There are 105 Sea Scout Groups in the United Kingdom and one group in Gibraltar who are affiliated to the Royal Navy in order to foster a close relationship between the Royal Navy and young people in the Scout Association by making naval facilities and equipment accessible. [1] It is seen as a mark of great honour by the Groups holding RN Recognition.
Sea Scouting in the U.K. began in 1908, one year after the establishment of Scouting itself. During World War I Sea Scouts performed duties as coastal lookouts and messengers and, in recognition of these deeds, were formally recognised by the Admiralty Board in 1919, this allowed them access to Naval equipment and facilities whilst still remaining independent of any Naval control.
During World War II the scheme was converted so that Sea Scout groups who show themselves able to reach certain levels of proficiency could apply for stores and grants to help train young men in basic seamanship before entering military service. The scheme has been running since then, overseen by Second Sea Lord / Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command and regulated by a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Scout Association.
Although there are some 425-450 Sea Scout groups throughout the U.K., the MoD recognises a maximum of 105. In order to remain in the scheme groups they must maintain high standards. Any Sea Scout group can apply for recognition subject to certain criteria laid down in the MOA. [2]
Unlike the Sea Cadet Corps, Sea Scouts are not financially supported by the MoD, apart from an annual capitation grant to the Scout Association. The driving force behind groups applying for and remaining in the Royal Naval recognition scheme is the kudos and associated pride.
There are a number of privileges afforded to Groups that make it into the 105, including:
Groups are inspected every 18 months - 2 years by an RN Officer, This is a formal inspection, usually alternating between water-borne and land based, where the Groups can show off their skills and worthiness to be recognised by the RN.
| RN Number | Group | Website |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | 4th Gillingham (Rainham) Sea Scouts | http://www.4thgillingham.co.uk/ |
| 02 | 3rd Portchester Sea Scouts | http://www.3rdportchester.uk/ |
| 03 | 1st Oulton Broad Sea Scouts | http://1stoultonbroadseascouts.org/ |
| 04 | 13th Ipswich Sea Scouts | http://www.13thipswich.co.uk/ |
| 05 | 4th Epping Forest South Sea Scouts | http://www.4thefsscouts.org.uk |
| 06 | Newbold-on-Stour Sea Scouts | |
| 07 | Guernsey Sea Scouts | |
| 08 | 3rd Wallsall Sea Scouts | http://www.killock.co.uk/ |
| 09 | 2nd Cowes Sea Scouts | http://www.isleofwight-scouts.org.uk/Groups/WestWight/Cowes/Overview.aspx |
| 10 | 1st Batchworth Sea Scouts | http://www.batchworth.org/ |
| 11 | 1st Lytham St Annes Sea Scouts | http://www.1stlsa.co.uk/ |
| 12 | 15th Macclesfield Sea Scouts | |
| 13 | 5th Barry Sea Scouts | http://www.5thbarryseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 14 | 2nd Warwick Sea Scouts | http://2wk.org.uk/ |
| 15 | 2nd Whitstable | |
| 16 | 36th Epping Forest (South) Sea Scouts | http://www.36efsscouts.org.uk/ |
| 17 | 18th Inverness Sea Scouts | http://www.invernessseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 18 | 4th Dovercourt Sea Scouts | |
| 19 | 1st West Bay Sea Scouts | |
| 20 | 4th/6th Leigh-on-Sea Sea Scouts | http://www.4th6thleigh.org/ |
| 21 | 8th Faversham Sea Scouts | |
| 22 | 4th New Forest East (Hythe) | http://www.hytheseascouts.org.uk |
| 23 | 3rd/5th Lancing Sea Scouts | http://www.3rd5thlancingseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 24 | 1st Hertford Sea Scouts | http://www.hertfordscoutsappeal.org.uk/ |
| 25 | 25th Southampton Sea Scouts | http://www.25th-southampton.org.uk/ |
| 26 | 8th Norwich Sea Scouts | http://8thnorwich.org.uk/ |
| 27 | 64th Birkenhead Sea Scouts | http://www.birkenheadseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 28 | 2nd Abingdon Sea Scout Group | https://2ndabingdon.co.uk/ |
| 29 | 6th Torbay Britannia Sea Scouts | http://www.6thTorbayBritannia.org.uk |
| 30 | Leander (Kingston) Sea Scouts | http://www.leanderseascouts.co.uk/ |
| 31 | 14th Tonbridge Sea Scouts | http://14thtonbridge.org/default.aspx |
| 32 | 3rd South Shields Sea Scouts | |
| 33 | 3rd Shoreham Sea Scouts | |
