Congratulations to the Colonel

Rye News is thrilled to announce that Colonel Anthony Thomas Brice Kimber, PhD, has been awarded the MBE.

Colonel Anthony Kimber’s service is the quiet kind that changes everything. He and his wife Elizabeth work where work is needed, not for applause but for outcomes—sorting knots into straight lines, turning problems into plans. He listens first, really listens, holding space for worries before setting about solutions. In Rye, his volunteering has been a steady hand on the tiller: calm, capable, and constant. The MBE marks what the town already knows—that when something must be done, thoughtfully and well, he is the man who steps forward and sees it through.

He is a former long-serving British Army officer, known for his leadership, and commitment in both garrison and active duty. His last post as a regular officer was Defence Attaché in Budapest, during which time Hungary joined NATO and there were NATO operations in adjacent former Yugoslavia. On return to UK, he became one of the first post-9/11 regional military liaison officers working from an office in Folkestone, his military loan car and at times the kitchen table in Rye, to better coordinate military aid to the civil authorities of Surrey, Sussex and Kent in time of crisis. He has been recognised for work that bridges military service and civilian life, especially where experience, discipline, and care for others intersect.

In interview, Colonel Kimber highlights his career and his volunteering work in Rye and district.

When did your volunteering start in Rye?

It was in 2003, when I was elected as chair of the RNLI Rye fundraisers. This was followed in 2004 when I became chairman of the Rye Art Gallery Trust. During my tenure of the latter, it was a joy to be part of the team that transformed it into the stunning building which is seen today.

In 2009, with others, I started the local resilience team known as REACT (Rye Emergency Action Community Team), which continues today to monitor risks such as flood risk, animal disease and industrial crises. Through close cooperation with bodies such as the Environment Agency, the local drainage board and local authorities, Rye has been in a much better position to tackle risks as they occur. This has meant a great deal of liaising with professional bodies and working with the agencies that are able to make a considerable difference.  My time as member of the Southern Region Flood and Coastal Committee has helped with work on REACT.

Behind every great man they say, there is a great woman whose role is to support quietly: would that be Elizabeth?

Absolutely!  Since our time in the military, Elizabeth and I have worked alongside each other in senior roles, including Budapest where she helped start social activities for the 40 or so international wives. I share the award with Elizabeth who has given me unswerving support throughout.

The MBE is a reward for many years of voluntary service to Rye, and in particular for the marathon – since 2013 – as vice-chairman (the incumbent mayor was the nominal chairman) of the Rye Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group. The plan came to be made after local referendum in 2019 and after five years operation as the key statutory planning and development document for Rye, it is now being reviewed.

When were you made an honorary Freeman of Rye?

In 2019, I was made Freeman for my volunteering roles in Rye, but I suppose most importantly to mark the time when the Neighbourhood Plan was made. In my address to council after receiving my award, I chose to revive the old Tudor Freeman’s oath, as well as paying my historical dues – two old pence and two old shillings (a Florin) to town clerk and town sergeant respectively – but I declined to revive the ancient tradition of kissing the mayor, much to the evident relief of the then mayor.

When did you become President of the Rye Branch Royal British Legion (RBL)?

I have been proud to have held this role since early 2006. I have enjoyed the coordination, for the town council and Rye RBL, of the Rye Remembrance each year. I have conducted 12 battlefield tours in France to visit the graves of the Rye fallen and organised the refurbishment of the town memorial in 2025. In 2018, for RBL 100, I helped launch the cross Sussex torch event, which started in St Mary’s Rye.

What other involvements have there been?

This is a long list and includes being a founder trustee of the Rye Heritage Centre in 2020. During Covid, I contributed with others to the formation of Rye Mutual Aid. In spring 2021, I lobbied NHS England for the Rye Vaccination Centre to come to Tilling Green. The latter has just completed its latest session, bringing the total jabs delivered to around 65,000. With Rother District and Rother Voluntary Action, I contributed to the creation of a hubs for Ukrainian refugees across Rother District. This brought stability to the lives of those families who were fleeing from their war-torn country under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

 What is your voluntary involvement now? 

Since 2012, I have chaired the Friends of St Mary’s, Rye which, during his time, has refurbished the west window, the famous clock, renewed part of the sound system and installed CCTV around the church. In each of the last 10 years, I have organised annual summer outings to consider the many churches on Romney Marsh and around Rye.

I retain the lead of the Homes for Ukraine local “hub” and organise monthly events for the 12 or so families remaining in Rye district. I remain President Rye RBL and continue to coordinate local resilience matters – Team REACT – focusing mainly on flood risk, but also land instability issues.

However, my main voluntary work remains support to Rye Town Council in planning issues, including the five-yearly review of the Rye Neighbourhood Plan (now at an advanced stage) and since 2024, part of the effort to seek to build some social housing in Rye.

In 2023, the MP Sally-Ann Hart invited me to 10 Downing Street, to meet the then Prime Minister, as a Rye “Community Champion”.  As always, Elizabeth went along and was invited into Downing Street by one of the armed police officers, who just happened to be a veteran! To top off the day, the officer took a memorable photograph of the us in front of the closed No 10 door!

At my installation as a Freeman, I am on record as saying about the diminishing number of volunteers for the 50 or so voluntary organisations in Rye, that when hearing some people say that there is “nothing in Rye for me”, my answer was: “Pick something, join and contribute.”

Anthony Kimber is also a patron of the St Mary’s knitting group which meets every Monday morning in the church. Sandra Lanigan writes, “From day one he has supported us and visited us most weeks giving us donations for our fundraising, he even bought us a carpet for our knitting corner. We all send our congratulations on such a well-deserved honour.”

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Image Credits: Kt bruce , The Metropolitan Police , Kt Bruce , Chris Lawson .