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.RN Community Website - Sea Scouts Page It is seen as a mark of great honour by the Groups holding RN Recognition.
History
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.Memorandum Of Agreement Between The Ministry Of Defence And The Scout Association For Royal Navy Recognised Groups Of Sea Scouts, revised 1999
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.
Privileges
There are a number of privileges afforded to Groups that make it into the 105, including:
Leaders, Explorers, Scouts and Cubs wear Royal Navy Recognition Badge. Group wears defaced Red Ensign and flies Admiralty Pennant. Eligible to attend Big Four Events: Summer Camp, HMS BRISTOL, Portsmouth. Soccer Sixes, HMS BRISTOL, Portsmouth. Swimming Gala, HMS RALEIGH, Plymouth. Explorer Camp, HMS BRISTOL, Portsmouth. Eligible to utilise HMS BRISTOL's facilities and RN Sailing Centre Assets. Visit Portsmouth Heritage area attractions at heavily discounted rates. Annual payment to the Scout Association (Admiralty Fund) based on a per capita payment for each Scout and Explorer Scout plus an allowance for certain badges as detailed in the Memorandum of Agreement. Eligible to apply for grants from Scout Association for purchase of equipment and boats. On joining an initial Stores outfit is issued.
Inspection
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.
Recognised groups
RN Number Group Website014th Gillingham (Rainham) Sea Scoutshttp://www.4thgillingham.co.uk/023rd Portchester Sea Scoutshttp://www.3rdportchester.uk/031st Oulton Broad Sea Scoutshttp://1stoultonbroadseascouts.org/0413th Ipswich Sea Scoutshttp://www.13thipswich.co.uk/054th Epping Forest South Sea Scoutshttp://www.4thefsscouts.org.uk06Newbold-on-Stour Sea Scouts07Guernsey Sea Scouts083rd Wallsall Sea Scoutshttp://www.killock.co.uk/092nd Cowes Sea Scoutshttp://www.isleofwight-scouts.org.uk/Groups/WestWight/Cowes/Overview.aspx101st Batchworth Sea Scoutshttp://www.batchworth.org/111st Lytham St Annes Sea Scoutshttp://www.1stlsa.co.uk/1215th Macclesfield Sea Scouts135th Barry Sea Scoutshttp://www.5thbarryseascouts.org.uk/142nd Warwick Sea Scoutshttp://2wk.org.uk/152nd Whitstable1636th Epping Forest (South) Sea Scoutshttp://www.36efsscouts.org.uk/1718th Inverness Sea Scoutshttp://www.invernessseascouts.org.uk/184th Dovercourt Sea Scouts191st West Bay Sea Scouts204th/6th Leigh-on-Sea Sea Scoutshttp://www.4th6thleigh.org/218th Faversham Sea Scouts224th New Forest East (Hythe)http://www.hytheseascouts.org.uk233rd/5th Lancing Sea Scoutshttp://www.3rd5thlancingseascouts.org.uk/241st Hertford Sea Scoutshttp://www.hertfordscoutsappeal.org.uk/2525th Southampton Sea Scoutshttp://www.25th-southampton.org.uk/268th Norwich Sea Scoutshttps://8nss.org.uk/2764th Birkenhead Sea Scoutshttp://www.birkenheadseascouts.org.uk/282nd Abingdon Sea Scout Grouphttps://2ndabingdon.co.uk/296th Torbay Britannia Sea Scoutshttp://www.6thTorbayBritannia.org.uk30Leander (Kingston) Sea Scoutshttp://www.leanderseascouts.co.uk/3114th Tonbridge Sea Scoutshttp://14thtonbridge.org/default.aspx323rd South Shields Sea Scoutshttp://www.3rdscouts.org//333rd Shoreham Sea Scouts349th Stafford Sea Scoutshttp://www.staffordseascouts.org.uk/353rd Frodsham Sea Scoutshttp://www.cheshire-scouts.org.uk/index.php?option=com_uhp2&task=viewpage&Itemid=9999999&user_id=1422361st Kings Norton Sea Scoutshttp://1stkingsnorton.org.uk/371st