Passing on the Baton

Friday 18th November 2016

Did you watch the coverage of the Olympics from Rio? It was an enthralling spectacle and it was great to see so many young athletes in the GB team doing so well. There were a couple of BB ex-members in the team and I was delighted to be able to pass on our best wishes and congratulations to Andy Butchart who came 6th in the 10,000 metres. Andy was a member in the 25^th Stirling, ran competitively in the BB and was the Scottish Cross Country Champion on a number of occasions. The day before he left for Rio he spent some time at Carronvale with the KGVI course.

Perhaps you have a favourite event at the Olympics. I always enjoy the 4 x 100 m relays.  It is a real mixture of personal skill, stamina and teamwork; you are always on edge in case someone fails to pass on the baton correctly.  I believe that in the BB we too have excelled in passing on the “baton” over the years.  For over 130 years, generations of BB leaders have supported and encouraged the next group of young leaders.  Many Companies have their own little traditions that have been passed down and these elements help to create the esprit de corps that makes the Brigade so special.

Over the summer, I was privileged to be able to visit all our KGVI courses and was able to spend some time with some new leaders.  Their enthusiasm, commitment and passion for the Brigade shone through and I am sure the Brigade will be in safe hands in future years.  It was good to see how the staff team acting as mentors were able to so willingly pass on the skills and ideas that they had learnt over time.   We may not have a physical baton to pass on, but the fact that we have so many committed leaders willing to devote so much time to sharing their faith is something that we must always give thanks for.   Obviously KGVI is not the only route to train new leaders and I know how much benefit is passed on through YLT training too.  Just as training is so important for our athletes, it is also crucial to our plans to develop the Brigade.

By the time this reaches you the new session will already be well underway.  There are exciting plans to grow the Brigade; we have new enthusiastic office-bearers and some new trustees.  I know just how committed they also are to growing the Brigade and they will be doing everything possible to support the work of Companies and Battalions.

I do hope all your plans for the session bear fruit – never forget that you are doing the Lord’s work.

Bill Stevenson 

Brigade Secretary & CEO

You can hear an interview with Andrew Butchart at http://bit.ly/2cTaRdu.