colour – Home (mod.uk) regularly in the New Year (2026) for an opportunity to purchase tickets for this parade.

Black Sunday
2026-05-17 12:00 - 19:00 | Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London, SW1E 6HQ, United Kingdom
Serving and veteran Grenadier Guards are invited to gather on Sunday, 17 May 2026, for our annual day of reflection and remembrance — Regimental Remembrance Day.
The day will begin with a service in the Guards Chapel, followed by a parade at the Guards Memorial. The Regimental Lieutenant Colonel warmly invites all Grenadiers, past and present, along with their families, to join us in honouring and remembering our fallen comrades.
Further details will be shared in due course.

Branch Meeting
2026-05-10 11:15 | Hythe Sports & Social Club, 2 St Leonards Road, Hythe, Kent, CT21 6EN, United Kingdom
Anticipated date of our bi-monthly Branch meeting. One week earlier than our usual 3rd Sunday of the month pattern. This ensures we deconflict with Black Sunday; which is expected to be on Sunday 17 May 2026.
Please note the 1115 hrs start time.
In addition to physical attendance, the Hon. Secretary will organise a Microsoft Teams meeting for members, plus any Branch widows and Friends of the Branch who would like to attend it. Please contact the Hon. Secretary (info@kentgrenadiers.co.uk) if you are in one of those categories and wish to receive a Microsoft Teams invite.
Members are requested to notify the Hon. Secretary if they cannot attend physically or via Microsoft Teams.
An after-meeting Sunday luncheon and raffle will also be organised and held at a nearby venue. More details on lunch will be available towards the end of April 2026. Profits from the after-luncheon raffle will be donated to charity.
Hythe Sports & Social Club and online via Microsoft Teams | Sunday 10/05/2026MAY 2026 BRANCH MEETING0000Days00Hrs00Min00Sec

Association AGM & Secretary's Meeting
2026-04-11 09:00 - 14:00 | Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London, SW1E 6HQ, United Kingdom
The Association Annual General Meeting and the Secretary’s Meeting will be held in the Garrison Sergeant’s Mess at Wellington Barracks on Saturday 11 April 2026.
This is later in the year than usual because the Association will have new auditors and there may be a need to provide them with a little more time; being this will be their first time auditing the Association accounts.
Branch Secretaries, or a pre-cleared representative from each Branch of the Association, assemble between 0900 and 1000 hrs.

The Branch Secretary, or a pre-cleared representative from each Branch of the Association, is invited to attend the Secretary’s Meeting (approx. 1000 to 1200 hrs).
All Grenadiers are invited to attend the AGM (approx. 1200 to 1400 hrs).
