We love being able to share ideas with you along with you sharing with each other, which is why we have a BB Leaders Group on Facebook. This is a place where you can share your news, ideas, resources and opportunities with each other, and includes regular contributions from BB Headquarters.

If you want to become a member scan the QR code at the bottom of this article or find us at The Boys’ Brigade Leaders and answer a few questions to have your membership approved. Below are a few tips and tricks to help you get the most out of our Leaders Group.

• Check if post notifications are on: If you are on mobile/tablet this can be done by clicking the three dots in the top right-hand corner and going to ‘Notifications’. On desktop click the bell icon on the right-hand side (near the group title).
• Before posting a question use the magnifying glass to search the group to see if it has already been answered, this will allow you to get a quicker response.
• Post positively and engage with each other: We all work hard, let’s celebrate our achievements.
• Use hashtags to create topics: For example ‘#BBAdventure’ – these hashtags are used to filter all posts with the hashtag into a topic, making related posts easier to find.
• Share your Company/Battalion/District’s work, so we can share some highlights on our public pages and in the Gazette, recognising your accomplishments.

Please remember that our Leaders Group is open to current BB leaders in the UK & RoI only.

Scan to join our Leaders Group

The Boys’ Brigade has been represented as a national voluntary organisation at the Scottish Youth Parliament since 2017.

This year we will have three candidates running to be our Members of The Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) at the elections taking place in November. Two candidates will be elected to be our BB MSYPs for the next two years.

Our Candidates

CANDIDATE 1 – Christopher Winters

See their full profile here

CANDIDATE 2 – Matthew Hunter

See their full profile here

CANDIDATE 3 – Louis Symington

See their full profile here

Why Vote?

As a youth organisation, we want our members to have their say when it comes to who is representing us at the Scottish Youth Parliament. This is also a great opportunity to allow some of our members their first chance of taking part in an election.

How to vote

Members between the ages of 12-25 (Company, Seniors and young leaders) can vote using the online platform hosted by the Scottish Youth Parliament. More information about voting will be shared during October.

If you would like to take part in voting, please contact us and we can arrange voting numbers for your Company.

When to vote

The election starts at 10am on Monday 8th November and ends at 2pm on Sunday 21st November.

A virtual Husting will be posted on Facebook by the 30th of October- please submit your questions to the Facebook page or email below.

For any queries or questions you can contact jenny.bradley@boys-brigade.org.uk

Further information about the Scottish Youth Parliament can be found at syp.org.uk

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is an international treaty which sets out the rights of every child under the age of 18.

The Boys’ Brigade is committed to upholding children’s rights.  Our vision is for children and young people to live their lives to the full (John 10:10).  As an organisation, we empower children and young people to learn more about their rights and how to use them.

Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously – Article 12

Every child must be free to express their thoughts and opinions and to access all kinds of information, as long as it is within the law – Article 13

Every child has the right to relax, play and take part in a wide range of cultural and artistic activities – Article 31

Find out more about the UNCRC https://www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/un-convention-child-rights/ 

Find out more about Our Vision, Mission and Values.

Access this UNCRC training tool (20 minutes) 20 Minute training tool PDF

The Boys’ Brigade is pleased to announce vacancies for an Executive Assistant and a Communications and Fundraising Officer to join our small, dedicated staff team.

For more information and to download Person Specs and Job Descriptions please visit our Job Vacancies page.

Applications for the Executive Assistant role should be received by 12pm on Monday 2nd August 2021, with interviews being held on Wednesday 11th August 2021.

Applications for the Communications and Fundraising Officer role should be received by 12pm on Monday 26th July 2021, with interviews being held on w/c 9th August 2021.

To apply for either role, please send a covering letter and CV outlining your suitability for the role to john.sharp@boys-brigade.org.uk

The Boys’ Brigade’s monthly programme for May will include activities for young people focusing on the issue of sexual harassment and how we can all play a role in sending the message that “It’s Not OK”.

Four activities for members of the BB’s Company Section and Seniors (11 – 18 year olds) have been developed to help start a conversation, raise awareness and encourage young people to think about ways they can be part of the solution and not the problem.

The activities focus on harassment, particularly sexual harassment which can include the kind of ‘everyday’ acts which some may view as harmless, but which contribute to an environment where girls and women feel harassed and intimidated. Whilst it’s true that not all boys and men carry out these acts, it is however the responsibility of everyone to know the signs of harassment and do their best to call it out and disrupt it where they can.

Some groups have already been using the activities as they return to face-to-face activities.

“It was interesting as I learnt new things that I had never really thought of and i would be more comfortable pulling my mate up about it now in the future or thinking twice myself.” – Charlie (15)

“This was needed, some of these things happen every day and we need to learn they are not normal and acceptable. Not all people realise how it can impact.” – Elise (12)

Jonathan Eales, Chief Executive commented:

“We believe it’s very important to create a space to openly discuss these kinds of issues and how we can and should respond. It’s also important for us that our values as a Christian youth organisation are practically explored, including how we should care for each other and treat everyone respectfully.”

