First Swindon Sea Scouts

SWINDON Sea Scouts are celebrating after recruiting their first female members in their 37-year history.

Lucy King and Katie Ballard were enrolled at Bowmoor Sailing Club, between Lechlade and Fairford, on Friday night.

The 12-year-olds were invested in front of their troop by reciting the Sea Scout pledge and law.

It’s the first time girls have joined the club which was set up in 1970 despite being permitted to join since the early 1980s.

Katie, who lives in Penhill, decided she wanted to become a scout when older brother Jamie, 17, joined.

She said: “I wanted to go along one night and see what he got up to.

“They said I could join in and jump into the jetty and get wet like everyone else – it sounded fun so I asked my mum if I could come too.”

The Nova Hreod pupil plans to join Jamie at Adventure Scouts when she is 14-years-old.

Mum Ellen said: “It’s nice to see them doing something constructive with their time rather than parked in front of the telly.

“I am at the Scout hut with them too most nights but it’s good fun and something for the family to get involved in.”

And that’s exactly what Kingsdown pupil Lucy did.

Lucy, whose brother and dad are already part of Swindon Sea Scouts, joined up when she thought she was missing out on the fun. She said: “Dad’s a leader so he’ll get to boss me about here and at home too.”

To celebrate her enrolment, her fellow Scouts threw Lucy off the jetty and into the freezing cold water.

Dad Richard King, assistant scout leader, said: “It’s great to all be part of something, my wife isn’t part of it yet but no doubt it won’t be long – she’s our taxi.”

The Sea Scouts were established by Lord Robert Baden-Powell originally as a club designed to giving boys an education in seafaring and seamanship.

Sea Scouts follow the general Scouting programme but add a nautical twist to their programme and activities.

From Swindon Advertiser