A NEW water activity centre was officially opened in Watchet at the weekend for the town’s sea scouts.

The honours were performed by scout group president John Russell, who was the group scout leader for many years before returning to live in Buckinghamshire.

The activity centre was built during the past winter and spring with volunteers helping the main contractor as the building and its secure yard took shape in the Old Mineral yard next to the outer harbour slipway.

The sea scouts had been based in the yard since 2001 and the construction of Watchet Marina, using two old shipping containers and some temporary fencing to secure their equipment, with most of it outside and exposed to the elements.

They took a lease on the old pier toilet block in 2013 and raised funds to build changing rooms which were completed and opened the same year.

This enabled the group to become a Royal Yachting Association Training Centre which has been registered ever since, providing RYA courses to Watchet members and visiting groups of scouts and scout leaders from across the UK.

However, over time, the space for changing and for storage of the group’s increasing fleet of boats to match the numbers of young people joining up began to restrict the time afloat.

There was also increasing demand on leaders to collect extra equipment from out of town and to stagger start and finish times to allow young people and adults to change.

Following a visit in September, 2023, to Lilliput Sea Scouts, in Poole Harbour, the Watchet group saw a new boat shed which gave members an idea of what they could undertake.

Scout group chairman Chris Mitchell then took on the challenge of using his architectural skills to plan a building which could provide indoor storage for the equipment and boats and increased changing facilities for both young people and adults.

The group sought funding from a variety of sources, including ‘section 106’ money which Somerset Council receives from housebuilders, the Hinkley Point C community fund, Somerset Community Foundation, and local support from Watchet Harbour Community Bookshop and individual people in the community.

Scouts have been in Watchet since the creation of the scouting movement in 1907, with the 1st Watchet Sea Scout Group formed in the 1920s from a land troop.

During the activity centre opening, Explorer Scout Leader Simon Greenway was presented with his scout wood beads, which are awarded to leaders on completion of their leadership training.

The new centre will enable the sea scouts to continue meeting all the requirements for recognition by the RYA, and, as a Royal Navy recognised sea scout group, to safeguard their water activities into the future.

The 1st Watchet Sea Scout Group is currently looking for more volunteer leaders to help with its beaver scouts aged six to eight years and cub scout section for up to 10.5 years.

Anybody who is interested in joining the successful sea scout group should email to [email protected]or [email protected].