Meoncross School student named as first ever Sea Lord Scout

A student from Meoncross School, located in Fareham and part of Blenheim Schools, has been named as the Sea Scouts' first ever Sea Lord Scout. Senior student Henry is making the most of the exciting opportunities that come with the prestigious position.

The First Sea Lord is a prestigious position within the Royal Navy (RN) and refers to the professional head of the naval service. The position was extended to the Sea Scouts following their official affiliation with the RN. Therefore, the Sea Lord Scout position has been created for the first time in the Sea Scouts’ 106-year history, and Henry is the first to take up the inaugural role.

As an avid water enthusiast, Henry originally joined Hamble RN Sea Scouts at age six and has been part of the organisation for nearly a decade. He joined the Sea Scouts because of the variety of activities and opportunities on offer and has excelled during his time as a member. Henry has become a governing body instructor in multiple water sports, attended several RN camps and met with many past and serving RN military leaders.

These opportunities will expand even further during his time as Sea Lord. Henry has already attended his investiture on board HMS Victory, taken part in media and etiquette training in London and acted as Royal Carpet Guard at the Royal Mountbatten Festival of Music. There are now even more awe-inspiring events which he will be attending, including the Trafalgar Day wreath-laying at St Paul's Cathedral, visiting 10 Downing Street and Flag Officer training aboard a navy ship.

Meoncross School has supported Henry throughout his time in the Sea Scouts and will continue to do so in his new post. During his time at the school, Henry has developed his confidence and leadership abilities and has gained experience supporting younger peers. The school is also based in the coastal village of Stubbington and celebrates a bespoke coastal curriculum. These skills and experiences will support him as he steps into the Sea Lord Scout position and were cited as some of the many reasons why Henry was put forward for the role.

Henry said he is honoured to be bestowed with the role and intends to join the RN as a warfare or meteorological officer upon completing his university studies.

Henry, student at Meoncross School, said: "I'm very excited and extremely honoured to be the first ever Sea Lord Scout. I have always enjoyed being part of the Sea Scouts, so getting to take on this new role has been brilliant. The opportunities I've had so far are ones that very few get to experience at my age, so I'm very grateful and looking forward to what the future holds. I would like to thank my family, school, Sea Scouts and RN for all their support and look forward to getting to experience a little bit of what Navy life has to offer.”

Sarah Ebery, Head of Meoncross School, said: "We are very proud that Henry has been chosen for such a prestigious position in the Sea Scouts. He has always been a hard-working and committed student, and this appointment is testament to that. We always champion our students' interests and talents, and we are delighted to have been able to support Henry’s journey. As a school, we are celebrating his fantastic achievement."