Since September last year the BB has been producing a flexible monthly programme of resources, which can be used by BB groups in either face-to-face or virtual sessions. As with all of the BB’s monthly programme materials and #BBatHOME resources produced since March 2020, the new ‘It’s Not OK’ activities can be freely accessed via our Programme Hub at boys-brigade.org.uk/programme

HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
(10th June 1921 – 9th April 2021)

For over half a century, the Duke of Edinburgh was at the forefront of youth social action, volunteering, and non-formal education for young people. He held a passion for the lives and opportunities available to young people and worked tirelessly to make a lasting difference. His support – and genuine interest in the stories he heard – won him a place in the hearts of many people.

Each year more than 1,000 young people in The Boys’ Brigade are involved with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award through their local group in a programme of practical, cultural, and adventurous activities. The programme is designed to support the personal and social development of young people and is a great legacy left by the Duke.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s involvement with The Boys’ Brigade began in 1955. Following the success of an ‘Adventurous Training’ course for Seniors in August 1955, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was taken up with great enthusiasm, and the first awards were presented to our members by the Duke on a visit to Scotland in 1958. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award changed the course and structure of awards in the Brigade and the Duke will be remembered for the influence he had on our work from the 1950s onwards.

The Duke took an active interest in the stories of those who had completed the programme and he made an effort to personally present many young people with their awards. When presented, awards were often given with a dose of the Duke’s well-known humour. On a visit to BB members in Lancashire in 1959 when observing them cooking sausages as part of their demonstration of outdoor pursuits, the Duke was asked if he would like to try some.

“No, thanks, I’ve just had lunch with the Lord Mayor at the Town Hall. He might think he didn’t give me enough to eat!”

In 2006 The Boys’ Brigade marked the 50th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. In September 2006, at the Brigade’s Annual General Meeting in Cardiff, a message of greeting from The Boys’ Brigade left en route to Edinburgh where the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award General Council was due to meet on 5th November 2006. Travelling by foot, bicycle, canoe and car, the message was delivered to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre and was handed to the Duke by the presentation party. The message was read out and received loud applause from the large audience. The message underlined the special relationship between The Boys’ Brigade and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Duke of Edinburgh alongside our Patron

At many of the events in the history of The Boys’ Brigade the Duke of Edinburgh was found at the side of Her Majesty The Queen when carrying out duties as the Patron of the organisation. One of the earliest of these prestigious events was the Reception at Balmoral Castle hosted by the Queen and Prince Philip on 6th September 1958. At this event, which marked the 75th anniversary of The Boys’ Brigade, the Royal party inspected a parade of 200 young people and 1200 leaders. The Duke seemed to greatly enjoy the proceedings and was able to provide a personal touch of congratulations to 21 young people who had achieved the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award. Moreover, such was his enthusiasm to speak at length with each young person, he took much longer than the Queen (who was presenting Queen’s Badges) and Her Majesty was made to wait for the Duke to finish.

The Duke’s later life

In his later years, the Duke of Edinburgh continued his association with The Boys’ Brigade and was ever-present alongside the Queen at Garden Parties attended by recipients of the Queen’s Badge, the highest award in the Brigade. Late into his 90s the Duke continued his active support for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and it was a proud moment for those young people who received their certificates in person from the programme’s Founder at venues including St. James’s Palace. The Duke continued to demonstrate a keen interest in the work of The Boys’ Brigade and would spend considerable time speaking to award holders at presentation ceremonies.

In 2017 the Duke stepped back from public life, with one of his final interactions with members of The Boys’ Brigade taking place on 16th May 2016 where eight members from Northern Ireland were presented with their Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Awards at a special presentation at Buckingham Palace.

Legacy of The Duke of Edinburgh

The Duke of Edinburgh will be remembered by The Boys’ Brigade as a pioneer in youth work through the award which bore his name but also for the personal interest and humour he shared with the young people he met during special Royal events. He will forever hold an important place in the history of our organisation, through the work which began in the 1950s. Whenever the Duke engaged with members of The Boys’ Brigade it was always on a personal level and it is for this that the Duke will be remembered most warmly.

Jonathan Eales, Chief Executive of The Boys’ Brigade, commented:

“We were saddened to hear of the death of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of our Patron Her Majesty The Queen. The thoughts and prayers of the whole BB family are with Her Majesty and the Royal Family at this time.”

With thanks to The Boys’ Brigade Archive Trust for providing much of the information found in this article.

With some school pupils in Scotland starting to return to classrooms this week, perhaps we are at the beginning of the end of this extraordinarily challenging period that we have been living through. Whilst we have learnt that progress can be incredibly fragile, the vaccine roll out gives us all some grounds for optimism as we approach the Spring.

