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July 2010 - The Boys' Brigade
July 2010 - The Boys' Brigade
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THE OFFICIAL QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE BOYS’ BRIGADE<br />
In this issue<br />
> Firm Foundations 2010<br />
> Turning Point 2010<br />
> BB in the spotlight<br />
PLUS: Programme Planning Ideas<br />
Volume 118 No 3 | July 2010
The Boys’ Brigade<br />
Patron: H.M. The Queen<br />
President: Professor Sir Kenneth<br />
Calman KCB<br />
Brigade Secretary: Steve Dickinson<br />
Headquarters: Felden Lodge,<br />
Felden, Hemel Hempstead,<br />
Hertfordshire HP3 0BL<br />
Tel 01442 231681; Fax 01442 235391;<br />
Email: enquiries@boys-brigade.org.uk;<br />
Website: www.boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
Registered Charity Numbers<br />
305969 (England and Wales) and<br />
SC0038016 (Scotland).<br />
Our Object<br />
The advancement of Christ’s Kingdom<br />
among boys and the promotion of habits<br />
of Obedience, Reverence, Discipline,<br />
Self-Respect and all that tends<br />
towards a true Christian Manliness.<br />
The Gazette<br />
The Gazette is the official publication<br />
of The Boys’ Brigade. Official notices<br />
to members appear under Brigade<br />
Announcements. Opinions expressed<br />
in any other articles are those of<br />
the author of the article and do not<br />
necessarily reflect Brigade policy.<br />
Design & Print<br />
Christian Publishing & Outreach,<br />
Garcia Estate, Canterbury Road,<br />
Worthing BN13 1BW;<br />
Telephone: 01903 264 556;<br />
Website: www.cpo.org.uk<br />
EDITORIAL<br />
Editorial<br />
For the July 2009 Gazette I wrote the editorial for the Gazette in the<br />
week following Firm Foundations and I’m doing the same this year. I especially wanted<br />
to share with you stories of the participation of some of the young people that I have<br />
met this week.<br />
Two of the aims of Firm Foundations are:<br />
• To provide opportunity for GB and BB members to be involved in the planning and<br />
delivery of the event<br />
• To enable members to grow in their personal faith, in confidence and gifting, and to provide<br />
links for their continuing Christian lives and service within BB/GB/church and beyond<br />
How well these aims are achieved is not always measurable, but there were young<br />
people involved in leading worship, giving testimony, running the activity and<br />
entertainment programme and stewarding as well as setting up the site and other<br />
practical features. Young people with God given talents and abilities using them for<br />
His glory, but some of these same young people telling me of frustration in their own<br />
Companies at the lack of opportunity to contribute.<br />
Two days later I had the immense privilege of presenting Queen’s Badges to the young<br />
men of the Lanarkshire District Fellowship. Fine young men who had benefited greatly<br />
from their time in BB and who had made significant contributions to their Companies,<br />
churches and the wider community. Sadly, statistics show us that for many Queen’s<br />
Men this may be the last thing that they do in the Brigade and in some sense this is<br />
right, but what a difference we could make if we could harness their gifts, talents and<br />
enthusiasm to lead the next generation.<br />
We are right to be proud of our record of inclusion of young people in our decision<br />
making process, but how much better could we be? How, sometimes inadvertently,<br />
are we ourselvers barriers to their greater participation?<br />
St Paul writing to Timothy uses these words, “And don’t let anyone put you down<br />
because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanour,<br />
by love, by faith, by integrity.”<br />
Father, forgive me for the times when I think I know best, simply because I’m older.<br />
Steve Dickinson<br />
Editorial Team<br />
Mary Care, Steve Dickinson, Chris<br />
Norman, Jan Williamson<br />
Submission of copy<br />
All material submitted with a view to<br />
publication in the next issue of BB<br />
Gazette should be addressed to the<br />
Editor at Brigade Headquarters to<br />
arrive by 1st August 2010.<br />
Small Advertisements<br />
Small Advertisements should be sent<br />
to BB Headquarters;<br />
email: gazette@boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
Display Advertisements<br />
Enquiries regarding display<br />
advertising space should be to<br />
Chris Norman: Tel 01442 288 552;<br />
Fax 01442 235391;<br />
Email gazette@boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
74 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010<br />
Diary Dates<br />
Northern Ireland<br />
July 2010<br />
12-13 NI Headquarters Closed<br />
17-23 KGVI Leadership Training Parts 1 and 2<br />
Sept 2010<br />
3-5 Brigade Council (Armagh)<br />
15 Brigade Training Officer Update Meeting<br />
16 CS Christian Education Course Launch<br />
17-19 Expedition Assessment Weekend<br />
20 Entries due: JS Quiz<br />
24-26 Skills for Queen’s Badge<br />
25 AB Officers’ Conference<br />
Oct 2010<br />
8-9 JS Quiz First Round<br />
8-10 Youth Leader Training<br />
8-10 Skills for Queen’s Badge (Ganaway)<br />
12 Entries due: CS Badminton<br />
22-24 Skills for Queen’s Badge<br />
23 JS Quiz Final<br />
25 Closing Date: Registration for JS Officers’<br />
Conference<br />
Scotland<br />
Sept 2010<br />
17-18 17-18 Enhancing Your Skills Course<br />
18-19 17-18 Enhancing Your Skills Course<br />
England<br />
July 31 - Aug 6 2010<br />
31-6 KGVI New Entrants’ and Second Year<br />
Course (Felden)<br />
Republic of Ireland<br />
Sept 2010<br />
13 Regional/Executive Meeting<br />
15 Midlands Region Leaders’ Meeting<br />
15 Youth Leader Training<br />
18 Challenging Behaviour Training Course<br />
23 East Region Leaders’ Meeting<br />
23 Youth Leader Training<br />
25 South East Region Leaders’ Meeting &<br />
Social Evening<br />
29 Northern Region Leaders’ Meeting<br />
29 Youth Leader Training<br />
Oct 2010<br />
2 JS Figure Marching Demonstration<br />
2 CS Squad Drill Demonstration<br />
7 Training & Activities Committee<br />
15 Roll ‘n Bowl Activity Evening<br />
16 Roll ‘n Bowl Activity Evening<br />
17 Annual Founder’s Thanksgiving Parade Service<br />
23 JS/CS Orienteering Day<br />
28 Youth Leader Training
CONTENTS<br />
76<br />
Firm Foundations 2010<br />
Young people learn “iCan with God”<br />
at FF2010<br />
Turning Point<br />
Find out more about the<br />
fourth annual Turning Point<br />
78<br />
81 in London<br />
You London<br />
Youth Organisations pull together<br />
82 85<br />
I can’t hear you<br />
Find out about the recently updated<br />
‘Youth Alpha’ course<br />
BB in the spotlight<br />
Find out how your Company can help put BB in the spotlight<br />
96<br />
Soccer<br />
Other items<br />
to India<br />
Members of 79th Belfast Company<br />
take soccer to india<br />
79.............e-bulletin<br />
Cancer Care Charity Ball<br />
£16,000 raised by members<br />
of 3rd Gourock Company<br />
98 99<br />
Regular Features<br />
80.............Brigade Announcements<br />
Impact Gap Year<br />
Find out about Declan Rogers<br />
and his Gap Year experience<br />
83.............Make a Difference Awards<br />
84.............Programme Planning<br />
87 .............Independent Safeguarding Authority<br />
97 .............Queen’s Badge Achievements<br />
86.............National Competitions<br />
88.............Here and There<br />
92.............Around the Regions<br />
100 ........Chaplain’s Corner<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 75
Young people<br />
‘iCan - wow, a<br />
great weekend and<br />
Mark Greenwood<br />
is quite simply<br />
a legend.’<br />
learn iCan with God<br />
‘Such an amazing weekend!<br />
I CAN!’<br />
Firm Foundations 2010 was held over the<br />
bank holiday weekend at the end of May<br />
at Felden Lodge. Around 750 people<br />
attended this year’s Firm Foundations – with<br />
many young people taking steps of faith.<br />
The festival, organised jointly by<br />
BB and Girls’ Brigade England<br />
& Wales, took place over the<br />
spring bank holiday weekend at<br />
Felden Lodge, Hemel Hempstead.<br />
The theme for the event was iCan,<br />
based on Philippians Ch.4:13, and so<br />
festival-goers were learning about how<br />
they can do everything through Christ,<br />
who gives us strength.<br />
It was an action-packed weekend of<br />
worship, seminars, entertainments and<br />
sporting activities, as well as the chance<br />
to relax and catch up with friends.<br />
‘It was a great weekend full of fun and<br />
faith discovery,’ says Eric Hudson, on<br />
behalf of the Festival Planning Team.<br />
‘The atmosphere around Felden was<br />
brilliant and it was challenging yet<br />
inspiring to see so many young people<br />
make their first steps in faith.’<br />
BB officer Matt Legg and singer/<br />
songwriter/trustee of GB Ministries<br />
Shell Perris hosted V1, joined by BB/<br />
GB band KJC and V2 was hosted by<br />
Phil Knox, Lorne Campbell and Mark<br />
Greenwood, who were supported by<br />
the Ben Marshall Band.<br />
Christian bands Golddigger, NlighteN,<br />
The Fifth Revelation and Brokenfor<br />
wowed the crowds over the course of<br />
the weekend.<br />
76 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010
‘FF was a really amazing weekend!’<br />
‘What a blessed<br />
weekend that was.<br />
God = awesome.’<br />
‘The young people and<br />
not so young people (!)<br />
that we brought<br />
with us this year<br />
had a great time!’<br />
O n m e s s a g e f o r 2 0 11<br />
Friday 28th May to Monday 31st May 2010<br />
Don’t miss Firm Foundations 2011!<br />
The theme is ‘On message’ and will be examining the messages of<br />
today through a Jesus lens; engaging with His foundations for our lives,<br />
attitudes and actions; looking at how various individuals were impacted<br />
by encountering the man and message of Jesus and much, much more!<br />
So put the date in your diary now, Friday 27 May to Monday 30 May<br />
2011, and look out for more details later this year.<br />
Don’t forget to check out the FF website for more on next year’s festival<br />
and to leave your comments and view pictures from this year’s –<br />
www.firm-foundations.org.uk – or why not sign up to the official FF<br />
Facebook page?<br />
‘Had an absolutely awesome<br />
and moving time.’<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 77
The fourth annual Turning Point Christian youth<br />
festival for young people aged 11 – 18 was held<br />
at the Ganaway Activity Centre, Millisle (Northern<br />
Ireland) during the weekend of 23-25 April 2010.<br />
The theme this year was Lost<br />
and Found and we were all<br />
challenged as Richard Houston<br />
(Assistant Minister from 1st Larne<br />
Presbyterian Church) took us on an<br />
interactive study of the Prodigal Son.<br />
We studied the message from the<br />
viewpoint of the son, the father and the<br />
older brother. Finally, on the Sunday we<br />
turned Lost into Found. Our resident<br />
house worship band Heart Ablaze led<br />
us in praise over the weekend.<br />
The programme this year, which was<br />
planned and designed by four of the young<br />
