Where it all started…
4th Heswall (St. Peter’s) Sea Scout Group was established in 1971 by members of the St. Peter’s Church parish in Lower Heswall, Wirral, England, we are a member of the West Wirral District Scouts as part of Merseyside County Scouts.
St. Peter’s Church and the Diocese of Chester continue to support and assist 4th Heswall, as members of the St. Peter’s young persons uniformed group we are proud of our association with the Church.
If you are a former member, leader or associate of 4th Heswall Sea Scouts please get in touch, we have an active Facebook group you can join, it is administrated by former members and leaders who help with our history and continue to support the group to this day.
Notable Events and Achievements 1968 to date…
2024 Harding Troop win the inaugural Inter Troop 10 Pin Bowling Competition and the West Wirral District Scout Quiz. After a 7 year absence we won the U12s National Swimming Championships in the RN Sea Scout Gala at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall.
2023 Members from all sections starred in an IMechE video promoting STEM for the next generation. We took part in Operation Moonlight and came second on our first attempt. On Wednesday 1 March we started our newest section addition, Squirrel Scouts, for 4 to 6 year old boys and girls. After 27 years service we retired old smokey with a shiny new Suzuki outboard engine for our Tornado safety boat. Scouts won the Cheshire Hike Borders Trophy in the Senior and Explorer categories. Beacons and Dales Beavers won The Reg Cook Trophy for District Lodge of the Year 2023. At the Beavan Challenge in October we defended our titles and won the Junior and Explorer Trophies for a successive year.
On Thursday 12 October we had the first meeting of the all new Harding Troop at the newly built £2.3m Lighthouse Church in Heswall.
2022 We started the year with the full launch of our additional, all new Beavers, The Beacons Colony. We took part in an emergency donation drive for the refugees of the Ukraine crisis. In March the Scout troop travelled by train to Dragonboating in Southport. 
In April our Junior, and Young Leader teams won their District Trophies at the Cheshire Hike 2022, and we started developing our second Cub Pack. 5th May our second Cubs, Riverbank Pack officially started using 3rd Heswall’s HQ. At the District AGM the Sea Scout Troop were awarded the Blackwood Award for best troop in the district and later in the month won the junior trophy at the orienteering competition in Royden Park. 
At the Merseyside County Scouts AGM & Awards evening, Martin James and Melanie George received the Award for Merit medal, and Andy Everett received the Chief Scout’s Commendation for Good Service.
Beavan Challenge 2022 4th Heswall Teams
Twenty members took part in the Beavan Challenge at Tawd Vale Adventure Centre, we ended the weekend with a 1st and 2nd place in the Junior competition and our Young Leaders took the Explorer Trophy.
2021 We celebrate 50 years of the 4th Heswall Sea Scout Group with a commemorative badge for our 50th year, together with other special events and adventures for all our sections. A landmark moment for 4th Heswall as Mo Barker, our Group Scout Leader, develops and soft launches a second Beaver Colony in November, 35 years after our original colony formed. We also won the President’s Prize for best group in West Wirral District for the second year running.
2020 We placed 1st and 2nd at the West Wirral District Scout Quiz. We won the President’s Prize, presented by Andrew Cain for best district group, at the very first online West Wirral District AGM on the 17th June.
President’s Prize Winners 2020
We also hosted the first ever online district quiz with over 100 participants taking part.
2019 We celebrated RN100, 100 years of Royal Navy Recognition for UK Sea Scouts and replaced our fleet of Pico sailboats with locally manufactured Fusion Sailboats. Winners of the West Wirral David Blackwood Trophy. Scouts won the Combined Trophy at the District Orienteering Challenge in Royden Park. We had our Group Camp at Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston, our Sea Scout Summer Camp was on the shores of Windermere. In monsoon conditions we achieved 3rd place in both junior and senior categories at the Beavan Challenge, now known forever more as ‘The Muddy One’.
2018 Many of our members went on the international District camp to Belgium, where they marked the 100th anniversary of the WWI Armistice. The Scouts won the West Wirral Senior Trophy of the Cheshire Hike. Our junior Scout team placed 3rd at the Beavan Challenge held in the autumn at Tawd Vale, see the adventure 4th Heswall at the Beavan.
2017 Scouts won the Junior Trophy and 1st Place Troop at the West Wirral District Scout Orienteering Competition and the Cubs won the District Swimming Gala. Scouts also won the West Wirral Senior and Intermediate Trophy of the Cheshire Hike. Summer Camp was on the shores of Windermere.
2016 The Scouts won the West Wirral Junior Trophy of the Cheshire Hike.
2015 We won the RN Recognised National Sea Scout Swimming Gala at HMS Raleigh in Plymouth.
2014 Through fundraising, grants and a significant donation we purchased our RS Feva fleet of sailboats.
2013 We took part in the River Wye Paddle Cruise and marked the anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic with a trip to Liverpool.
National Scouts Regatta at Draycote Water 2012
2012 Several class wins at the National Scouts Regatta at Draycote Water Sailing Club. We came first in the Merseyside County Scout Football Tournament.
2011 We won the U12s & U14s RN Recognised National Sea Scout Swimming Gala at HMS Raleigh in Plymouth.
Alex Colquitt and Stuart Went win the U13 category at the Scout National Sailing Regatta in South Shields.