| 34 | 9th Stafford Sea Scouts | http://www.staffordseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 35 | 3rd Frodsham Sea Scouts | http://www.cheshire-scouts.org.uk/index.php?option=com_uhp2&task=viewpage&Itemid=9999999&user_id=1422 |
| 36 | 1st Kings Norton Sea Scouts | http://1stkingsnorton.org.uk/ |
| 37 | 1st Blackfords | |
| 38 | 11th Torbay Sea Scouts | http://www.11thtorbay.co.uk/ |
| 39 | 4th Streatham Sea Scouts (Princess Marie Louise's Own) | http://the4thstreatham.net/ |
| 40 | 3rd Bingley Sea Scouts | https://sites.google.com/site/3rdbingley/ |
| 41 | 1st Avoch | |
| 42 | 10th Christchurch Sea Scouts | |
| 43 | 1st Corsham Sea Scouts | http://www.corshamscouts.org.uk/ |
| 44 | 4th Heswall Sea Scouts | https://www.4thheswallseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 45 | 1st Lilliput Sea Scouts | http://www.lilliputseascouts.co.uk |
| 46 | 2nd Beeston Sea Scouts | https://www.2ndbeeston.org.uk/ |
| 47 | 35th Bournemouth Sea Scouts | |
| 48 | 1st Southbourne Sea Scouts | |
| 49 | Currently Vacant | |
| 50 | Holy Trinity (Margate) Sea Scouts | http://www.rn50.org.uk/ |
| 51 | 1st Felpham Sea Scouts | |
| 52 | 17th Colchester Sea Scouts | |
| 53 | 6th Itchen South (Hamble) Sea Scouts | http://www.hambleseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 54 | 12th Halifax Sea Scouts | |
| 55 | 1st St Peter in Thanet | http://www.1ststpetersseascouts.co.uk/ |
| 56 | Petersham & Ham Sea Scouts | http://www.pandhseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 57 | 1st Clifton Sea Scouts | http://www.yorkseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 58 | 1st/10th Sutton Coldfield Sea Scouts (Indomitable) | http://www.suttonseascouts.org.uk |
| 59 | 8th Worthing Sea Scouts | http://www.8thworthing.org.uk/ |
| 60 | 4th Thames Ditton (Ajax) Sea Scouts | http://www.ajax.org.uk/ |
| 61 | 2nd Durrington Sea Scouts | http://www.2nddurrington.org.uk/ |
| 62 | 9th New Forest South (Lymington) Sea Scouts | |
| 63 | 1st Watchet Sea Scouts | http://www.watchetseascoutgroup.org.uk/ |
| 64 | 19th Exeter Sea Scouts | |
| 65 | 1st Bungay Sea Scouts | |
| 66 | 21st Sunderland Sea Scouts | |
| 67 | 6th Ramsgate Sea Scouts | http://www.6thramsgate.org.uk |
| 68 | 1st Blofield & Brundall Sea Scouts | http://www.1stblofieldandbrundall.org.uk/ |
| 69 | 1st Luton Sea Scouts | |
| 70 | 11th Norwich Sea Scouts | http://11thnorwich.ukscouts.org.uk/ |
| 71 | 1st Thorpe St Andrew Sea Scouts | http://www.firstthorpescouts.org.uk |
| 72 | 1st Surbiton (Sealion) Sea Scouts | http://sealionscouts.org.uk/ |
| 73 | 3rd Chalkwell Bay Sea Scouts | http://www.3rdcb.org.uk/ |
| 74 | 1st Molesey (Jaguar) Sea Scouts | http://www.jaguarseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 75 | 4th Knowle Sea Scout Group | http://www.4thknowleseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 76 | 2nd Deal Sea Scouts | http://2nddealseascouts.org/ |
| 77 | 1st Cleethorpes Sea Scouts | |
| 78 | 30th Norwich Sea Scouts | |
| 79 | 1st Cogenhoe Sea Scouts | |
| 80 | 1st Park Gate Sea Scouts | |
| 81 | Dartford Cambria Sea Scouts | http://www.CambriaSeaScouts.org/ |
| 82 | 5th Gosport Sea Scouts | http://www.5thgosportseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 83 | 1st Reading Sea Scouts | |
| 84 | 3rd Poole Sea Scouts | https://www.3rdpoole.org.uk/ |
| 85 | 17th Sutton Coldfield Sea Scouts | |
| 86 | 33rd Lancaster Sea Scouts | |
| 87 | 1st Barry Sea Scouts | |
| 88 | 1st Warsash Sea Scout Group | |
| 89 | 9th Itchen Sea Scouts | |
| 90 | 29th Glasgow Sea Scouts | http://www.29thglasgow.org.uk/new |
| 91 | 6th Newark Sea Scouts | |
| 92 | 2nd Fareham Sea Scouts | http://2ndfareham.org/ |
| 93 | 5th Woodbridge Sea Scouts | |
| 94 | 15th Long Eaton Sea Scouts | |
| 95 | 1st Cuddington Sea Scouts | http://www.warspite.org.uk/ |
| 96 | 4th Canvey Island Sea Scouts | http://www.4ci.org.uk/about/rn-recognition/ |
| 97 | 6th Barry Sea Scouts | https://www.cardiffandvalescouts.org.uk/6th-barry-sea-scouts/ |
| 98 | 1st Standlake & Cokethorpe | http://group.rn98.co.uk/ |
| 99 | 4th New Forest North Sea Scouts | http://www.elingseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 100 | 6th Falmouth Sea Scouts | http://www.6thfalmouth.org.uk/ |
| 101 | 5th Gibraltar Sea Scouts | http://gibseascouts.terapad.com/ |
| 102 | 33rd Oxford (Kidlington) Sea Scouts | http://www.kidlingtonseascouts.org.uk/ |
| 103 | 1st Hampton Hill Sea Scouts (Achilles) | http://www.hamptonseascouts.org/ |
| 104 | Hydra ESSU | |
| 105 | 31st Itchen North (Amazon) | https://amazonseascouts.org.uk/ |