people on our Management Team, saw the<br />
return of popular features as well as the<br />
introduction of some brand new activities.<br />
We had…The BackBeat Café, The Live<br />
Lounge playing host to many events such<br />
as SingStar Superstar, Games Arcade,<br />
Guitar Hero and Rock Band, TP Cinema,<br />
dance sessions, cookery, artist workshops,<br />
craft sessions, BBQ, sports-hall games,<br />
tag rugby, hockey, football, crazy golf, tag<br />
rugby, volleyball and much, much more!<br />
The Trading Post was also a popular venue,<br />
offering exclusive Turning Point hoodies,<br />
beanies and t-shirts, a book stall and<br />
novelty items.<br />
This year we welcomed two new agencies.<br />
Open Doors ran a venue during the<br />
weekend, exploring what many Christians<br />
experience as part of the persecuted<br />
church around the world. Their programme<br />
contained underground church prayer time,<br />
campaigning, movies, and a speciality<br />
curry tasting night. We also welcomed<br />
Ulster Rugby to our sports field on the<br />
Saturday who ran coaching sessions<br />
and games of tag rugby.<br />
Many of the activities at Ganaway<br />
(archery, climbing wall, high and low level<br />
rope courses and the zip line) were in full<br />
swing for those attending the weekend<br />
to enjoy. The counselling team ran an<br />
energetic social on the Friday night as well<br />
as sumo wrestling and giant twister. The<br />
activity programme concluded on with<br />
78 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010<br />
a huge water fight, complete with water<br />
balloons, giant catapults, hose pipes<br />
and a soapy water slide.<br />
The feedback from the young people<br />
was extremely encouraging and confirms<br />
that what we are doing is meeting the<br />
needs and interests of those who attend.<br />
They also provided really useful ideas<br />
to include in Turning Point 2011.<br />
Already, all the indoor accommodation<br />
for next year is fully booked and people<br />
have started booking into the campsite.<br />
So that means Turning Point 2011 is<br />
definitely going ahead, slightly earlier, on<br />
15-17 April. If you would like to be part<br />
of Turning Point 2011 – either bringing<br />
a group along or volunteering – please<br />
contact us office@turningpointni.org.uk<br />
We look forward to seeing you there!<br />
Stephen Cowden<br />
Turning Point Chairman
e-update<br />
In September the Brigade will be launching ‘e-update’,<br />
which will enable BB Headquarters to keep in contact<br />
on a more regular basis. The e-update will enable<br />
us to share good news, keep you up to date and share<br />
opportunities which sometimes come about at very<br />
short notice!<br />
All registered leaders with an email address<br />
will receive the e-update, those who currently<br />
do not have an email address registered with<br />
BB Headquarters will be able to sign up to the<br />
e-update at anytime through the BB website.<br />
Should you wish to opt out of receiving this<br />
email then you will have the ability to do this<br />
once you have received the first email. Do<br />
not worry; we do not intend to bombard you<br />
with emails, on average you should expect<br />
the e-update to be sent out once a month.<br />
If you have any questions please email<br />
e-update@boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
Update<br />
The Boys’ Brigade NVQ Centre has been running<br />
for almost two years now, and already<br />
has schemes in:<br />
• The Midlands<br />
• Bournemouth<br />
• Eastern District<br />
• Sheffield & Leeds<br />
• Grimsby<br />
• Wales<br />
And we’re about to start a new scheme at the end<br />
of June in Hull and Scarborough!<br />
The centre is also in the process of undertaking an<br />
evaluation of our journey so far. We will be contacting<br />
Candidates and Assessors (as well as other leaders in<br />
their Companies) to see what impact NVQs has had<br />
on them – a questionnaire will be going out to a number<br />
of these people shortly (we’ve even got the questionnaire<br />
available online if you’d prefer to fill it in there!). If you<br />
are involved with one of our NVQ schemes and would<br />
like to take part in this then please contact Alex at<br />
alex.schwerzmann@boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 79
Brigade announcements<br />
Apology<br />
We would like to offer our apologies to<br />
Mrs Margaret Elsie Perfect who received<br />
an MBE in the New Year’s Honours, which<br />
was recorded in the April Gazette. Mrs<br />
Perfect received the award for over 60<br />
years’ voluntary service to the 1st Watford<br />
Company, not 8th Watford Company and<br />
we apologise for the error.<br />
NEW COMPANIES<br />
The following new Companies have been enrolled since the last Gazette<br />
Company Captain Church<br />
3rd Bournemouth Sophie Zephirin Bishop of Winchester C of E School<br />
5th Bournemouth James Webb (acting) St Andrew’s Church<br />
34th Cardiff Rev’d Se Hyuk An Ponprennau Community Church<br />
1st Haringey Matthew Denny (acting) Christ Church West Green<br />
49th Liverpool Andy Foulkes St Christopher’s, Norris Green & St Mary’s<br />
QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS<br />
Congratulations are offered to Mr Edwin Thomas Menday, who<br />
received an MBE for his work as a Governor at Longford Community<br />
School and services to Education. Mr Menday has been a lifelong<br />
member of The Boys’ Brigade and was Captain of the 2nd Feltham<br />
Company for over 40 years.<br />
We were also delighted to learn that the late Mr Robert James<br />
Mundell Baillie whose obituary appears in this Gazette was also<br />
awarded an MBE for his services to The Boys’ Brigade in Scotland.<br />
Bob was aware of this recognition before he died and the award<br />
will be received by Mrs Baillie.<br />
BRIGADE COUNCIL<br />
In the April 2010 Gazette P45 the Agenda for the<br />
Annual General Meeting of Brigade Council was<br />
given. Item 1 of the Agenda read, “To receive and<br />
adopt the Accounts for the year ended 31March 2010<br />
together with the Reports of the Brigade Executive<br />
and Auditors thereon.”<br />
Company law and Brigade regulations require the<br />
AGM to receive the accounts which have previously<br />
been approved by the Trustees/Directors and not<br />
to adopt them. Consequently, the amended agenda<br />
is given below.<br />
THE BOYS’ BRIGADE<br />
(A PRIVATE COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)<br />
BRIGADE COUNCIL –<br />
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING<br />
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the ANNUAL<br />
GENERAL MEETING of THE BOYS’ BRIGADE will<br />
be held at the Armagh City Hotel, Friary Road,<br />
Armagh, BT60 4FR on Saturday 4 September 2010<br />
at 9.30am to consider and, if deemed fit, to approve<br />
the following resolutions, all of which are being<br />
proposed as ordinary resolutions. (See previous<br />
Gazettes, Company mailings and website for further<br />
details of the Brigade Council weekend event)<br />
AGENDA<br />
1. To receive the Accounts for the year ended<br />
31March 2010 together with the Reports of<br />
the Brigade Executive and Auditors thereon<br />
2. To fix the annual capitation fees for the<br />
2010/11 session as proposed in Appendix A<br />
3. To reappoint Whiting and Partners as auditors<br />
of The Boys’ Brigade and authorise the<br />
Brigade Executive to fix their remuneration<br />
4. To consider the following constitutional<br />
motions (ordinary resolutions) in the name<br />
of the Brigade Executive as proposed in<br />
Appendix B<br />
5. To appoint Brigade Office Bearers for 2010/11<br />
session as proposed in Appendix C<br />
By order of the Brigade Executive<br />
Steven Dickinson<br />
Brigade Secretary 1st March 2010<br />
Appendices A, B & C were in the April Gazette and appear<br />
on the voting paper distributed in the Company mailing.<br />
MEETING OF THE BRIGADE EXECUTIVE – 15th/16th May 2010<br />
The meeting was held at Brigade Headquarters, Felden Lodge.<br />
This is a summary of the main items covered.<br />
• 125th Anniversary of Camping<br />
The Executive noted that 2011<br />
marks the 125th anniversary of<br />
the first camp at Tighnabruaich,<br />
and the Executive endorsed the<br />
objective of encouraging residential<br />
activity during the next session and<br />
will look at whether participation<br />
might be recognised in some way.<br />
• Finance<br />
The Brigade Treasurer reported on<br />
the Brigade finances for the twelve<br />
months to 31st March 2010. The year<br />
showed a deficit of £57,091 against<br />
a budgeted deficit of £36,850. There<br />
had been a decrease in turnover at<br />
Supplies and vastly increased utility<br />
costs at the two Brigade properties.<br />
• Charity Commission<br />
The Executive agreed the wording of<br />
a response to recent communication<br />
from the Charity Commission<br />
• Executive Sub Committees<br />
Following the training on governance<br />
at its previous meeting the Executive<br />
reviewed the roles, remits and terms<br />
of reference of its sub committees.<br />
• Business Director<br />
The Executive agreed a timed<br />
process for following up individuals<br />
who had not completed the<br />
registration or re-registration process.<br />
The Executive agreed that a new<br />
category of leader be introduced<br />
to capture details of those who<br />
helped only on a residential activity.<br />
All other helpers/instructors would<br />
be categorised as helpers.<br />
• Director of Youth &<br />
Children’s Work<br />
The Director of Youth & Children’s<br />
Work updated the Executive on<br />
the S/NVQ scheme and the<br />
Brigade’s Safeguarding Panel. The<br />
Executive agreed the membership<br />
of the Panel.<br />
The timescales for registration<br />
with the Independent Safeguarding<br />
Authority were explained and it<br />
was agreed to keep to our policy<br />
of requesting enhanced disclosure<br />
checks after the new schemes<br />
were implemented.<br />
• Get Up & Go<br />
Following the success of the<br />
partnership with the Association of<br />
Children’s Hospices the Executive<br />
agreed to the principle of partnering<br />
three new charities which will<br />
provide educational materials for the<br />
members. The launch of this project<br />
will be in October.<br />
• Stedfast Supplies<br />
Following a report given at its last<br />
meeting on the operation of Stedfast<br />
Supplies in Belfast, the Executive<br />
was updated on progress made<br />
to resolve issues, and approved<br />
revised arrangements.<br />
• Brigade Council<br />
The Executive was updated on the<br />
plans for Brigade Council 2010 at the<br />
City Hotel, Armagh and agreed the<br />
format for the business meeting.<br />
• Reports<br />
The Executive received reports<br />
from Regional Directors and the<br />
minutes of Regional Committees.<br />
They also received feedback<br />
from the sub committees on faith,<br />
image and youth work standards.<br />
Feedback was received from the<br />
National Competitions sub group<br />
and the Executive endorsed the<br />
