About us

Each week over 100 young people take part in Scouting activities with us.

We offer an exciting and varied programme for boys and girls from ages 6 to 18, and we’re proud to be one of only 105 groups that are members of the Royal Naval Recognition of Sea Scouts scheme.

Our Scout group is based in north Abingdon about 5 miles south of Oxford, and we are very lucky to have our own Boat Base at Binsey, just outside Oxford. It looks out over the river Thames on to Port Meadow, and is a fantastic asset to our group. Our Sea Scout troop meet there regularly, particularly during the summer months when they are there most weeks, and our Beavers and Cubs get the opportunity to try their hand at boating as well.

We help young people develop and improve key life skills. Character skills like resilience, initiative, independence and tenacity. Employability skills like leadership, teamwork and problem solving. And Practical skills like cooking, first aid and coding.

We believe that skills for life can prepare better futures…

For young people – by giving them the character, employability and practical skills they need to succeed

For volunteers – by equipping them with better skills, tools and support to deliver inspiring programmes

For society – by bringing people together and improving the lives of those in our communities

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Royal Navy Recognition

There are around 350 Sea Scout groups in the UK, and we are very proud to be one of only 105 Scout groups that are members of the Royal Naval Recognition scheme.

The Royal Navy Recognition Scheme reviews members every two years to assess whether they have maintained standards and are worthy of retaining their recognition – and we are extremely proud that we have maintained our recognition ever since joining in 2000!

Being a part of the RN Recognition Scheme offers a number of benefits, including giving our Sea Scouts access to MOD cadet facilities such as HMS Bristol and the Royal Navy Sailing Centre in Portsmouth. It also offers additional funding opportunities and grants, which help stock and maintain our excellent collection of water craft and safety equipment at our Boat Base at Binsey.

There are at least four major annual events exclusively for RN Sea Scouts: a swimming gala held early in the year; a summer camp for Sea Scouts in the summer half term; a soccer sixes weekend early in the autumn term; and an Explorer camp in the autumn half term.

Achieving and maintaining Royal Navy Recognition requires dedication and lots of hard work from our leaders, parents and youth members. We are proud to be associated with the Royal navy and grateful for the opportunities they afford our young people.

History

Nearly 100 years of scouting in Abingdon

The 2nd Abingdon Scout Group was founded in 1922 by Miss Challenor at premises in Ock Street, Abingdon and was known as 2nd North Berks. During the late 1940′s the Group moved to premises in Sellwood Road, after the hut in Ock Street was burned down. And then in about 1964, the Group moved to its present location during the development of the area giving the Group its own HQ with a grassed area at the back suitable for camps and other outdoor activities.

The 1st Abingdon Sea Scout Group started in 1986, though by mid-1990 they had lost both their leadership team and meeting hut. They moved to 2nd Abingdon as a patrol, but the survival instinct was strong and by 1993 there were two full patrols of Sea Scouts, along with the Land Scout patrols. And, through dint of perseverance, by 1999 the troop had morphed into a fully-fledged Sea Scout Troop. In 2000, now with a troop of 5 patrols, it successfully applied to join the Royal Naval Recognition Scheme which it has maintained ever since. It was allocated the RN no 28.

Meanwhile, the 40th Oxford (Kennington) Sea Scouts had given up using their boat base at Binsey and 2nd Abingdon Sea Scouts took it over. The Boat Base had formerly belonged to 42nd Oxford (SS Philip & James) Sea Scouts. In 1977 they had gained RN Recognition, and as was the practice then, they were given the name TS Scimitar.