Rightly the return of pupils to schools is the key national priority. Children and young people have had a difficult 12 months, and missed out on so many different things that we have all taken for granted for so long. The kind of issues that we have been focused on tackling and addressing as youth organisations, like loneliness and social isolation, have been brought into sharper focus due to the pandemic, and it seems that we will probably be dealing with the after effects of Covid-19, particularly on mental health and wellbeing for years to come.

One of the core values of youth work, which we have been highlighting to new BB leaders taking part in our virtual Youth Leader Training courses over recent weeks, is that it is empowering.

The work of The Boys’ Brigade, like other youth organisations, is fundamentally about relationship building; it is about supporting learning, personal growth and discovery – whether through achieving badges and awards, taking part in outdoor learning, developing skills, building friendships, or nurturing independence, confidence and resilience. All of these essential components – coupled with the work in formal education – help enrich the lives and prospects of our children and young people.

Our duty of care to our young people and our volunteer leaders across the country who run BB groups will always come first – and a return to face-to-face youth work activities must be done carefully and safely. However, what youth organisations offer our children and young people has never been needed more than now – and must be in the mix of priorities for our country’s recovery from Covid-19. I believe we have an incredibly important part to play in re-empowering our children and young people in the months and years to come.

Jonathan Eales
Chief Executive
The Boys’ Brigade

The Boys’ Brigade in Nigeria has confirmed that, following an attack on a Church in Borno State on Christmas Eve, three young people who were part of the BB and the Pastor of the Church were among those who were killed.

The Chair of the Brigade Executive, Drew Buchanan MBE, has sent this message to the BB family in Nigeria:

“The Boys’ Brigade UK & Republic of Ireland is deeply saddened by this attack which has tragically taken the lives of young people. The BB is a global family: although we live thousands of miles away from you in Nigeria, we stand beside you. We will be asking our members across the UK and Republic of Ireland to hold you all in their prayers at this difficult time. Please convey our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives.”

Although Coronavirus restrictions meant that Remembrance commemorations couldn’t take place in quite the same way in 2020, Boys’ Brigade members joined with the nation to remember and honour all those who sacrificed so much to secure and protect our freedom.

In many of the communities where scaled back events took place, BB members were able to participate by laying a wreath on behalf of the organisation in their local area or by sounding the Last Post.

With churches across the country holding services in various ways on Remembrance Sunday, members also played an active role in a number of these commemorations.

Through our ‘Remembrance On Your Doorstep’ initiative, children and young people were encouraged to mark Remembrance in their own way at home. It was wonderful to see lots of members getting involved by wearing their uniform and saluting or displaying art/craft to remember those who went before us.

Our monthly programme resources for November contained activity ideas to help groups include Remembrance as part of their programme, whether they were operating face-to-face, virtually or through #BBatHOME. Through these resources, children and young people were able to take part in activities including painting Remembrance rocks, making handprint poppies/wreaths and going on a Remembrance walk.

Companies and Battalions have been posting about their involvement in Remembrance on social media. We encourage you to post and share your events to @theboysbrigade and use hashtags #WeWillRememberThem #EveryPoppyCounts and #BoysBrigade. You can also email us at newsdesk@boys-brigade.org.uk.

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On 27th October, The Boys’ Brigade celebrates Founder’s Day. On this day, we celebrate the vision of Sir William Alexander Smith and the foundations that he laid for a youth organisation which is now 137 years old and is working with over 40,000 children and young people across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, as well as countless others across the world.

Founder’s Day is a day to mark Smith’s innovation. It is a day to celebrate the many thousands of children, young people and leaders who have given so much to The Boys’ Brigade and received so much in return. It is a day to reflect upon the incredible history of The Boys’ Brigade whilst also reflecting on the remarkable fact that our work is as important today as it was 137 years ago.

The vision of The Boys’ Brigade is that children and young people experience “life to the full” (John 10:10). At a time when we face many challenges, it is more important than ever that we provide current and future generations of children and young people with the opportunity to experience life to the full and, as our mission says, provide them with opportunities to learn, grow and discover in a safe, fun and caring environment which is rooted in the Christian faith.

It has been an incredible journey for The Boys’ Brigade since its founding by Smith in 1883. The way that the BB has adapted to the many changes in society over the course of such a period of time is something to be proud of for all those who have been a part of the BB family. We find ourselves in 2020 with an ever-increasing pace of change in the world and with a pandemic that is one of the biggest challenges to face the BB in a long time.

2020 – A Year of Leading by Example

The Boys’ Brigade is doing more than simply keeping up with the changes. In many respects, BB leaders of today are following in Smith’s footsteps by continuing to innovate and by continuing to find creative new ways for children and young people to experience life to the full. This is something that we see every year, but that leadership has been particularly impactful on the lives of so many during 2020.