recommendations.<br />
• Schedule of Brigade Executive<br />
Meetings<br />
The Executive agreed that from<br />
2011 there would be three meetings<br />
per year and the September<br />
meeting would not take place.<br />
• Annual Health & Safety Statement<br />
The Executive agreed the annual<br />
Health and Safety statement and<br />
that the Brigade Secretary be the<br />
named person.<br />
80 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010
. . . is taking shape<br />
Since last year’s<br />
official launch at<br />
Buckingham Palace<br />
the YOU project<br />
is taking shape in<br />
Borough’s across<br />
our capital city.<br />
YOU London is a partnership<br />
of youth organisations<br />
including: The Boys’ Brigade,<br />
Scouts, Girlguiding, The Girls’<br />
Brigade, Air Cadets, Sea Cadets,<br />
Army Cadets, Volunteer Police<br />
Cadets, London Fire Brigade Cadets<br />
and St John’s Ambulance. Working<br />
together under YOU London they<br />
are seeking to raise their profile and<br />
recruit new members and volunteers.<br />
A number of events have been<br />
taking place across London including<br />
events to launch the partnership in<br />
boroughs including Hillingdon, Enfield,<br />
Tower Hamlets, Havering, Barking &<br />
Dagenham, Hammersmith & Fulham<br />
and Islington. These events have been<br />
successful by engaging with members<br />
of the public and recruiting children &<br />
young people as well as volunteers.<br />
The Boys' Brigade stand and Band at YOU<br />
Enfield Launch - June 2010<br />
Representatives of YOU Bromley<br />
You Hillingdon launch at The Chimes Shopping Centre<br />
YOU London partner organisations<br />
have been working together and<br />
supporting each other in training as well<br />
as sharing resources and equipment.<br />
In Southwark the Sea Cadets, Volunteer<br />
Police Cadets and The Boys’ Brigade<br />
are working together to form a band.<br />
During Volunteers Week (1st – 7th<br />
June) YOU London had the honour<br />
of being at City Hall promoting YOU<br />
London to Mayor Boris Johnson and<br />
over 50 MP’s from around the country.<br />
In a call for more volunteers Dominic<br />
Goodall a member of 4th Ealing<br />
Company said “Being part of the Boys’<br />
Brigade for over 9 years now has really<br />
shaped my life and the person I am.<br />
It is very sad that some groups are<br />
closing down due to lack of staff”.<br />
Dominic Goodall with Mayor<br />
Members of ATC vs Boys' Brigade<br />
- Tug of War Competition<br />
Volunteers’ Week received strong support from the Deputy<br />
Prime Minister, Nick Clegg: “When I travel across the<br />
country, I have the privilege of meeting so many dedicated<br />
volunteers doing incredible jobs for charities, organisations<br />
and their communities. Volunteering is a fantastic way for<br />
people to give something back but also to learn new skills, make new friends<br />
and perhaps take a first step back into employment. It’s absolutely right to<br />
take time out to pay tribute to our many volunteers, which is why Volunteers’<br />
Week is such a fantastic initiative; and it’s in that spirit that this Government<br />
will be launching a national day to celebrate and encourage social action”.<br />
You can find out more about YOU London at www.youlondon.org.uk<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 81
I can't hear you?!<br />
School lessons, teachers,<br />
friends, tv, radio, bands<br />
and pop groups, magazines,<br />
internet, posters and billboards,<br />
parents, fashion…<br />
The list goes on; loads of different<br />
places where people find information<br />
and their identity. The world is shouting<br />
a loud message and, when you take<br />
a look around, it seems like people<br />
in the world are listening.<br />
But it begs the question: how can<br />
we make sure that the most important<br />
message there is, is louder than all the other<br />
noise? We have a whole talk on the topic<br />
on the Youth Alpha course called “Why and<br />
How Should I Tell Others?” This is probably<br />
a good place to start for anyone thinking of<br />
running a Youth Alpha course.<br />
One of the main reasons we think it’s a<br />
good idea to tell others about your faith is<br />
simply because Jesus tells us to! He said<br />
to his disciples “Go into all the world and<br />
preach the good news to all creation…”<br />
Another reason is that we believe young<br />
people need to know Jesus in their lives.<br />
Not only is the amount of teenagers<br />
involved in church life very low but the<br />
number of teenager church dropouts is<br />
unacceptably high (61-88% depending on<br />
research ). We feel there is a desperate<br />
need to tell the younger generations the<br />
message of Jesus.<br />
So that’s why, but what about how?<br />
Here at Youth Alpha we have a couple<br />
of suggestions.<br />
1. We believe that the best way to tell a<br />
teenager about Jesus is for them to<br />
hear it from a teenager!<br />
2. We believe in more listening and<br />
less preaching.<br />
Keep on reading to find out more…!<br />
We know that for teenagers and young<br />
people today, it is no easy task to share<br />
your faith with your friends. The good news<br />
is that the Youth Alpha Course is a tried and<br />
tested method for many young Christians<br />
to tell their friends about their beliefs in a<br />
relaxed and non-threatening way.<br />
The idea behind Youth Alpha is to equip<br />
any teenager or youth leader to run a<br />
course in any setting – this could be your<br />
school, home, a coffee shop, your church,<br />
your local fish & chip shop, a treehouse –<br />
let your imagination go wild! As long as<br />
it’s a place that is the most chilled and<br />
fun for your friends.<br />
Alex, 16, from London ran a course in<br />
his school and said this:<br />
“Running Youth Alpha had to be the most<br />
exciting time of my school days...Alpha<br />
provided a place and the freedom to ask<br />
questions which were playing on everyone’s<br />
minds. I would seriously encourage anyone<br />
to run Alpha in their school!”<br />
The Youth Alpha Leaders’ Guide contains<br />
everything you need to know about running<br />
a course and has each talk written out for<br />
you. It has changed quite a bit over the<br />
years and we have just released a brand<br />
new version of the Leaders’ Guide – it’s<br />
bigger (quite literally!), better and packed<br />
full of ideas on how to make your course<br />
the most fun.<br />
And now a drum roll please for the<br />
best bit…<br />
The material is all available for FREE.<br />
Sorry – did you hear me right? That’s right,<br />
I said FREE!<br />
So wherever you are, as long as you have<br />
access to the internet you can access all<br />
the talks online.<br />
We’re so proud of this new Leaders’<br />
Guide that we’ve released it as an online<br />
‘TalkBuilder’. Check it out at youthalpha.<br />
org/TalkBuilder. That means you can create<br />
and edit each talk by choosing which<br />
illustrations you<br />
want to use for<br />
each point in<br />
your talk. From<br />
DVD clips, games, jokes, stories,<br />
YouTubes and loads of other things.<br />
Our main aim is to equip teenagers<br />
to be able to run a course as easily as<br />
possible. And the reason is because,<br />
as I stated before, we believe that the<br />
best way to present the message of the<br />
Gospel to teenagers is to let teenagers do<br />
the telling! Young people are passionate<br />
to see their friends come to know Christ,<br />
through their friendships and through their<br />
witness to them as they ‘do life’ together.<br />
So, it’s young people that know what’s<br />
relevant for young people and by hitting<br />
the web we are hoping to create the<br />
opportunity for you to share your ideas,<br />
experiences and testimonies. Remember,<br />
the talk in each session is only one<br />
part of the course – every session also<br />
involves food, worship and small groups.<br />
It’s during the food and small groups we<br />
hope the guests on the course will have<br />
their chance to voice their opinion and be<br />
heard. Say your bit (using the TalkBuilder)<br />
and then listen to what the guests have to<br />
say – for once they will have a voice and<br />
will be heard, instead of being drowned<br />
in all the chaos of the outside world.<br />
1<br />
http://www.christianstandard.com/<br />
articledisplay.asp?id=1004<br />
By Nicola Marshall, Youth Alpha<br />
(The Youth Alpha Course is a 10, 9 or 8 week<br />
course exploring the meaning of life set over<br />
15 topics such as ‘Who is Jesus’ and ‘How and<br />
Why Do I Pray?’ Each session involves food,<br />
a talk, worship and small groups)<br />
Youth Alpha Talkbuilder is available online<br />
at Youthalpha.org/Talkbuilder<br />
82 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010
Go MAKE A DIFFERENCE Awards<br />
2010<br />
“celebrating inspirational young people”<br />
The difficult task of selecting overall winners from the entries for this year’s Make A Difference Awards was the<br />
responsibility of Executive members from the respective Regions. All nominees will receive a certificate for their<br />
achievements and the following young men were considered worthy of special recognition and will be invited<br />
to receive their prizes at an event organised within the Region.<br />
ENGLAND<br />
Owen Hughes – 24th Hull<br />
Owen has been instrumental in the successful launch of “Street Angels” in Hull. The Street Angels work in a<br />
defined part of the city and their role is to provide a safe place for those who become vulnerable in any way on<br />
Friday and Saturday nights. Owen has been involved every weekend and has taken the position of team leader.<br />
NORTHERN IRELAND<br />
Peter Maxwell – 6th Newtownards<br />
Peter has been a tremendous asset to the work of the 6th Newtownards Company since Anchor Boys and has only missed<br />
one night in all those years. As well as his devotion to BB, Peter has looked after his severely autistic brother to support<br />
his family and for his Queen’s Badge was heavily involved in a trampolining club for autistic children and young people.<br />
The Brigade is immensely proud of all of the young people nominated and congratulates them on their achievements.<br />
Owen and Peter will receive their awards at special celebrations within their Regions.<br />
The Youth of Today<br />
– From Anchor Boy to Battalion President<br />
Matthew Gordon otherwise known as ‘Flash’ is the new Devon Battalion President.<br />
Elected in September ’09 President Gordon replaces Dave Bradford who previously<br />
served two terms.<br />
Now 24, Matthew was an Anchor boy and has worked his way steadily through the ranks<br />
currently serving as an Officer at 5th Exeter. Since being elected as President he has visited<br />
every company in the Battalion and built up a contacts file to better engage with Captains<br />
and Officers alike. Producing a questionnaire for companies to identify their strengths and<br />
weaknesses has built a clear picture of development needs, staffing levels and any concerns.<br />
