Development Focus England
Wednesday 7th May 2014Neil Keighery, Development Officer for Stoke on Trent shares what he’s been up to over the last few months:
An increase of four new groups in 2013 has allowed more than 100 boys and girls to be introduced to exciting activities and to hear about the love of Jesus. Stoke-on-Trent has really embraced The Boys’ Brigade and has seen the potential of our organisation.
We have set up work in two primary schools, with 1st Fenton (Christ Church Primary) and 1st Penkhull (The Willows Primary) and I would encourage other Battalions to think about using this relatively new model of BB. It involves lots of planning and thinking “out of the box”, but when you consider we have 64 new BB members in those two schools alone, why wouldn’t you do it elsewhere?”
Groups have also been opened in two churches, with 1st Fegg Hayes at Fegg Hayes Methodist Church and also the 1st Burslem at St John’s Community Church where its Anchor Section meets on a Saturday morning.
With further groups in the pipeline, including another primary school group, a Company Section in a Secondary Academy School and an interesting partnership with Stoke City Council to provide activities for young carers in the city, the next half of this year is looking busy. God has opened doors for me all around the City and it’s been a privilege to meet many fabulous people from Stoke-on-Trent.