In times when face-to-face BB activities have not been possible, we have seen leaders turn to new technologies to keep children and young people connected with each other and continue to provide opportunities to learn, grown and discover. When restrictions eased, we saw groups quickly act to support their local communities. The BB launched a new alternative programme which could be run at home called #BBatHOME, which brought much-needed fun and laughter into thousands of homes.

“As a family, we’ve really appreciated the efforts made by the leaders and volunteers during these uncertain times. Their commitment to weekly Zoom meetings and staying in touch with the young people has been a really positive experience for our son. I think the BB activities will feature strongly and positively in his memories of this time.”

“#BBatHOME has done so much for this family’s mental health during lockdown. They’ve kept us laughing together, even on tough days. I can’t thank you enough.”

– Quotes from our #BBatHOME Parents/Carers Survey

And now, we are once again seeing the achievements of children and young people being celebrated and many continuing to enjoy adventures with their BB family, whether face-to-face or virtually.

None of this would have happened without the innovation, commitment and leadership from our founder, Sir William Alexander Smith, nor without the innovation, commitment and leadership from the BB leaders of today.

Check out our Vision, Mission and Values page to find out more about who we are, what we do and why we do it, and what guides our work with children and young people.

October is a special month for The Boys’ Brigade. We celebrate the birthday of this organisation on 4th October, and we also celebrate the birthday of our founder on the 27th. Both these days symbolise the BB’s innovation, creativity and resilience. This October, the Staff Team at The Boys’ Brigade is celebrating those qualities by taking part in our #Walktober Challenge.

The days are getting shorter, colder and wetter; and the temptation for the staff working at home to reach for a biscuit is becoming increasingly greater than the temptation to get outdoors for some exercise!

As such, the Staff Team will walk, run, cycle and even swim 889 miles – the equivalent distance of a loop between our regional HQs at Carronvale, Felden and Newport, and we will be raising funds for The Boys’ Brigade’s work with children and young people.

If you would like to make a donation towards our #Walktober Challenge visit our JustGiving page at justgiving.com/fundraising/bb-walktober-challenge – all funds raised will directly support our work with children and young people.

We would love it for Companies to join us by holding your own challenge, and you could use it as an opportunity to raise funds for your year ahead. 1st Lenzie recently took part in a sponsored walk and raised over £3,000! The packs and information can be found on the Fundraising Challenge page of the website. If you would like to take part in your own route, please just email us at bbathome@boys-brigade.org.uk and we can send you your own custom graphic to share on your social media platforms.

After a challenging and unprecedented few months, it is brilliant to see smiles on the faces of leaders, children and young people as BB activities resume for the new session.

It is great to see groups starting back up in various ways across the country. We thank our leaders and their partner Churches/venues for all their work in providing a safe return to face-to-face activities or, for groups where this currently isn’t possible, engaging with children and young people by alternative means including by running virtual sessions.

3rd Dunfermline has started back up with a fantastic outdoor programme of activities lined up for their Juniors. Focusing on what is available locally to them, children will take in some historic sights in a night-time walk and will also have a sensory scavenger hunt. The group’s Anchors and Company/Seniors are taking part in virtual sessions until October. The leaders saw lockdown as a challenge to be engaged with positively; engagement levels have remained strong and the team are confident that lots of children and young people will be coming back when face-to-face activities resume.

11th Northampton managed to get back indoors on their return for the new session. Mini golf, a quiz, and socially distanced games were on the agenda, and it’s safe to say a fantastic time was had by all in the first week back!

3rd Carrickfergus didn’t allow the lack of face-to-face activities to stop their session from kicking off! They’ve held a virtual information session for the parents/carers of new members, and have got underway with virtual activities too.

2nd Bath started back up with a programme of socially distanced activities for their children and young people. Following the Brigade’s framework ‘Stronger, Safer, Together’ has meant the group can confidently return to exciting and fun face-to-face activities.

1st Vale of Leven has been making the most of the outdoors with several young people in Company/Seniors taking part in a 23-mile bicycle trip. Along the route of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, the group reflected on the wonderful scenery that God created for them to enjoy. They will be using a blended approach of outdoor and virtual activities for all age groups in the coming weeks. They are also one of the groups in Scotland to benefit from the BB’s Generation CashBack project, which will help with some of the equipment for their outdoor activities for the 2020-21 session.

We also know that many groups have carried out their risk assessments and do not feel quite ready for face-to-face activities or are in ongoing discussions with their Church or venue provider. The health and wellbeing of the children, young people and leaders of the Brigade family must always be our top priority, and we’ll continue to support groups as best we can on their journeys back to face-to-face activities.

For guidance and resources to assist with running both face-to-face and virtual programmes please visit our Programme Hub. Find out more about our Framework for returning to face-to-face activities at boys-brigade.org.uk/ourframework

Our 2019/20 session has been like no other session that we can remember. Yet despite all of the challenges we have faced during the last five months our work has continued.

We may have had to operate in a different way than we have ever done before, but our mission to provide young people with opportunities to learn, grow and discover has continued.