Matthew is keen to establish an understanding of the Battalion to enable speedy responses to<br />
changes in each Company. His aim is to strengthen the Battalion and to support its leaders.<br />
Why is BB so important to you?<br />
The Boys’ Brigade has made me the person that I am today, given me good Christian morals,<br />
kept me on the straight and narrow and enabled me to make the best friends that I could ever<br />
wish to meet. I just want to give boys the same opportunity that I had.<br />
Why did you decide to run for President?<br />
It is about making a difference. I am young and enthusiastic and think that will be beneficial<br />
to the job. I want to get all thirteen companies in the Battalion working together, increasing<br />
competition entries and increasing the number of boys. Captains and officers within the<br />
Battalion have been really supportive and that has been encouraging.<br />
Matthew is a pretty impressive bloke and a real inspiration to other young leaders. It’s not<br />
often that you see a young man taking on this sort of position of responsibility with such<br />
keen enthusiasm and commitment. William Smith set the BB object of “The advancement<br />
of Christ’s kingdom among Boys and the promotion of habits of Obedience, Reverence,<br />
Discipline, Self-respect and all that tends towards a true Christian manliness.” He would be<br />
proud of how Matthew has been encouraged, developed and nurtured into the man he is today<br />
continuing to uphold those founding values and in turn inspire the young men he works with.<br />
That’s the BB for you. Blooming Brilliant!<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 83
Planning your<br />
Programme<br />
To help you plan your programme for next session you will find some ideas below on how you could get your Company or<br />
Section involved in a national awareness day/week. You will find a wide range of resources to support you in running your<br />
programme by visiting the website links.<br />
Remembrance Day<br />
11th November 2010<br />
Get your Company involved in this<br />
important national day by helping the<br />
children and young people in your group<br />
to remember the significance of this day.<br />
Go to www.britishlegion.org.uk<br />
for more information and<br />
downloadable resources.<br />
Road Safety Week<br />
22-28th November 2010<br />
The theme for Road Safety<br />
Week 2010 is: KIDS SAY<br />
SLOW DOWN! Help to raise<br />
awareness of road safety<br />
within your group, there are<br />
lots of ideas for activities as well as<br />
the resources to help you run them.<br />
Go to www.roadsafetyweek.org for<br />
more information and resources.<br />
The Boys’ Brigade<br />
Christingle Fortnight<br />
1st - 14th December 2010<br />
Celebrate Christingle with your<br />
Company this Christmas and raise<br />
vital funds for The Children’s Society.<br />
Pre-register at www.christingle.org/<br />
boysbrigade and be the first to hear<br />
about FREE resources for Anchor<br />
and Junior programme zones,<br />
including arts & crafts, community<br />
and fundraising activities.<br />
The Big Bird Watch<br />
24th January – 4th<br />
February 2011<br />
Take part in the RSPB’s<br />
‘Big Bird Watch’ with<br />
your group. There are lots of ways you<br />
can get involved and there are free<br />
resources to support you. Go to<br />
www.rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch/ for<br />
more information and resources.<br />
British Heart Month<br />
February 2011<br />
Dress up, dress down,<br />
bake, collect, run, paint... Everyone’s<br />
going Red for Heart for National<br />
Heart Month this February. Hold red<br />
themed events throughout February<br />
and raise essential funds in the fight<br />
against heart disease. Friday 25th<br />
February is wear red day; money<br />
raised will help the BHF save lives.<br />
Go to www.bhf.org.uk/red for<br />
more information and resources.<br />
Fairtrade Fortnight<br />
28th February - 13th<br />
March 2011<br />
For two whole weeks we want the<br />
nation to get loud and proud about<br />
Fairtrade by asking everyone to<br />
‘Show off your label’. We want to<br />
load the FAIRTRADE Mark with<br />
meaning, telling them the tangible<br />
difference Fairtrade makes to<br />
producers. Go to www.fairtrade.org.uk<br />
for more information and resources.<br />
World Book Day<br />
Thursday 3rd March 2011<br />
World Book Day is the biggest<br />
annual celebration of books and<br />
reading in the UK and Ireland.<br />
www.worldbookday.com<br />
WWF’s Earth Hour<br />
Saturday 26th March 2011<br />
Earth Hour is a global<br />
event to highlight the need to look<br />
after our planet. Register your group<br />
at http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk, and<br />
download a free resource full of<br />
activities, games and information<br />
for every age group to help you<br />
get involved.<br />
Putting Asthma in<br />
the Limelight<br />
1st – 8th May 2011<br />
Help put Asthma in the Limelight by<br />
going lime green. Help your group<br />
to understand more about Asthma<br />
and also help by raising funds to<br />
support the work of the charity. The<br />
2nd May 2011 is National Asthma Day.<br />
Go to www.asthma.org.uk for more<br />
information and resources.<br />
Recycle Week<br />
20th – 26th June 2011<br />
Get your group involved in recycling<br />
during the annual Recycle Week 2011.<br />
Go to: www.recyclenowpartners.org.uk<br />
for information and resources.<br />
Child Safety Week<br />
20th – 26th June 2011<br />
Go to www.childsafetyweek.<br />
org.uk for more information.<br />
Complete the on-line time pledge and<br />
find out the simple things that can be<br />
done to prevent accidents. There are<br />
also competitions and quizzes which<br />
can be downloaded for free!<br />
If you get involved in any of the<br />
above or another awareness day<br />
/campaign then let us know<br />
what you got up to by sending<br />
in your story and any pictures.<br />
You can email submissions to<br />
gazette@boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
84 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010
During September<br />
/October 2010 the<br />
challenge is for every<br />
Company to take action<br />
to put BB in the Spotlight.<br />
There are many ways in which a<br />
Company could do this including a<br />
recruitment campaign, fundraising<br />
for BB or others, running an event,<br />
getting involved in a community project<br />
or sending an article to the local press.<br />
Just think, if every Company in the land<br />
did something to raise the profile of BB,<br />
we really would put BB in the Spotlight.<br />
Many of us regularly comment on BB not<br />
having a profile in the local or national<br />
media, so let’s set out a challenge to<br />
one and all to get involved.<br />
What could you do?<br />
Just think of the many things that you<br />
and your young people can do to raise<br />
the profile of the BB. You could:<br />
• Hold a recruitment drive for members<br />
and adult volunteers. Have you already<br />
arranged a special night? Have you<br />
looked through the Tool Kits provided to<br />
each Company over the last session?<br />
• Think of innovative ways to raise money<br />
for your Company or a charity and send<br />
details to the local press.<br />
• Make sure your local community knows<br />
you exist and about the positive work<br />
going on. Is your Company profiled<br />
on your church notice board? Is there<br />
information in the local library and<br />
community centre?<br />
• Why not organise something to coincide<br />
with the date of the founding of the first BB<br />
Company on 4th October?<br />
What support is available?<br />
Over the past 12 months a number of<br />
new resources have been made available<br />
to support Companies in recruiting new<br />
members, and there are lots of ideas that<br />
could be put into action. You will find all the<br />
recruitment resources on the BB website at<br />
www.boys-brigade.org.uk/recruitment/. BB<br />
Supplies has a growing range of resources<br />
which could help with fundraising including<br />
collection boxes, gift aid envelopes,<br />
sponsor cards and more (Visit BB Supplies<br />
online at http://shop.boys-brigade.org.uk).<br />
Take a look at the programme packs for<br />
ideas on how to engage your Company<br />
in a community project.<br />
Can Battalions/Districts get involved?<br />
Of course. Battalions/Districts could<br />
provide a way for Companies to work<br />
together, the strength of working together<br />
in greater numbers is always going to help.<br />
What is Headquarters doing?<br />
At the same time BB Headquarters and<br />
Regional HQ’s will also be looking at how<br />
to do their bit to raise the profile of the<br />
BB as well as support the efforts by local<br />
Companies, Battalions and Districts.<br />
Don’t forget to let us know what<br />
your Company gets up to, send<br />
us your stories and pictures to<br />
gazette@boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 85
NATIONAL COMPETITIONS<br />
2009–2010<br />
Many Companies from all parts of the UK & Ireland took part in<br />
the various National Competitions throughout the session. and the<br />
Final of these took place during April and May. Many miles were<br />
travelled during the opening rounds and many new places visited<br />
and fellowship was enjoyed.<br />
Chess Final<br />
The Chess Final was hosted by North West District, which took place at its District<br />
Training & Activity Centre in Kirkham on Saturday 10th April.<br />
Winners: 7th Edinburgh<br />
Runners-up: 32nd Nottingham<br />
3rd: 2nd Bracknell<br />
Junior 5-A-Side Football Final<br />
The Junior 5-A-Side Football Final<br />
was hosted by Dundee & Angus<br />
Battalion and the Final took place<br />
in Dundee High School, Sports<br />
Complex on Saturday 8th May.<br />
Winners: 1st Greenock<br />
Runners-up: 1st Ardstraw<br />
3rd: 1st Torquay<br />
4th: 3rd Kilkeel<br />
5th: 42nd Dundee<br />
6th: 8th Hartlepool<br />
Masterteam Final<br />
The Masterteam Final was hosted by<br />
Motherwell & Bellshill District Battalion<br />
and the Final took place in the Kings<br />
Centre Motherwell on Saturday 17th<br />
April.<br />
Winners: 1st Cullybackey<br />
Runners-up: 35th Liverpool<br />
3rd: 16th Newtownabbey<br />
4th: 1st Stewarton<br />
5th: 8th Stirling<br />
6th: 1st Alton<br />
7th: 1st Haggs<br />
Badminton Final<br />
The Badminton Final was hosted by<br />
Northern Ireland District and the Final<br />
took place in the Valley Leisure Centre<br />
Newtownabbey on Saturday 1st May.<br />
Winners: 1st Polmont<br />
Runners-up: 4th Newtownabbey<br />
3rd: 1st Mountjoy<br />
4th: 1st Largs<br />
5th: 9th South East Essex<br />
6th: 1st Barnet<br />
Table Tennis Final<br />
The Table Tennis Final was hosted by<br />
the Republic of Ireland Region and the<br />
Final took place in Sportsco Centre in<br />
Dublin on Saturday 15th May.<br />
Winners: 1st Grangemouth<br />
Runners-up: 1st Burton-in-Kendal<br />
3rd: 4th Southampton<br />
4th: 8th Falkirk<br />
5th: 1st Charlemont<br />
6th: 1st Greenisland<br />
86 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010
Disclosure Checks<br />