2010 We replaced our small safety boat with an 3.4 metre Avon RIB.
2009 We added another two Pico Sailboats to our sailing fleet.
2007 Following extensive fundraising we replaced some of our sailing fleet with new Pico sailboats.
1997 1st & 2nd Place in the Geoffrey Beavan Team Challenge.
1996 We launched our Tornado rescue boat which had been restored from an insurance write off the previous year, and we won the Geoffrey Beavan Team Challenge.
1995 The Cubs and Scouts won their District Swimming Gala.
1994 Summer Camp was held at Royal Naval College Britannia, Norton Field and 1st place for the Cubs & Scouts in the District Swimming Gala.
1992 We celebrated 21 years of 4th Heswall Sea Scout Group with an event at Gayton Primary School, we produced a badge, brass bell and plaque to commemorate the year.
21st Anniversary Ship’s Bell
1991 Cubs won the District Super Cub 91′ Football challenge and first place at the swimming gala, Scouts won overall at the Cheshire Hike.
1990 The Scouts and Ventures placed first at the Geoffrey Beavan Team Event.
1989 The Ventures won the District Swimming Gala and the Geoffrey Beavan Team Event. The Scouts won the West Wirral Intermediate Trophy of the Cheshire Hike.
1988 First place for Cubs, Scouts and Ventures at the District Swimming Gala. the Scouts and Ventures won the Geoffrey Beavan Team Challenge too. The Scouts won the Tom Temple Camping Competition and the Wirral Trophy of the Cheshire Hike intermediates.
1987 Cubs won the District Football League. Scouts and Ventures won the District 5-a-Side competition. Scouts came 1st & 2nd in the Geoffrey Beavan Team Event and first at the District Swimming Gala and the Royal Navy 5-a-Side in Plymouth.
1986 The Scouts won the District Swimming Gala and the Geoffrey Beavan Team Event.
The original 4th Heswall Beaver colony at Anfield, 1986
1985 April 26th, we started our Beaver Colony for 6 to 8 year old children. Scouts and Ventures won the District Swimming Gala.
1984 We sail cheese clogs at the Liverpool Festival. Scouts and Ventures won the District Swimming Gala.
1983 We officially became affiliated with St. Peter’s Parish Church, Lower Heswall. Ventures won the District 5-a-side and the Heswall Community Bed Race. Scouts and Ventures won the District Swimming Gala. The County Gala was won by a predominantly 4th Heswall team.
1982 Scouts won the Beavan Challenge, Ventures won the Heswall Community Bed Race. Scouts and Ventures won the District Swimming Gala. The County Gala was won by a predominantly 4th Heswall team.
1981 Scouts and Ventures won the District Swimming Gala. The County Gala was won by a predominantly 4th Heswall team.
1980 Scouts won the District Swimming Gala, Football League and the Wirral Hike.
1979 We achieved Royal Navy Recognition and became Sea Scout Group RN44, one of only 106 Royal Navy Recognised Sea Scout Groups in the World. The Scouts won the District and County Swimming Galas, first place in the Wirral Hike and a 4th Heswall Scout won the North of England Canoe Club Time Trial. First place in the West Wirral Senior and Intermediate sections of the Cheshire Hike. Don’t mention the Beavan.
1978 The first 4th Heswall Scout to achieve the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award was invited to Buckingham Palace to receive it. Cheshire Hike, 2nd overall and won the West Wirral Seniors. 1st and 2nd at the Wirral Hike. Winners of the Tom Temple Camping Competition. 1st and 2nd for Scouts at the Beavan Challenge, Ventures also placed first. Chester Raft Race winners. The Cubs won the District Cup in football and the District Sports event.
1977 We did the treble at the District Swimming Gala, first place for the Cubs, Scouts and Ventures. The Scouts retained the West Wirral Senior Trophy of the Cheshire Hike and we won all the section trophies at the inaugural Geoffrey Beavan Challenge. First place at the Calderstones Park Canoe Slalom. The group applied for Royal Navy Recognition.
1976 First place in the West Wirral seniors at the Cheshire Hike. The Scouts won the West Wirral Senior Trophy of the Cheshire Hike. Cubs won the District Treasure Hunt.
1975 We formed the Warrior Venture Scout group. We became part of Merseyside County Scouts having been part of West Cheshire previously. First place in the last Hoylake Canoeing Regatta. Cubs won the District Sports event and the Handicraft competition.
1974 First place in the Hoylake Canoeing Regatta. Winners of the West Wirral Intermediate Cheshire Hike Trophy.
1973 First place in the Hoylake Canoeing Regatta. Cubs won the District Sixers Shield.
1972 The first ‘Super Jumble’ sale enabled the group to purchase equipment for the first summer camp which was on the Norfolk Broads.
1971 July 22nd, and the approval of 4th Heswall Scout Group, founded by Roger Harding and a small dedicated group of adults, was granted with group number 40203.
1968 Members of St. Peter’s parish formed a cub pack led by Sue Caroe in the parish hall but under the umbrella of the 1st Heswall Scout Group.
If you are or know any of our previous members or volunteers detailed in the table below please get in touch.
We have a biannual inspection from the Lieutenant Commander of the Royal Navy Sea Scouts. During the inspection the LC comes to see us ‘in action’ to make sure that we are maintaining the required standard and our records are inspected to ensure we keep a ‘tight ship’…
…but the thing we like doing the most is ‘messing about on the water’.