We are of course looking forward to returning to face-to-face activities. But it is very much in keeping with our organisational history and heritage how we have adapted over recent months.

The value and impact of The Boys’ Brigade is as important as ever, and as we move into the new 2020/21 BB session that will bring with it a new and different set of challenges, we can surely be confident that our work has something meaningful and important to offer as children and young people adjust to the ‘new normal’.

Check out our Learning in Lockdown report to find out more about what we’ve been doing and what we’ve learnt over the last five months.

We have developed a Framework in line with guidance issued by the Government and Youth Sector across the United Kingdom to support a safe return to face-to-face activities.

The Framework along with guidance and supporting resources was launched on 24th July 2020 to support leaders in preparing for a return to face-to-face activities in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Find out more at boys-brigade.org.uk/ourframework/.

Over the last two years we’ve taken the opportunity to explore with the Brigade family what our Vision, Mission and Values are…

We’ve consulted with our young people, leaders, staff and Trustees. We want to be confident about who we are, what we do and what we believe. In bringing this all together and building on our object of ‘advancing Christ’s Kingdom’ we’re re-affirming our Vision, Mission and Values…

Click here to find out more about our Vision, Mission and Values

Unite and Cumbrae Camp are regional BB camps that were due to take place over the late May bank holiday weekend (22nd to 25th May), however sadly both events had to be cancelled due to current circumstances.

However, both events have teamed up to put on a free and online joint event called Unite & Cumbrae Camp at Home which is open to all! It will include activities and challenges which you can get involved with at home, opportunities to worship and explore faith, and workshops for leaders.

For more information about the event and what’s in store please visit the Unite website.

Congratulations to 1st Samut Sakhon J (Thailand), winners of the Juniors International Team Games for 2019-2020!

There were 87 entries into the competition with teams from Australia, England, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Thailand and Wales. Well done to all those who took part!

Check out the full results for 2019-2020.

Congratulations to 1st Greenisland A, winners of the Top Team Challenge for 2019-2020!

155 teams from 58 Companies across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales took part this session.

Teams consisting of members of Company Section and Seniors took on a series of tasks in their own meeting place. These included physical, logic, Bible knowledge and general knowledge challenges.

Check out the full results for 2019-2020 (PDF file).

Following on from face to face BB activities and events being suspended and the recent school closures, it has been great to see leaders coming up with different ways of reaching out to our members. We are incredibly proud of the determined response from leaders to the challenges that we are all facing. We all want the BB adventure to continue for every child and young person in the Brigade in the weeks and months ahead.

To help support leaders in doing this, we are excited to launch #BBatHOME – a new programme concept to enable us to continue to engage our members with opportunities to learn, grow and discover through a balanced programme of activities in their own homes, supported by their parents/carers.

Find out more about #BBatHOME by going to boys-brigade.org.uk/bbathome

The Brigade Executive is delighted to announce that it has appointed Jonathan Eales as Chief Executive with effect from 1st April 2020. Jonathan will continue in his acting capacity until then.

Jonathan originally joined the Brigade as a young person, and over the years has served the organisation in many capacities. He was instrumental in re-forming the 21st Northampton, serving as Captain for thirteen years. He has been a Battalion President and was a member of the Brigade Executive before joining the staff team at BBHQ.

We welcome Jonathan to this new role as we prepare to launch our new Strategic Plan at Brigade Conference in September, which will help shape the future of the movement. The Executive has also agreed to discontinue the use of the title “Brigade Secretary” with immediate effect.

Please pray for Jonathan as he prepares to respond to God’s call to serve in this new role.

The theme of this year’s Brigade Conference, to take place on 5th September 2020 in Birmingham, England, will be “2020 & Beyond” as we celebrate our current work and think ahead to the future.

The focus of the day will be the launch of a new five-year strategic plan which has been shaped by the strategic review carried out in 2019. The day will include the AGM, a session focussing on the quality of our work led by Graeme Reekie (author of the strategic review), updates from the staff team and a chance to worship together and share in fellowship and discussion.

The conference will be held at Carrs Lane Conference Centre in Birmingham and is deliberately being styled as a day event commencing at 10.00am and finishing by 5.00pm. The venue has excellent transport links and is located at the heart of the city centre. The cost for the day including lunch will be £30.

The Brigade is at an exciting and important moment in its history, and we hope the conference will provide the opportunity for us to inspire and encourage one another for the journey ahead.

We hope you will be motivated to attend, and to encourage others to come along too.

To register a place please go to eventbrite.com/e/brigade-conference-2020-tickets-94647963607. The closing date for registrations will be 31st July 2020.

We look forward to seeing you in Birmingham!

Bill Stevenson stood down as Brigade Secretary/CEO on 31st December 2019 following 10 years of employment in the Brigade, firstly as Director for Scotland and more recently as Brigade Secretary/CEO.