The Government has announced that it is halting the scheme requiring<br />
individuals working with children and vulnerable adults to register with<br />
the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). This requirement was<br />
due to be introduced in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in July.<br />
While the Government undertakes a review of the proposed scheme,<br />
existing processes for organisations to undertake disclosure checks<br />
for all leaders will continue.<br />
However, a new disclosure application form will still be introduced<br />
in July. Guidance notes on how to complete it will be sent out with<br />
the form.<br />
Timescale for introduction of new disclosure forms<br />
in England & Wales:<br />
New CRB forms will be sent out from 28th June<br />
15th July – Last date old CRB forms will be accepted by BB<br />
for processing<br />
26th July – CRB Office will start processing new forms and will<br />
no longer accept old CRB forms.<br />
Timescale for introduction of new disclosure forms in<br />
Northern Ireland:<br />
New AccessNI forms will be sent out from 21st June<br />
1st July – Last date old AccessNI forms will be accepted by BB<br />
for processing<br />
9th July – Last date old AccessNI will accepted by AccessNI Office<br />
for processing<br />
14th July – First date AccessNI Office will accept new forms<br />
26th July – Date AccessNI Office will start processing new forms<br />
Re-registration of Leaders<br />
Due to the timing of the introduction of the new disclosure forms<br />
in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Brigade Executive has<br />
determined that those leaders whose registration expires at the<br />
end of the 2009/10 session will have their appointment extended<br />
for one session.<br />
Scotland & Republic of Ireland<br />
The above processes will not apply in Scotland and Republic of Ireland<br />
at the current time. Therefore, the normal procedures for registration and<br />
re-registration will continue to apply including the Brigade Executive’s<br />
timed processes. When further information becomes clear in these<br />
Regions it will be communicated.<br />
If you have any questions regarding the above please contact<br />
the Membership Team at Brigade Headquarters.<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 87
HERE & THERE<br />
2nd Bedford<br />
Pictured are members of the 2nd Bedford Junior Section when they visited the newly<br />
elected Mayor of Bedford, Dave Hodgson, at the Mayor’s Parlour.<br />
1st Polegate<br />
The 1st Polegate Company held a pirate<br />
party and recruited three new members<br />
as a result. The Company is just four<br />
months old!<br />
Dalgety Bay &<br />
Tulliallan<br />
Junior and Company section boys from<br />
Dalgety Bay and Tulliallan had a joint day<br />
out at Scotland’s Murrayfield Stadium to<br />
watch the Edinburgh v Ospreys Magners<br />
League match. The boys formed the<br />
guard of honour at the mouth of the<br />
tunnel and took part in a skills session in<br />
front of the main stand at half time.<br />
88 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010<br />
Glasgow Battalion<br />
Twenty-one hardy Seniors and Leaders<br />
from Glasgow Battalion braved a very<br />
cold February morning to go White Water<br />
Rafting on the River Tay.<br />
Ross Grant and Kevin Kay present<br />
Coxswain Victor Sutherland with £500<br />
cheque.<br />
1st Fraserburgh<br />
On the 23rd February 2010, 27 boys<br />
of the 1st Fraserburgh Junior Section<br />
took part in a 10 minute sponsored<br />
silence. In total they raised £500, which<br />
was donated to the Fraserburgh RNLI<br />
Memorial Appeal. The local appeal<br />
hopes to raise £40,000 to build a<br />
memorial to commemorate the 13<br />
lifeboat crew members who died in three<br />
separate disasters in the 20th Century.<br />
1st Malvern – James<br />
Bruton<br />
James Bruton of 1st Malvern Company<br />
was the youngest runner in the London<br />
Marathon, the same day as his birthday.<br />
James was running in memory of his<br />
grandfather and used the event and<br />
training to complete the physical section<br />
of his D of E Award.<br />
5th Glasgow<br />
125th Anniversary<br />
Celebrations<br />
The 5th Glasgow is the second oldest BB<br />
Company still in existence today.<br />
The company celebrated 125 years of<br />
service in style recently by holding a<br />
successful Reunion Dinner and service<br />
for ex members and friends of the<br />
Company, some who came from as far<br />
as Germany.<br />
One hundred attended a reunion dinner<br />
on Saturday 27th March, in the Millennium<br />
Hotel, George Square. On the Sunday a<br />
celebratory service was held at St John’s<br />
Renfield Church, joined by neighbouring<br />
BB Companies and Sir Kenneth Calman,<br />
The Brigade President gave the main<br />
address. Representatives from the City<br />
of Glasgow, Strathclyde Police, and<br />
local politicians also attended and the<br />
morning concluded with a Parade, led<br />
by the pipes and drums of the 231st<br />
Glasgow Company.<br />
The weekend demonstrated that the<br />
Company is still alive and kicking and<br />
hopes to continue the good work in the<br />
Kelvindale area of Glasgow for many<br />
years to come.
Above left: The Company’s outstanding sports achievements were recently<br />
acknowledged when Newtownabbey Borough Council awarded them the Junior Team of<br />
the Year Award.<br />
Above right: Jonathan McMullan with his Formula Ford 1600 Van Diemen RF92<br />
16th Newtownabbey’s achievements<br />
Jonathan McMullan, 16th Newtownabbey, is making a name for himself in the racing<br />
world. He started Kart Racing when he was very young and at 16 he was Northern<br />
Ireland Karting Champion. Last year he moved up into Formula Ford 1600 Racing and<br />
is now racing against adults and teams with a lot of experience. Last year he managed<br />
to be on the front of the grid a number of times after practice but never managed to win<br />
a race. On Saturday 27 March 2010 Jonathan won the Northern Ireland Formula Ford<br />
1600 at Kirkistown Race Circuit, and at 17 years of age this is a great achievement.<br />
He will be racing in England later on in the year and hopes he may be spotted and<br />
hopefully one day race in Formula 1.<br />
Highland Battalion<br />
Golf Competition<br />
Pictured are the winners and runners<br />
up of the Highland Battalion Golf<br />
Competition held at Inverness Golf<br />
Club on 9th April 2010.<br />
1st Banff –<br />
Banffshire Battalion<br />
Parade<br />
Pictured is 1st Banff Company leading<br />
the Banffshire Battalion Parade in the<br />
coastal town of Macduff, Banffshire.<br />
Halifax Band<br />
Marches for Sport<br />
Relief<br />
The Halifax Boys’ Brigade/Girls’ Brigade<br />
Band marched a full lap of the Bradford<br />
Sport Relief event held at Lister Park on<br />
Sunday 21st March.<br />
5th Bromwich –<br />
President’s Badge<br />
At the Family Service on Sunday 11th<br />
April 2010, The Brigade Secretary,<br />
presented four President’s Badges to<br />
Robert Charlton, Adam Davey, Jake<br />
Henson and Alex Powell. The four<br />
have worked hard to achieve their<br />
President’s Badges and two of them,<br />
Jake and Alex, are now working<br />
towards their Queen’s Badge.<br />
25th Aberdeen<br />
Centenary<br />
A special service was held to mark the<br />
Centenary of the 25th Aberdeen.<br />
Co-operative<br />
Community Fund<br />
Saves Boys’ Brigade<br />
Competitions!<br />
The Halifax Battalion has recently<br />
received a grant from the Cooperation<br />
Community Fund to support its wide<br />
programme of activities.<br />
1st/2nd Milngavie<br />
Members of the 1st/2nd Milngavie Company recently paraded to St Luke’s Church<br />
for their end-of-session Service. Bill Stevenson, Director for Scotland, presented<br />
President’s Badges to Cpl Andrew Muirhead, L/Cpl Gordon Best and L/Cpl Jamie Short<br />
and Queen’s Badges to Cpl Calum Shields and Cpl Craig Thomson. The first King’s<br />
Badge was presented to a Milngavie Boy in 1914, and this was a special occasion<br />
as it was the first time that Queen’s Badges were presented to members of the<br />
amalgamated Company. Euan McKay, Captain of 1st/2nd Milngavie, congratulated<br />
the five boys who have worked very hard for their Badges over the past session.<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 89
HERE & THERE<br />
1st Yeovil Help for<br />
Heroes<br />
The Anchor Section of the 1st Yeovil<br />
Company came up with a brilliant<br />
idea that combined some craftwork<br />
with supporting the ‘Help for Heroes’<br />
campaign. The boys made and<br />
decorated small ‘Sentry’ money boxes<br />
that they gave out to the rest of the<br />
sections so the boys could fill their<br />
money boxes with loose change. The<br />
boys had the boxes for a month and then<br />
they were collected in for the sketch and<br />
award night held on the 31st March 2010.<br />
In total the boys raised £83.64 for Help<br />
the Heroes. The picture shows Richard<br />
Lupton, the regional co-ordinator for Help<br />
for Heroes, surrounded by the boys and<br />
their ‘sentry’ boxes.<br />
BBNI 7 a side Rugby Competition<br />
The Boys’ Brigade Northern Ireland District held its 7-a-side Rugby Competition on<br />
Saturday 8th May 2010, which took place at Omagh Rugby Club in County Tyrone. It<br />
was good to see Brian McLaughlin, Ulster Rugby Head Coach, supporting his local<br />
Boys’ Brigade Company, 1st Killinchy.<br />
The 7th Portadown won the Junior Competition and 1st Killinchy were runners-up.<br />
The 4th Portadown won the Senior Competition and 1st & 2nd Route were runners-up.<br />
1st Stevenston<br />
Christopher McColgan and Connor<br />
Shaw are the first boys in 22 years to<br />
be awarded President’s badges in the<br />
company.<br />
BB Canoe Club<br />
The BB Canoe Club held another<br />
successful training course at Glasshouses<br />
Mill, attended by officers and young<br />
people from across the country.<br />
Find out more at canoeclub.boysbrigade.org.uk<br />
Glasgow Battalion<br />
Eighty-six boys from Glasgow and<br />
surrounding areas attended the Glasgow<br />
Battalion Queen’s Badge Residential,<br />
which contained a session from<br />
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue on “Cut it<br />
Out”, a Young Driver road safety initiative,<br />
as well as a Heartstart emergency session.<br />
1st Romford<br />
1st Romford celebrated its Centenary<br />
with a parade service.<br />
90 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010<br />
32nd Nottingham<br />
Members of 32nd Nottingham who have<br />
achieved the Gold Standard of The Duke<br />
of Edinburgh’s Award.<br />
12th Newtownabbey<br />
At 12th Newtownabbey’s Display, Bradley<br />
couldn’t wait to start reading his new Bible.<br />
3rd Halesowen<br />
Company<br />
On Saturday 13th February, four boys<br />
from 3rd Halesowen Company took part<br />
in an organised sponsored silence in<br />
aid of the Haiti Earthquake Appeal and<br />
raised £202.<br />
Pictured are Max Allen, who suggested<br />
and organised the event and the three<br />
other boys who took part.