Blackfords3811th Torbay Sea Scoutshttp://www.11thtorbay.co.uk/394th Streatham Sea Scouts (Princess Marie Louise's Own)http://the4thstreatham.net/403rd Bingley Sea Scoutshttps://sites.google.com/site/3rdbingley/411st Avoch4210th Christchurch Sea Scouts431st Corsham Sea Scoutshttp://www.corshamscouts.org.uk/444th Heswall Sea Scoutshttps://www.4thheswallseascouts.org.uk/451st Lilliput Sea Scoutshttp://www.lilliputseascouts.co.uk 462nd Beeston Sea Scoutshttps://www.2ndbeeston.org.uk/4735th Bournemouth Sea Scouts481st Southbourne Sea Scouts49Currently Vacant50Holy Trinity (Margate) Sea Scoutshttp://www.rn50.org.uk/511st Felpham Sea Scouts5217th Colchester Sea Scouts536th Itchen (Hamble) Sea Scoutshttp://www.hambleseascouts.org.uk/5412th Halifax Sea Scouts551st St Peter in Thanethttp://www.1ststpetersseascouts.co.uk/56Petersham & Ham Sea Scoutshttp://www.pandhseascouts.org.uk/571st Clifton Sea Scoutshttp://www.yorkseascouts.org.uk/581st/10th Sutton Coldfield Sea Scouts (Indomitable)http://www.suttonseascouts.org.uk 598th Worthing Sea Scoutshttp://www.8thworthing.org.uk/604th Thames Ditton (Ajax) Sea Scoutshttp://www.ajax.org.uk/612nd Durrington Sea Scoutshttp://www.2nddurrington.org.uk/629th New Forest South (Lymington) Sea Scouts631st Watchet Sea Scoutshttp://www.watchetseascoutgroup.org.uk/6419th Exeter Sea Scouts651st Bungay Sea Scouts6621st Sunderland Sea Scouts676th Ramsgate Sea Scoutshttp://www.6thramsgate.org.uk681st Blofield & Brundall Sea Scoutshttp://www.1stblofieldandbrundall.org.uk/691st Luton Sea Scouts7011th Norwich Sea Scoutshttp://11thnorwich.ukscouts.org.uk/711st Thorpe St Andrew Sea Scoutshttp://www.firstthorpescouts.org.uk721st Surbiton (Sealion) Sea Scoutshttp://sealionscouts.org.uk/733rd Chalkwell Bay Sea Scoutshttp://www.3rdcb.org.uk/741st Molesey (Jaguar) Sea Scoutshttp://www.jaguarseascouts.org.uk/754th Knowle Sea Scout Grouphttp://www.4thknowleseascouts.org.uk/762nd Deal Sea Scoutshttp://2nddealseascouts.org/771st Cleethorpes Sea Scouts7830th Norwich Sea Scouts791st Cogenhoe Sea Scouts801st Park Gate Sea Scouts81Dartford Cambria Sea Scoutshttp://www.CambriaSeaScouts.org/825th Gosport Sea Scoutshttp://www.5thgosportseascouts.org.uk/831st Reading Sea Scouts843rd Poole Sea Scoutshttps://www.3rdpoole.org.uk/8517th Sutton Coldfield Sea Scouts8633rd Lancaster Sea Scouts871st Barry Sea Scouts881st Warsash Sea Scout Group899th Itchen Sea Scoutshttps://www.9thitchenseascouts.org/9029th Glasgow Sea Scoutshttp://www.29thglasgow.org.uk/new916th Newark Sea Scouts922nd Fareham Sea Scoutshttp://2ndfareham.org/935th Woodbridge Sea Scouts9415th Long Eaton Sea Scouts951st Cuddington Sea Scoutshttp://www.warspite.org.uk/964th Canvey Island Sea Scoutshttp://www.4ci.org.uk/about/rn-recognition/ 976th Barry Sea Scoutshttps://www.cardiffandvalescouts.org.uk/6th-barry-sea-scouts/981st Standlake & Cokethorpehttp://group.rn98.co.uk/994th New Forest North Sea Scoutshttp://www.elingseascouts.org.uk/1006th Falmouth Sea Scoutshttp://www.6thfalmouth.org.uk/1015th Gibraltar Sea Scoutshttp://gibseascouts.terapad.com/10233rd Oxford (Kidlington) Sea Scoutshttp://www.kidlingtonseascouts.org.uk/1031st Hampton Hill Sea Scouts (Achilles)http://www.hamptonseascouts.org/104Hydra ESSU10531st Itchen (Amazon)https://amazonseascouts.org.uk/
See also
Sea Scouts (The Scout Association) Sea Scouts Scouts Royal Navy
References
External links RN Sea Scouts