Bill’s association with the Brigade began over fifty years ago as a Junior in 4th Leith Company in Edinburgh. He said:

Ever since then The Boys’ Brigade has been a massive part of my life. But when I joined 4th Leith all those years ago I never imagined that I would end up working for the Brigade and I certainly never thought I would be Brigade Secretary. It has been an immense privilege.

Thank you for all your support and encouragement!

The Brigade would like to take this opportunity to thank Bill for his service and wish him well for the future.

As of 1st January 2020 Jonathan Eales, Operations Director becomes the acting Brigade Secretary/CEO.

18th to 24th November is #iWillWeek and we’re celebrating the #PowerOfYouth!

The Boys’ Brigade is proud to:

• Celebrate the achievements of young people
• Empower young people to make a positive difference in their communities
• Promote and increase social action opportunities among young people

Check out our new video to see how our young people are making a difference in their local communities:

You can find out more about #iWillWeek at iwill.org.uk/iwill-week-2019

We’d love to hear what your young people are doing to make a positive difference – use #BoysBrigade on social media or email us at newsdesk@boys-brigade.org.uk.

In 2018-2019 we set a challenge for us all to raise the bar and build on the quality of what we offer as an organisation, and we’re encouraging this to continue into 2019-2020.

There is already so much we can be proud of, but can we do more? ‘Raise the Bar’ is the title of the campaign and is set around 10 challenges for each Company, focussed on raising the quality of experience for children and young people.

This challenge is all about asking the question ‘How can we do better?’. It’s about taking time to consider our approach to specific areas of our work, looking at what needs to change and setting targets to strive for.

Check out #RaisetheBarBB for stories from our groups on how they are getting on!

Find out more about the campaign and challenges at http://leaders.boys-brigade.org.uk/raisethebar.htm

As we pass the centenary of the first official Armistice Day commemorations that took place in 1919, thousands of members of The Boys’ Brigade joined with the nation in remembrance of the sacrifices made by countless numbers of people in conflict, including many former Brigade members.

Young people and leaders across the country took part in acts of remembrance in local churches as well as parades with other organisations, politicians and members of the public in their local communities.

Many of the commemorations saw Brigade members lay wreaths on behalf of the organisation, bands performing in parades as well as buglers sounding the Last Post.

14-year-old Frankie, a member of 3rd Enfield who took part in a local Remembrance Sunday parade with hundreds of others from the community, said:

I think it is important to take part in events like this to remember the sacrifices that other people have made for us. If it wasn’t for them things would be very different and we might not even be here.

Companies and Battalions have been posting about their involvement in Remembrance activities on social media. We encourage you to post and share your events to @theboysbrigade and use hashtags #WeWillRememberThem and #BoysBrigade. You can also email us at newsdesk@boys-brigade.org.uk.

The Boys’ Brigade is proud to be an official partner of UK Parliament Week (UKPW), which has been taking place over the last few days (2nd to 8th November).

As part of UKPW, 1st Lenzie recently held a ‘Conversation in Politics’ event based on BBC One’s Question Time. Young leader Matthew McNaught told us about his journey into politics and how the event came about.

Last year, 1st Lenzie celebrated UK Parliament Week for the first time with a visit from former Scottish Conservative Leader, Baroness Goldie. This year, I was asked to chair our own version of the popular BBC One TV programme Question Time!

I was under the assumption that all I would have to do was show up and chair the discussions. But no! The whole night was under my leadership: coming up with panellists, choosing the questions, designing the floor and layout of the room etc. “Challenge accepted” was my initial thought.

An invitation was sent out to my local MSPs Ross Greer and Rona Mackay, who gracefully accepted, along with a Conservative MP from up north and my local MP, leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson (who couldn’t attend due to the impending Brexit deadline and the General Election!).

Following this, we got in touch with our local councillors who put forward panellists from these parties and, during KGVI, I spoke to Revd Derek Gunn who kindly volunteered to come along. The race to 1st November was on! Since the start of the session, I have been leading our Company’s Current Affairs Class; they came up with all the questions for the event and were 100% on board with the idea.

Following weeks of preparation, the night arrived – guests settled, audience welcomed, myself calm. The night itself went very smoothly, and I was able to adapt to time constraints well by skipping lesser important questions, but doing so in a polite manner. After the night was over, the sigh of relief was indescribable – I was so nervous prior to the event, but so proud of the fact I did it. It was honestly one of the best nights in my time with the Brigade.

I often get asked “Why are you so into politics?”, and the simple answer is that I care about what’s happening in our country. I remember watching the exit poll of the 2010 General Election and asking my parents “Who is Gordon Brown?”, “What’s a Hung Parliament?” etc. Then Brexit happened. While I couldn’t vote in the referendum, it was the first vote where I fully understood what was going on, and I came to an informed decision on what my view would be. From that day on, I began watching Prime Minister’s Questions on a regular basis, I watched party leadership contests, and I became slightly addicted to John Bercow’s signature “Order”.