The Rocky Mountain Centre<br />
In the mid sixties Thomas Street Methodist had a thriving BB, GB and Youth Club.<br />
They also had a man of vision, the late Jimmy Twyble, who saw that this work could<br />
be expanded by providing a facility for daily or weekend trips to a totally different<br />
environment. With support from the Thomas Street congregation and members of the<br />
youth groups he bought two prefabs for £65, which were dismantled, transported and<br />
reassembled on a site among ten acres of woodland near the centre of the Western<br />
Mournes – the potential for adventure seemed limitless! The centre became known as<br />
‘Albert’s Hut’ after Albert McNally, Captain of 1st Portadown, who looked after bookings<br />
and maintenance.<br />
What had started as a short-term project became so successful that the church helped<br />
with a renovation scheme to improve the standard of accommodation and the centre was<br />
re-opened on 15th November, 1980 by Earl Johnston. After a few years, the Battalion<br />
took it over and the ‘hut’ was re-opened and renamed ‘The Rocky Mountain Centre’.<br />
The Centre was a success from the start and used by many BB, GB, Scouts, Youth<br />
Clubs, YMCA, D of E Award groups. In 2009 the Battalion applied for and received<br />
a grant from the Dept. of Education to update and improve the centre and so Jimmy<br />
Twyble’s dream lives on.<br />
1st Ardstraw<br />
1st Ardstraw had a successful session<br />
presenting 17 President’s Badges and<br />
also being runners up in the Under 15<br />
National 5-a-side Football.<br />
18th Worcester<br />
Park<br />
The 18th Worcester Park Company won<br />
the London District 3 Man Colour Party<br />
Competition.<br />
56th Belfast<br />
Pictured are members of the 56th Belfast Company receiving their trophies and medals<br />
for winning the football league and cup double. Presentations were made by Denis<br />
Marriott, Battalion Vice President, (on the left), and Michael Halliday, Glentoran Football<br />
Club, (on the right).<br />
Please send in your<br />
stories for inclusion in this<br />
section of the Gazette.<br />
We may on occasion<br />
forward these articles to<br />
Church denominational<br />
newspapers, but if you<br />
would rather we did not do<br />
this for whatever reason,<br />
please indicate when<br />
passing the item on to us.<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 91
Around the regions<br />
ENGLAND<br />
BB Breaks New Ground in<br />
Secondary School<br />
REPUBLIC<br />
OF IRELAND<br />
Anchors’<br />
Fun Day<br />
The Anchors’ Fun Day<br />
took place in Fort Lucan<br />
on the outskirts of Dublin<br />
on Saturday 8th May 2010.<br />
The Anchors created their<br />
own adventures as they<br />
discovered secret slides,<br />
climbing 40 foot towers<br />
and high walkways before<br />
zipping across the aerial<br />
runways and, of course,<br />
the dreaded water slide;<br />
just as well all had a<br />
change of clothes!<br />
The 3rd Bournemouth Boys’ Brigade Company started in<br />
April 2010. It is the first BB Company to run in a secondary<br />
school and has become part of the school’s extended services<br />
programme. The group meets at 3.30pm every Tuesday in the<br />
Bishop of Winchester School in Bournemouth and is run by<br />
teachers at the school, our Development worker in the area<br />
Sophie Zephirin and a team of volunteers.<br />
Working within the school is an excellent opportunity to explore<br />
new ways of ‘doing BB’. The group currently has ten Year 7<br />
students attending and the plan is to build on the founding<br />
members and offer the opportunity to Year 7 & 8 students<br />
from September.<br />
Most of those attending have said that they have never<br />
experienced anything like it before and attendance is excellent.<br />
Activities so far have included fencing, street dance, basic drill<br />
and team building.<br />
The Company is able to use all the school resources including<br />
the mini bus at no cost. In September the school will become<br />
an Academy and whilst this will impact on the current set up this<br />
will also benefit the Company through potential funding.<br />
The local Bible College, Moorlands, is considering making<br />
Bournemouth Battalion a placement for its BA in Youth<br />
and Community students.<br />
This is an exciting new piece of work and one that can be<br />
modeled in other schools both primary and secondary.<br />
Thanksgiving Services<br />
During the month of April, Services of Thanksgiving were held<br />
around the country in St. Mary’s Church, Baltinglass, Castro<br />
Petre Church, Edenderry and Killeshandra Parish Church,<br />
Killeshandra with many members, leaders, parents and friends<br />
attending. All were blessed with exceptionally fine weather. As is<br />
customary, the host Company provides refreshments for all after<br />
the Service and is an important part of the fellowship of the day.<br />
Could your Battalion set up a new Company in a school or explore<br />
new ways of being BB? If you would like to discuss starting up a<br />
new Company contact your Regional Director or a Development<br />
Worker in your area who will be pleased to assist you.<br />
92 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010
Around the regions<br />
WALES<br />
Easter Event helps start<br />
new company in Cardiff!<br />
The Boys’ Brigade hosted an Easter event for boys and girls<br />
between the ages of 5 and 11 at Pontprennau Community Church<br />
in Cardiff on 25th March as part of an initiative to establish a new<br />
company in the recently built residential estate where there are lots<br />
of young families but little or no Christian children’s and youth work.<br />
The event served as the inaugural meeting of the company, which<br />
now meets regularly.<br />
The event was a<br />
great opportunity to<br />
showcase BB activities<br />
and generate interest<br />
from the children<br />
and parents as well<br />
as give the new<br />
volunteers a chance<br />
to test their skills with<br />
support from some<br />
more experienced<br />
leaders. Minister of the Church, Margaret Crompton, said, “Our<br />
focus at Pontprennau Community Church has always been to offer<br />
opportunities for the development of the whole person in body,<br />
mind and spirit. With its mix of physical activities, crafts and fun,<br />
all firmly rooted in a Christian ethos, The Boys’ Brigade offers<br />
something unique for young people and we are excited by<br />
this development.”<br />
The company now has six Anchors and three trained leaders<br />
and is hoping to grow over the next few months with some<br />
targeted recruitment.<br />
Youth Work Conference<br />
builds on ‘Engage a<br />
Generation’ campaign<br />
The Boys’ Brigade in Wales held a Youth Work Conference<br />
on 25th March for all existing Company Chaplains as well<br />
as ministers and youth workers who might be interested to<br />
know more about our youth work model. The conference<br />
was a chance for ministers to think about the youth work<br />
at their churches, what they would like to see and how<br />
The Boys’ Brigade can support them in that vision as well<br />
as an opportunity to network with colleagues.<br />
It was a huge success with 23 delegates attending from<br />
a broad spectrum of denominations and areas of Wales.<br />
We were very fortunate to have as our key note speaker<br />
Nigel James, recently back from the US, who spoke on<br />
the importance of youth work and how it had helped him<br />
in his life. Two young BB members spoke about what they<br />
have gained from their time in the Brigade and what they<br />
plan to put back. The conference was a great opportunity<br />
to dispel some of the misconceptions that may still exist<br />
about The Boys’ Brigade and to engage with ministers<br />
and youth workers who may otherwise have not even<br />
considered BB at their churches.<br />
The feedback was very positive and there is a lot of<br />
follow up work to be done. We hope that the conference<br />
will become an annual event, both to support existing<br />
Chaplains and as part of our development strategy to<br />
start new companies.<br />
Scotland<br />
Cross<br />
Country<br />
If you were a good runner<br />
and in the BB in Scotland,<br />
Edinburgh was the place to be<br />
on 20th March. The National<br />
Cross Country Championships<br />
were hosted by the Edinburgh,<br />
Leith and District Battalion. A<br />
challenging course was planned,<br />
located at the Mary Erskine<br />
Sports Centre at Ravelston.<br />
Most of the Battalions in Scotland<br />
were represented and we were<br />
blessed with great weather.<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 93
Around the regions<br />
Scotland continued<br />
West of Scotland Gathering of<br />
Battalions<br />
Eight Battalions from the West of Scotland were represented for an afternoon event at<br />
the home of 1st Largs on March 28th. Various development issues were discussed but<br />
the main focus was on strengthening the work of the BB in this part of the UK. There<br />
were reports of how the Battalions had been involved in Company Support and this led<br />
to a discussion on what role Battalions and healthier Companies could play in supporting<br />
struggling ones. A considerable part of the Gathering centred on how we can start or<br />
restart Companies. We looked at ways to improve our ‘Engage a Generation’ message<br />
to churches and plan to hold a conference on this in the autumn. In the informal<br />
atmosphere it was good to share ideas on taking The Boy’s Brigade forward.<br />
Healthier<br />
Scotland<br />
The Brigade in Scotland has recently<br />
received a grant of £30K from NHS<br />
Scotland. The money will be used<br />
to commission new programme<br />
materials with a health theme, and<br />
to raise awareness among young<br />
people of health related conditions.<br />
It is anticipated that a number of<br />
pilot projects will be run over the<br />
Autumn with a view to publishing<br />
new materials in 2011.<br />
Scottish Bands Contest<br />
The Scottish Bands Contest on Saturday 13th March was a<br />
great success. An audience of around 500 people watched<br />
some excellent bands from across Scotland compete at the<br />
Caird Hall in Dundee. Chief Guests included the Lord Provost<br />
of Dundee and the Lord Lieutenant of Angus – Mrs G Osborne.<br />
Thanks are extended to all the members of Dundee and<br />
Angus Battalion who volunteered to help and who made it<br />
such a great event.<br />
The 1st Troon and 1st Tulliallan took the honours in the<br />
Championship Classes.<br />
Cash Back<br />
Young people across Scotland are set to benefit following the launch of a<br />
£500,000 fund aimed at increasing the provision of positive activities available<br />
to them through local youth groups.<br />
Under the latest strand of the Scottish Government’s CashBack for<br />
Communities initiative, funds recovered from criminal activity will be used<br />
to help new local volunteer-led youth groups to get off the ground and to<br />
enhance the activities on offer to young people through existing groups.<br />
