As a Sea Scout Group based in Hedge End, Southampton, the 31st Itchen North Amazon Sea Scout Group brings experience to local young people from 6 to 18. We are based at the Norman Rodaway Pavilion in Heath House Lane where we meet weekly for our troop meetings. Owning sailing boats, powerboats, pulling boats, canoes and kayaks at Mercury Yacht Harbour allows us to take both our young people and adult volunteers on the water during the summer season. Our Group welcomes new members whether you are a young person or an adult. Beavers start at six to eight years old, Cubs from eight to ten and a half, Sea Scouts from ten and a half to fourteen and Explorers up to eighteen.

 

How we began

In 1975 our Cub Pack was formed to serve a new housing development in the southern part of Hedge End. The City of Southampton is split into three Scout Districts – Southampton City, Itchen North and Itchen South. For Scouting purposes, Hedge End comes within the Itchen North District and the new Scout Group was allocated the numerical identification of the 31st. In the early years, the Group decided it should be known as the 31st Itchen North (Kings Copse) Scout Group. The ‘Kings Copse’ addition to its name was chosen because the Cub Pack met in Kings Copse Primary School, a new school built to serve the housing development in the southern part of Hedge End. 

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The Scout Troop

In October 1977 the 31st started a Scout Troop to take its Cubs who were reaching 11 years of age, as well as other boys in the area who wanted to join as Scouts. The Troop was established as a Sea Scout Troop because the person who took on the role of Scout Leader was keen on water-based activities. Since Kings Copse Primary School was unable to accommodate both the Cub Pack and Scout Troop for its weekly meetings, the Troop met in another school close by – Freegrounds Primary School. 

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HMS Amazon

The new Scout Leader worked at Vosper Thorny Croft in Southampton where numerous warships were built, including the Amazon Class Type 21 Frigates for the Royal Navy. Soon after the Scout Troop was established, the Scout Leader arranged for the 31st Scout Group to be one of the youth groups affiliated to the first of the Type 21 Frigates commissioned – HMS Amazon. As a result of this affiliation the Group received regular newsletters from the ship, went on board when she made courtesy visits to various ports in southern England and welcomed the Captain and two of his officers to one of its Troop meetings. 

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Change of group name

In the early 1980s, it was decided that the Group should change its name to the 31st Itchen North (Amazon) Sea Scout Group. This was felt to be more appropriate as it recognised our valued links with HMS Amazon and the particular training and ceremonial activities that take place within a Sea Scout Group. Also, the Cub Pack and Scout Troop held their meetings in different locations. In addition to the change of name, a badge showing the outline of HMS Amazon was added to the Group’s traditional Scout necker. 

HMS Amazon was decommissioned in 1993 and sold to Pakistan. She underwent a refit and was renamed Babur. The ship was still known to be operating in 2011. As the Type 21 HMS Amazon was the ninth Royal Navy ship to bear the Amazon name, it is hoped that sometime in the future a new HMS Amazon will be commissioned and the Group can once again be affiliated with a ship on active service. 

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The Venture Unit

By 1985 the number of Scouts staying on in the Troop to their sixteenth birthday was sufficiently large to warrant the establishment of a Venture Unit to cater for Scouts between the ages of 16 and 19. In January 1986 the Amazon Venture Unit was set up with 11 members. The name of this senior section later changed from Ventures to Explorers and the age of transfer from 16 to 14 1/2. The Group established an Explorer Unit in 2010.​