I wouldn’t say I ‘studied’ the ongoings of politics. It’s just something I’ve picked up after catching the ‘bug’ quite early on. In my opinion, there will be something that happens in a person’s lifetime and they will catch the ‘bug’ – for me it was Brexit, for others, it might have been Thatcher being the first female Prime Minister or the first Hung Parliament in a long time in 2010.

When it comes to politics, I’ve learned there are no ‘silly’ questions. I’ve had many a chat with my local MP and I’ve asked her loads of questions, but I know from speaking to her that MPs enjoy young people asking questions, finding out more about politics and, eventually, catching the ‘bug’.

Don’t get me wrong, politics is a confusing topic. But over time you pick up bits and pieces. I would encourage everybody to gain as much information as they can – right now is the perfect time due to the upcoming General Election. If a young person asked me about how to learn more about politics, I would recommend that they ask questions of others; watch the news (Political Correspondents are fantastic at breaking it down); and follow what’s happening on Twitter.

Politics is a passion of mine because of all of the recent events, and I hope it becomes a passion for more young people.

It has been great to see Companies up and down the country getting involved in UKPW this year.

Some examples include the Anchors and Juniors at 7th Chelmsford, who used the UK Parliament Week resource pack to learn all about Parliament, voting and debating. Members of Company Section and Seniors at 1st and 3rd Enfield came together to think about, discuss and debate issues that are important to them, as did the young people at 53rd Manchester.

Jack, 17, of 53rd Manchester said:

It has been great to get involved in UK Parliament Week at my Company. It’s important to have the opportunity to share your views on real issues and on how you think the country should be run.

Daria, 15, also of 53rd Manchester commented:

UK Parliament Week is a really worthwhile occasion as it helps educate young people about the importance of Parliament and our democracy.

If your Company has been getting involved in UK Parliament Week do share your activities and photos with us on social media @theboysbrigade using the hashtag #UKPW or email us at newsdesk@boys-brigade.org.uk.

Over the coming days Brigade members will take part in Remembrance activities and events across the country.

Many will join with others from their communities at local cenotaphs and war memorials for commemorative events, and in doing so we remember and reflect on the sacrifices made by so many in the World Wars and other conflicts.

With so much happening we encourage you to post and share your events on social media to @theboysbrigade and use hashtags #WeWillRememberThem and #BoysBrigade. You can also email us at newsdesk@boys-brigade.org.uk.

A press release template (.docx file) is available which you can download and update with your own details to send in to local press, community pages or use on your own websites.

You can also read about the former members of The Boys’ Brigade who were awarded with the Victoria Cross (VC) in an updated version of the book Heroes of The Boys’ Brigade. The VC is the highest award for gallantry and is awarded for courage “in the presence of the enemy” to members of the British Armed Forces.

The Boys’ Brigade is an international Christian youth organisation, providing opportunities for children and young people (5-18 years old) to learn, grow and discover in a safe, fun and caring environment.

Our vision is that children and young people experience ‘life to the full’.

380 BB Companies (groups) meet in communities across Scotland each week, supported by 3,500 dedicated volunteer leaders.

We are now looking to recruit a Development Officer to join the small Scottish HQ team. This new role will focus on supporting and developing Companies in Central Scotland.

Download a Job Description and Person Specification here.

If you feel that you meet the requirements for the role, outlined in the Job Description and Personal Specification, please send a CV and a covering letter outlining your interest and suitability.

Applications should be sent by email to John Sharp at john.sharp@boys-brigade.org.uk.

Closing date: Monday 25th November 9am

Interviews will be held on Wednesday 4th December at Carronvale House, Larbert.

For an informal chat please contact John Sharp.

The Juniors International Team Games is an annual event for the Juniors age group and open to sections throughout the world. It is an easy to play competition that your Company can take part in.

The competition involves no travelling (you can compete in your own meeting place) and minimal equipment is required.

Find out more and download the Games for 2019-2020 at boys-brigade.org.uk/juniors-international-team-games

The National Top Team Challenge is an activity for Company and Seniors, where a large number of Companies across the country take part in the same tasks in their own meeting place.

It consists of a number of physical and logical challenges, a team of 4 takes part against the clock to complete the mini challenges and results are sent off to BB Headquarters to compete for the title of National Top Team Challenge Winner!

Find out more and order your packs for 2019-2020 at boys-brigade.org.uk/top-team-challenge

Today the Brigade is celebrating its 136th anniversary, having begun in Glasgow on 4th October 1883.

Over the last 136 years the Brigade has built up a rich heritage which we are rightly proud of, and equally we are proud of the fantastic work that continues to take place in nearly 1,300 communities across the country driven by around 12,000 adult volunteers.