Speaking at the launch, Scottish Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill MSP said:<br />
“This is a perfect example of bad money being used for good purposes, by<br />
turning cash seized from crooks into funds supporting the work of six very<br />
deserving youth organisations. I’m pleased this money can be put towards<br />
more great projects to benefit young people across Scotland.”<br />
The Brigade is one of the partners running the scheme along with the Scouts<br />
Scotland, Girlguiding Scotland, Girls’ Brigade Scotland, Clubs for Young<br />
People (Scotland) and Youth Scotland. Any groups who are members of these<br />
organisations are able to apply for up to £1000 to help with start-up costs, or<br />
£2000 to support particular programmes of activity for young people, primarily<br />
those aged between 10 and 19 years.<br />
More information and application forms for the scheme are available on the<br />
BB Scotland website, or if you would like more information please contact<br />
Anne Dickson at BB HQ or e-mail cashback@boys-brigade.org.uk.<br />
Amazing Things<br />
BB Scotland has been heavily involved in<br />
the production of Amazing Things 2. A joint<br />
venture by the Scottish Awards Network,<br />
this publication gives employers and other<br />
interested parties a guide to the various<br />
award schemes being run by voluntary<br />
organisations in Scotland. Full details can<br />
be found at http://www.youthscotland.org.<br />
uk/projects/volunteer-action-plan/amazingthings.htm<br />
Margaret Bannatyne<br />
After over 40 years loyal service to the Brigade<br />
Margaret Bannatyne retired on Friday 23 April.<br />
Margaret spent her whole working life employed<br />
by the Brigade and has been responsible for<br />
booking hundreds of people on to training<br />
courses at Carronvale House. She helped in so<br />
many different ways with the administration and<br />
the organisation of special events and countless<br />
other tasks.<br />
94 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010
International Junior Section<br />
Team Games 2010<br />
There were 150 entries into this year’s competition from around the world including Australia,<br />
Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Malaysia, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.<br />
The top ten were as follows:<br />
Placing Company Region Total Points<br />
1st 1st Yeovil England 812<br />
2nd 1st Stevenston Scotland 792<br />
3rd 8th Leicester England 785<br />
4th 1st Templepatrick Northern Ireland 771<br />
5th 1st Weston Super Mare England 761<br />
6th 10th Wolverhampton A England 760<br />
7th 3rd Kilkeel A Northern Ireland 754<br />
8th 3rd Kilkeel B Northern Ireland 748<br />
9th 6th Brisbane Australia 718<br />
10th 132nd Campbelltown A Australia 697<br />
Full results can be found on the BB Website at www.boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
Top Team Challenge 2010<br />
There were 178 entries into this year’s competition, well done to all those that entered.<br />
The top ten were as follows:<br />
Placing Company Region Total Points<br />
1st 1st Yeovil B England 873<br />
2nd 1st Cumnock A Scotland 854<br />
3rd 8th Newtownards A Northern Ireland 852<br />
4th 1st Cumnock B Scotland 846<br />
5th 1st Waterloovile B England 845<br />
6th 10th Liverpool A England 840<br />
7th 3rd Bromley A England 838<br />
8th 1st Yeovil A England 804<br />
9th 10th Wolverhampton C England 798<br />
10th 101st Glasgow Scotland 795<br />
Full results can be found on the BB Website at www.boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
Details of the 2011 Top Team Challenge will be sent out with the October 2010 Gazette.<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 95
Pastor Alan Stevens had just returned<br />
from a fact finding and teaching trip<br />
to Southern India<br />
79th<br />
Belfast<br />
takes<br />
soccer<br />
to<br />
India<br />
96 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010<br />
While there he had visited the<br />
Boys Haven Orphanage near<br />
the village of Paippad, Kerala<br />
State and thought that the Belfast<br />
Battalion Grassroots Development<br />
Soccer School, also known as<br />
the 79th B4Sport Soccer School<br />
concept, would be of great benefit<br />
to the boys in the home. My initial<br />
reaction was “I can’t afford the<br />
time or money to go to India!”<br />
Having established and managed<br />
a grassroots soccer development<br />
programme in Belfast for the boys in<br />
my Company and the Battalion aged 6-16 over the past six years, I suppose<br />
the connection was obvious to him and the more I thought about this challenge<br />
the more the idea started to take hold.<br />
So by the end of the Summer and six months of fundraising I was ready to run<br />
the first soccer school at the Boys Haven during February this year. Thanks to the<br />
generosity of friends and colleagues the trip was funded and I was able to take a<br />
fully equipped soccer school to Paippad complete with balls, goal nets, bibs and all<br />
the training gear associated with such an enterprise. Thanks to help from the airlines<br />
I even managed to get it all there free of charge – a total of around 50 kilos in kit!<br />
The boys at the orphanage have next to no possessions – a bed, a Bible, a cup,<br />
and a plate, the clothes they stand up in and a Sunday outfit. Yet they are the lucky<br />
ones. There are some estimated 20 million orphaned or homeless Indian children.<br />
The 80 boys at Paippad are well fed, have a safe and loving environment to grow<br />
up in a well run home and are provided with an education through the New India<br />
Evangelistic Association, which runs the establishment and funds their schooling.<br />
From donations of unwanted kids soccer kits, we were able to give each boy<br />
a replica kit and the look on their faces just had to be seen to be believed. Their<br />
excitement reached ‘ballistic’ levels when we produced the football equipment.<br />
The week of coaching in 30 degree temperatures concluded with a world cup<br />
tournament among the various age groups.<br />
Our mission there was a simple brief – to take some excitement and enhance<br />
the quality of their lives by playing football and teaching them English through<br />
Bible classes along the way. Hopefully, a lasting relationship with the Orphanage<br />
was established that will open doors to further development opportunities in the<br />
years ahead. NIEA run 20 boys’ and girls’ orphanages across India, caring for<br />
around 850 kids at present.<br />
The experience enriched my life in many ways and as a result I would like to help<br />
to provide further help to Paippad, short term and long term. It would be great to set<br />
up an education bursary to support young people who wish to take further education<br />
in the neighbouring New India<br />
Bible Seminary when they reach<br />
15 years of age. Through this<br />
excellent institution NIEA train<br />
up young people to work as<br />
evangelists throughout India<br />
and neighbouring countries.<br />
My heartfelt thanks go to the<br />
generosity and compassion of<br />
all my colleagues and friends<br />
in Belfast Battalion who<br />
supported this project.<br />
Eamonn McCoy<br />
79th Belfast
QUEEN’S BADGE<br />
ACHIEVEMENTS<br />
From right: Guide Dog Puppy Ryley, Barbara Brodie<br />
and Ally Taylor of the Guide Dogs accepting the<br />
cheque for £2,736 from Ross Knight, Jed Smith,<br />
Gavin Addison and Andrew MacCallum of the<br />
1st Carnoustie Boys’ Brigade..<br />
As part of his Queen’s Badge Community Service,<br />
Ross Knight of 1st Carnoustie Company, together<br />
with other seniors, decided to assist the Guide<br />
Dogs for the Blind Association. They helped in the<br />
Association’s week-long charity shop fundraising in<br />
Carnoustie, by raising £1,700.<br />
Ross, who was recently crowned Scottish Solo Brass<br />
Champion in both the open and slow melody sections,<br />
organised a follow on concert of music from some of the<br />
best young brass players in Scotland, known as ‘Blazin’<br />
Brass’. Tickets were in high demand and the sell out<br />
audience who packed Carnoustie Parish Church were<br />
treated to an evening of dazzling musical entertainment.<br />
As well as Ross, ‘Blazin Brass’ ensemble comprises<br />
younger sister, Sarah, brother Craig, Joe, Scott Ness,<br />
Matthew Buchan and Gregory Chaplain The concert<br />
raised a further £2,736 for Guide Dogs.<br />
Ross, who later presented cheque for £2,736 to Ally Taylor<br />
and Barbara Brodie of the Dundee Fundraising Branch of<br />
the Guide Dogs said, “Achieving my Queen’s Badge in The<br />
Boys’ Brigade is the culmination of thirteen years’ service<br />
and I am delighted that we were able to raise so much<br />
money for the Guide Dogs.”<br />
Ally Taylor replied “I cannot praise Ross highly enough<br />
for what he has achieved this far in his young life. We have<br />
no doubt whatsoever that Ross has the talent and ability to<br />
reach the highest levels. We are grateful to him and his<br />
fellow musicians and the 1st Carnoustie Boys’ Brigade for<br />
giving so much of their time and effort and for raising this<br />
fantastic amount for Guide Dogs.”<br />
We would welcome stories of other initiatives of young<br />
people working for their Queen’s Badge.<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 97
3rd<br />
Gourock<br />
Cancer<br />
Care<br />
Charity<br />
Ball<br />
On Saturday 26 September<br />
250 guests descended on<br />
Greenock Town Hall for what<br />
turned out to be a fabulous evening<br />
at the 3rd Gourock Company’s<br />
Breast Cancer Care Charity Ball<br />
– fabulous in that it was a most<br />
enjoyable event and fabulous in<br />
that it raised £16,000 for a most<br />
worthy charity.<br />
In the Autumn of 2008 we were<br />
reminded of just how breast cancer<br />
can affect anyone at any time. We all<br />
live with the threat that a family member<br />
or friend may be diagnosed with the<br />
disease when we least expect it.<br />
Some of our senior boys and a young<br />
member of Company staff suggested<br />
that the 3rd Gourock should do<br />
something to raise funds for the Breast<br />
Cancer Care Charity. Rather naively<br />
we thought that we could arrange a<br />
fundraising dinner within four months<br />
and promptly set about booking<br />
Greenock Town Hall for Saturday 25<br />
March. We soon learned from voices<br />
of experience that March was too<br />
ambitious! The next available date at<br />
the Town Hall was 26 September, so,<br />
26 September it had to be.<br />
At first we set ourselves what we<br />
98 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010<br />
thought was an ambitious target figure<br />
of £5,000. The target was very quickly<br />
raised when we received our first<br />
donation of £3,000! On the night our<br />
silent auction target figure was doubled!<br />
The incredible generosity shown by<br />
everyone was very humbling.<br />
At the Town Hall we had contact with a<br />
number of ladies, who had had cancer<br />
and were keen to talk about their own<br />
experiences of breast cancer. One<br />
lady in particular was so grateful for<br />
...Our senior boys<br />
