October 2023 will see The Boys’ Brigade celebrate its 140th anniversary. From one group founded in Glasgow in 1883, the BB has since spread across the country and around the world, positively impacting the lives of millions of people and helping children and young people to live ‘Life to the Full’.
During Autumn 2023 we will be celebrating that 140 year history with a number of events and activities for children and young people to get involved with.
Find out more about those and events & activities and how you can get involved below.
140 Monopoly Challenge
On the weekend leading up to our 140th birthday celebrations we will be running a Monopoly Challenge event in multiple locations across England and Scotland. Based on the Monopoly Board teams of 3-6 persons will take on the challenge of visiting as many properties as possible in your chosen city.
The event is for the Company and Seniors age groups and will take place on Saturday 30th September 2023 in the cities of Aberdeen, Glasgow, London and Manchester. We hope that with a range of locations to choose from as many Companies as possible across the Brigade will be able to get involved.
Click HERE to enter a team.
The Challenge
To visit as many properties on the standard Monopoly Board for the city as possible in 5 hours (11am to 4pm). As teams visit a property, they will be asked to take a team selfie at the specified location and ‘check in’ to the property by uploading their picture via an online form. This means that we can keep track of progress and scores as the event progresses. Teams will also get bonus points for being the first team to check in at a property.
For each property on the board a specific location will be given on the day. An example would be on the London Monopoly Board, for ‘Whitehall’ the clue for the location would be ‘An appointment with the Prime Minister’, which would be a photo on Whitehall outside gates to Downing Street (Prime Minister’s residence).
In addition to the standard properties on the board, there will also be additional challenges based on the Monopoly board spaces of ‘Free Parking’, ‘Go to Jail’, ‘Income Tax’, ‘Water Works’, etc.
Teams
Teams must be a minimum 3 persons, with maximum 6. Teams can consist of young people in the Company and Senior age groups.
Any teams with Company members only should have a leader to accompany them. Leaders are included in maximum team numbers. Teams consisting of Seniors are allowed to go without a leader, based on risk assessment being carried out at a Company level.
Teams must stay together at all times. All teams will be provided with some practical guidance to help keep everyone safe and leaders will be provided with a risk assessment in advance of the event. An emergency contact number and central meeting point will also be provided, where support will be available from the organising staff team.
Company leaders will be responsible for all young people participating and even where they are not accompanying teams, they should make plans to check in with the teams during the event. Further guidance on this will be included in the risk assessment.
The cost to enter a team is £15, however this is discounted to £10 if the booking is made before 31st August 2023. The booking deadline for entering teams will be 16th September 2023.
Meeting Location
In each city there will be a central meeting location where all teams will start from at 11am. Teams will be expected to arrive by 10.45am for a briefing before setting off. The meeting location will be notified at least 2 weeks before the event, but as above it will be a central location within the playing area for the city you are in.
Modes of Transport
This will depend on the city, but acceptable modes of public transport (as applicable) including bus, train, tram, subway/underground and also walking. Teams are NOT allowed to use bikes, e-scooters, cars (including taxis/Ubers/etc). Teams will be responsible for purchasing their own tickets for relevant modes of transport, guidance on this will be provided to teams on a city by city basis. Expected cost for tickets approx £10 per person.
Finish Location
All teams will be expected to be at the finish location by 4pm. At the finish there will be access to toilets and light refreshments for all participants. The results will be announced shortly after with prize giving for the top 3 teams and all participants will receive their 140 Monopoly Challenge Badge.
Organisers
The event is being organised by the Brigade with a team of volunteers managing each location. This team will be available at the start, finish and at a fixed location during the event. The team will be able to answer any specific questions you may have leading up to or during the event including dealing with any emergency situations. Full details on how to contact the team will be provided to participating Companies 2 weeks prior to the event. Prior to this HQ Programme Team will deal with any enquiries by email at programme@boys-brigade.org.uk
Final Details for Participating Teams
Full details will be issued to participating teams prior to the event to enable final preparations to be made. Click HERE to enter a team.
Running your Own Monopoly Challenge
Can’t make it to our of our four event locations? Could you complete the Monopoly challenge in your local area instead?
Groups are welcome to come up with their own Monopoly challenge, as part of our 140th Celebrations. To help guide you in putting this activity together, we’ve produced an Activity Card, with instructions and tips that you can use.
Those who take part in their own local Monopoly challenge between Saturday 30th September & Sunday 8th October (weekends either side of our 140th), will still be eligible to apply for the badge linked to this event. To apply for a badge you will be required to send in photographic evidence of participation in the challenge and will be able to apply for the number of badges based on those in the photo. There will be a charge of £1.50 per badge.
Apply for your badges HERE (Those taking part in the events in Aberdeen, Manchester, Glasgow & London will receive their badge at the event – you do not need to apply for yours)
Juniors 140 Sleepover
We’re inviting Juniors across the country to hold a sleepover on the evening of Saturday 7th October 2023. We’ve designed a special interactive programme for the sleepover which will help to connect your event up with the rest of the country as we come together for this special event.
Head to our dedicated Juniors 140 Sleepover page to find more information, picture & updates. Click HERE
Programme & Activity Pack
Those groups who sign up to hold a sleepover will receive an Activity Pack for the event, to support you in putting on a sleepover to remember! This will include a printed programme of activities that will allow you to interact and compete with the hundreds of other Juniors taking on the same challenges. Results and photos can then be shared with us throughout the night, allowing us to have a live leader board & photo gallery that you can check in with and feature on.