Over 40,000 children and young people are members of the movement and it is great to see that over 7,500 of them started out on their BB adventure in the past year. Members are able to take part in a wide-ranging programme of activities, trips and residentials both in their local area and further afield, as well as opportunities to share and explore the Christian faith.

In recent months we have been challenging Companies to improve the quality of experience for children and young people through our Raise the Bar campaign. This reflects our belief that by focussing on the quality of our work we can see the Brigade reaching out to more children and young people through sustained growth in membership.

We have been active in ensuring that our young people have a voice both internally and externally with them taking a lead in shaping both our movement and the world they live in.

We have also taken the time to reflect on our work to enable us to look ahead and determine our priorities and vision for the future, including by consulting with our membership and carrying out external research.

Much has been achieved over the last year and we thank all those volunteers who give their time so freely to further our vision of children and young people experiencing “life to the full” (John 10:10).

Check out what some of our members had to say about their BB experience…

Recognising the achievements of our young people is important and alongside the launch of our new programmes for the Anchors and Juniors age groups we are pleased to give leaders a first look at the new awards.

Alongside the core Activity Awards for each age group there are a number of other awards including Membership Award, Nights Away Award and Project Awards.

You can find out more about how each of the awards is gained by checking out the Anchors Awards Information or Juniors Awards Information.

The new awards will be available to purchase from BB Supplies from 1st October 2019. Additional materials to support the programme including leader record cards, certificates, stickers and record charts will also be available from 1st October 2019.

Over the weekend of 6th to 8th September volunteers from across the Brigade came together in Swansea, Wales for Brigade Conference, giving them the opportunity to socialise, hear updates, participate in workshops, develop skills and look to the future of the organisation.

Most of the weekend’s activities were held in Swansea’s Marriott Hotel, a fantastic waterfront location in the city’s Maritime Quarter.

The conference weekend began on the Friday evening with a welcome reception and remarks from Cllr Mark Child, Deputy Lord Mayor of Swansea as well as Lord Griffiths of Burry Port, Brigade President.

Our Saturday programme began with a time of worship which was led by Revd Steven Bunting, Chaplain of the BB in Wales and Most Revd John Davies, Archbishop of Wales, who spoke on the message of “life to the full” in John 10:10 and thriving in our vision and mission.

Independent review
A thought-provoking update into the early findings of the independent review of our most recent Strategic Plan was presented by Graeme Reekie of Wren and Greyhound. You can read a summary of the early findings presented at Conference here.

Those present were also able to participate in workshops focussed on the new Under 11’s Programme, Faith Development and Managing Change.

As part of our Annual General Meeting a video review of the 2018-2019 session was shown to highlight just some of what has been happening in the Brigade over the last 12 months. The video can be seen below:

A summary of the business transacted at the AGM can be read here.

An update was also given by members of the Brigade staff team on various matters including staffing, the Raise the Bar campaign and the new Under 11’s Programme.

In the evening the conference dinner included a speech by Geoff Wheel, a former Wales international rugby union player and now a leader in the 1st Swansea Eastside Company, who spoke on his background in the sport and his journey to faith in Christ. He was followed by a memorable performance by the Gwalia Singers, a Welsh male voice choir based in Swansea, who showcased a series of Welsh favourites and popular tunes.

Sunday morning worship was held at St Stephen’s Church, home of the 1st Swansea Eastside Company. The service was led by Revd Steven Bunting – also vicar of St Stephen’s – with the sermon delivered by Lord Griffiths. Our thanks to all at St Stephen’s and the 1st Swansea Eastside for their very warm welcome.

Next year’s Brigade Conference will take place from 4th to 6th September 2020 and will be held in Birmingham, England. More details will be published later in the session.

The Boys’ Brigade is pleased to announce the following vacancy:

SUPPORT & DEVELOPMENT LEAD (LONDON)

The Boys’ Brigade is pleased to announce a vacancy for a Support & Development Lead based in London. Click on the link to view the job description and person specification.

Applications to be received by 5pm on 6th September 2019. Applicants to provide CV and a covering letter explaining how they meet the qualities outlined in the person specification. Applications should be sent by email to Natalie Whipday at natalie.whipday@boys-brigade.org.uk.

For an informal chat about the above role please contact Natalie Whipday on 01442 231 681 (extension 210).

Join us in Wales for Brigade Conference 2019 – from Friday 6th to Sunday 8th September.

The weekend’s programme will take place at the city’s Marriot Hotel (Please note change in venue) located in the Maritime Quarter overlooking Swansea Bay and only a mile from the railway station.

The weekend will feature a packed programme with workshops, worship, opportunities for fellowship, as well as the AGM. The Archbishop of Wales will join us for the opening service on the Saturday at the venue. The Sunday Service will take place at St Thomas Church, home of the 1^stSwansea Eastside.

The conference is open to all leaders in the UK and ROI, and we would particularly encourage as many young leaders from across the Brigade family to attend.

To book for Brigade Conference please click here to book online.