Beeston Sea Scouts Retain National Title and Prove a Point About What Scouting Can Do
2nd Beeston Sea Scouts have won the Otter Shield at the Royal Navy National Swimming Gala for the second consecutive year. Behind the result is a story about what happens when young people are given real challenges, consistent support, and the chance to grow.
On 21–22 February 2026, Scouts and Explorers from 2nd Beeston Sea Scouts competed at HMS Raleigh, Plymouth, in the Royal Navy Recognised Sea Scouts National Swimming Gala. They returned to Nottingham with the Otter Shield, awarded annually to the best-performing Sea Scout group in the country, for the second year in succession.
Last year's win, the group's first in 97 years, was celebrated as a historic moment. This year's defence, with four teams competing against squads that have dominated the event for decades, makes it something more significant: evidence that a deliberate approach to developing young people produces results that last.