Download a copy of the Juniors 140 Sleepover Programme HERE . Please note that the quiz can be downloaded from the Programme Hub.
Check out our UK Sleepover map & photo galleries, leaderboards & live updates on our dedicated ‘Juniors 140 Sleepover’ page HERE
Online Gathering
During the evening our interactive programme will also include an opportunity to dial in to a huge online gathering of the sleepovers, where we will check in with some of the groups, announce competition results, take part in some challenges and hear a message from Christian magician Paul Brown.
The online gathering will take place on Saturday 7th October at 7:30pm via Zoom and should last 30 minutes.
How to Organise?
140th Junior sleepovers could be organised by individual Companies, or you may wish to come together as a few local Junior groups to help create a bigger and more memorable occasion. Battalions could also look to organise the Juniors 140 Sleepover as a Battalion event.
We’ve created a programme of activities for you to choose from for your sleepover. These activities
feature all six of our Activity Areas and help provide a varied programme for your Juniors. The
programme has been created for leaders to ‘pick & mix’ the activities to create their own programme,
depending on the time, space and numbers for your sleepover.
Within the programme booklet we have designed two suggested timetables to help guide planning, one starting at 3pm and the other starting at 5pm. There are no set start and finish times for the event, this is for each sleepover to decide for themselves.
Risk Assessment: We’ve produced a template risk assessment which can be used for the Sleepover. Please note this is a template and should be used to help produce your own risk assessment, based on the requirements of your venue / children / activities etc. Download a copy here : Word / PDF
Juniors 140 Sleepover Badge
By participating, groups will then be able to apply to receive the Juniors 140 Sleepover Badge to help children remember coming together for this unique event. The only way to receive the badge is by participating in the event.
The badge will be available to order immediately after the sleepover weekend. To apply for your badges you’ll need to complete our online form HERE, including providing a group photo taken at the sleepover (you can only apply for the number of badges based on those in the photo). There will be a charge of £1.50 per badge.
Sign up
If you are looking to put on a Juniors 140 Sleepover for your group/Battalion then please complete our online sign up form HERE.
By signing up, before Wednesday 27th September, you will automatically be sent a printed programme and Juniors 140 Sleepover activity pack, containing lots of the resources you’ll need to complete the activities. Sign ups after this date may not receive a pack.
Anchors 140 Challenge
Anchors can get involved with our 140th celebrations by taking part in our ‘140 Challenge’.
During October 2023, we will be tasking Anchors to create the number ‘140’ in the most creative and impressive way possible. This could be using Papier-mâché, recycling items, Lego bricks, arts & crafts materials, food items etc. The more creative and unique the better!
Download our ‘140 Challenge’ Activity Card for more instructions and guidance.
Competition & Prizes
We will be running two competitions for this challenge, one for individual entries and the other for group entries. The winners of each category will receive a £50 voucher.
To enter the competition please complete our online entry form HERE. If you wish to enter the competition but not apply for badges, please email your entry to programme@boys-brigade.org.uk. Entries must be received by Tuesday 31st October 2023. Winners will be announced shortly after.
Anchors 140 Challenge Badge
All children that enter will be eligible to apply for our Anchors 140 Celebration Badge in recognition of their entry. Badges can only be awarded based on entry of the challenge.
To apply for a badge you will be required to send in photographic evidence of participation in the challenge and will be able to apply for the number of badges based on those in the photo. There will be a charge of £1.50 per badge.
Apply for your badges HERE (Please note, these badges will be dispatched towards the end of October).
140 ‘Get Learning’ Activity Cards
To help groups to celebrate our 140th anniversary, we have produced four Activity Cards that leaders can pick up and use with their children and young people.
All four cards feature in the ‘Get Learning’ Activity Area of our Autumn 2023 programme, one for each of our age groups.
The activities have been designed to help groups to explore The Boys’ Brigade 140 year history in a variety of fun and interactive ways.
Throughout Autumn 2023 we’re encouraging group to share photo and updates on social media of your children and young people taking part in these activities by using #BB140
The ‘Get Learning’ activity cards the have been produced are:
Activity Sheet
In addition to these resources, we’ve also produced a ‘140 Years’ Activity Sheet, aimed at Anchors & Juniors, that groups could use as an arrival activity or ‘5 minute filler’ activity during a meeting night.
140 Thanksgiving & Prayers – Wednesday 4th October
Wednesday 4th October 7:30pm – 8:30pm (on Zoom)
As we celebrate this significant milestone in the BB’s history, we are offering BB Leaders an opportunity to come together on the day that marks our 140th anniversary, to give thanks to God for his faithfulness and pray for the work that we are continuing to do to share the Good News of Jesus with children and young people.
Hosted by our Ministry Team, this will be a significant moment to pause and reflect on all that God has done and to look forward with expectation to all that He will do in the years ahead. Please join us if you can.
To sign up to attend our Thanksgiving & Prayers, click here.
Should you have any question about our ‘140’ events and activities please contact us at programme@boys-brigade.org.uk
You can also download our ‘Celebrating 140 Years’ Logo (transparent PNG format) and 140 Social Media Profile Image (BB version / BB/GA version).
For more information about our history and to find pictures, videos and resources that can support you in celebrating our 140 years, please head to our History page or visit the Archive Trust’s Virtual Museum.