grafted solidly<br />
for eight hours<br />
as cloakroom<br />
attendants, waiters,<br />
dishwashers...the<br />
dishwashing did<br />
not end until 2am!<br />
what we were doing she said “... the<br />
advancement made in the treatment of<br />
the disease has been incredible and it is<br />
only through fundraising events like this<br />
that it has been possible. Please take<br />
every opportunity you can to promote<br />
the charity as every penny they receive<br />
is so very well spent.”<br />
On the night we declared a total<br />
of £14,000 figure, but this grew to a<br />
staggering £16,000 in the following days.<br />
We can only hope and pray that our<br />
contribution to the charity will further<br />
help the advances in treatment and,<br />
who knows, ultimately help find the<br />
elusive cure which has exercised the<br />
minds of scientists for years.<br />
Our senior boys were a credit to<br />
themselves, their parents and the 3rd<br />
Gourock as they grafted solidly for<br />
eight hours as cloakroom attendants,<br />
waiters, dishwashers and general<br />
‘goffers’. The dishwashing did not end<br />
until 2am. There were so many people<br />
involved both directly and indirectly,<br />
from within our Church and without,<br />
from near and afar. We are extremely<br />
grateful to all who contributed to the<br />
success of the Ball.<br />
Bill Main<br />
Company Captain
Impact<br />
Gap Year<br />
Impact has been a great year out, taking me about<br />
165 miles from my home in Bournemouth to Witham,<br />
in the middle of Essex. BB has always been a major<br />
part of my life since I joined 2nd Bournemouth about<br />
nine years ago, so the idea of doing a gap year in the<br />
BB was an easy decision.<br />
To start with, it was rather daunting. Going to a new<br />
place where I did not know anyone plus the fact that<br />
I was going to stay with a family of the church for<br />
a year did have me worried. Soon enough though,<br />
I quickly found myself sinking into my new life in<br />
Witham, planning, running and devising new games,<br />
evenings and ideas through all sections of Brigade.<br />
My main reason for actually taking the year out<br />
was because of Firm Foundations last year. I had<br />
never been before, but in February I found myself<br />
wanting to go but not really knowing why. When it<br />
came round to FF I had an awesome time and felt<br />
reconnected with God after about a year of what<br />
felt like mostly silence.<br />
After the festival I was on the FF website looking<br />
for pictures and I stumbled on the BB website where<br />
I found a link about the gap year. After a night’s sleep<br />
and a continual mental poke in my head about going<br />
on it, I came to the conclusion that God wanted me to<br />
take this gap year, so I sent an e-mail thinking nothing<br />
more about it. Incredibly quickly, Phil Lund (the weird<br />
guy who organises the gap year (!) emailed me back<br />
telling me about 2nd Witham. After a day visit, where<br />
I went to the Junior Section and got rather wet at a<br />
water games evening, I decided to join.<br />
So far the year has been awesome! I have had<br />
a chance to play a major role in each part of the<br />
Brigade which has allowed me to understand (and<br />
adapt) the dynamics of BB. I have also managed to<br />
make new (and a few unexpected) friendships with<br />
many of the 100 plus boys at 2nd Witham as well<br />
as other Companies that I have bumped into along<br />
the year. This, in fact, has led into me taking a small<br />
group of seniors to Firm Foundations this year.<br />
The Impact gap year is not just an awesome year<br />
out from studies, but also the ultimate BB leader<br />
training programme. When moving from senior to<br />
leader it is far too easy to be caught up as a “young<br />
leader” where you are never really treated like a<br />
leader but more like a senior. In Impact you join a<br />
new Company and they only know you as a leader.<br />
This has meant that I have been able to take a much<br />
more active role in becoming and being a leader,<br />
leaving my senior days in the past. As a “new leader”<br />
(not “young leader”) at 2nd Witham, I have taken a<br />
large role in the sections, including but not limited<br />
to: running story time with the Anchors, badge work<br />
with Juniors and making computer games with the<br />
Company Section and even organising and running<br />
a new senior programme.<br />
Impact has also given me new opportunities<br />
through my new Company such as: rock climbing,<br />
power boating, spending a night in a “secret”<br />
nuclear bunker, running assemblies to increase<br />
awareness of the BB, taking seniors to the Cenotaph<br />
Remembrance Day march, going to a Rotary Club<br />
lunch (scary stuff) as well as giving me time to<br />
work on Youth and Play work NVQs and my Youth<br />
Leadership Training.<br />
So in conclusion, Impact is a year well worth<br />
taking before moving on to university or work. If not<br />
for the new skills to learn or for the new opportunities<br />
or even the links you can make between your current<br />
and new Company, it is worth doing before you<br />
start working.<br />
Declan Rogers<br />
Impact<br />
is a year<br />
well worth<br />
taking<br />
before<br />
moving<br />
on to<br />
university<br />
or work<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 99
TONGUES LIKE FLAMES OF FIRE<br />
(Acts ch.2 vs.1-6, 14-21, 40-41) by Very Rev. Prof. Alan Main<br />
ome years ago now there was a rather fearsome<br />
television programme about a forest fire in America.<br />
It was just one among several fires to start that year<br />
in the Americas, but this one burned for something in excess<br />
of six weeks, raging on completely out of control despite the<br />
best efforts of large teams of fire fighters and equipment to<br />
stop its advance. In the end it had consumed enough timber<br />
to keep three large pulp mills going for five years, and all<br />
from very small beginnings, just one tongue of flame.<br />
The programme itself was fascinating. It spoke volumes<br />
about the sheer raw power of nature and the puny<br />
insignificance of mankind when we attempt to deal with<br />
the elements. But what impressed me most, sitting there<br />
watching it, was that this vast inferno of such colossal power<br />
must have started from a mere nothing, a spark, a cigarette<br />
end, a match, just one tongue of flame.<br />
It reminded me of the passage in the second chapter of<br />
the Book of Acts about the gift of the power of the Holy Spirit<br />
to the first followers of Jesus as they cowered fearfully in that<br />
Upper Room. These, remember, were the men who were<br />
beaten, who had seen their leader brutally executed and<br />
all their hopes die with him. And now they themselves were<br />
hunted and they feared for their own safety. Scarcely promising<br />
material, you might think, for the launching of a campaign that<br />
would change the whole course of history. And yet, from the<br />
day of Pentecost, that day in the Upper Room, that’s exactly<br />
what happened. From the one tongue of flame these first few<br />
became hundreds, then thousands, and finally a church which<br />
could count its people in millions. And it all happened, in terms<br />
of history, in a very short time, just like a forest fire.<br />
Oh the powers that have tried down the ages to stamp<br />
it out; the Romans, Goths, Huns, right on to today’s<br />
monolithic communist powers. But<br />
these have achieved little, for even<br />
under persecution and sometimes<br />
savage repression, the church survived,<br />
is surviving and is on the march again,<br />
particularly and especially in the<br />
developing world, in the power of an<br />
idea, an ideal which is unstoppable.<br />
You cannot kill belief with a sword. The Gospels refer to it<br />
as the little lump of yeast which ultimately leavens the whole<br />
heap of flour. And all from tiny beginnings, just the one<br />
tongue of flame.<br />
Now, as you read on you may be thinking that it is all very<br />
well to talk about the history of the past, but what about this<br />
so called Christian nation now? It doesn’t seem to be showing<br />
much sign of the outbreak of a renewed forest of fire of faith;<br />
rather the reverse. We are so often like people who believe<br />
themselves to be the experts, blinded by our technology<br />
into thinking that we are in control of our own destiny. We<br />
may believe it, but it just isn’t so. However much we may be<br />
tempted to deny it there is a spiritual dimension to life which<br />
we ignore at our peril. We may kid ourselves that it isn’t there,<br />
but, like fire, it is always still there, sometimes hidden but<br />
ready to break out, perhaps when we least expect it.<br />
A whole movement began in that Upper Room long ago,<br />
which all the power of mankind has not been able to quench.<br />
Doesn’t it seem to you like sense to take something like that<br />
seriously? If it had come out of the deranged wanderings of<br />
a mere human mind it would have died long ago, like the<br />
other great empires of the earth, and that would have been<br />
that, but it hasn’t and it won’t, for that which comes from<br />
God in the power of the Spirit has its roots in eternity.<br />
100 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010
FDF National Camp 2011<br />
FDF.dk/landslejr<br />
Foto: Thomas H. Nielsen<br />
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Global Fellowship:<br />
South Africa is more than football<br />
Global Fellowship (represented by Kevin<br />
McCollough and Leif Rasmussen) has visited<br />
BB South Africa. On this trip we met the leader<br />
of the Battalion in Johannesburg, Chune Hohip.<br />
His vision for BB Johannesburg was so creative that leaders<br />
in other countries could be inspired by his dynamic way of<br />
working with BB. Hopefully, the following interview can inspire<br />
and motivate officers in the UK as well. During the last eight<br />
years Chune Hohip has started a new company each year,<br />
in poor areas in Soweto, Johannesburg.<br />
Global Fellowship: Please tell more about how you do this.<br />
Chune: Firstly, we look at the need and look at the area,<br />
and once we have identified churches with the need we<br />
then approach the minister of the church to explain what<br />
The Boys´ Brigade is all about.<br />
We provide materials, power-points and photos. Once they<br />
have understood what we stand for, we ask the minister to<br />
set up a meeting with the church council where we do the<br />
same presentation.<br />
The church identifies some leaders/officers for us and for<br />
the next month we start training the new leaders.<br />
When we are happy with the standard of the officers, we invite<br />
the Battalion to the area for a parade and church service.<br />
We have six companies with bands. Each company starts<br />
marching from different corners of the area. During the march<br />
we hand out thousands of leaflets advertising the fact that<br />
Boys´ Brigade – a Christian Youth movement - has moved<br />
into the area. We also inform about the day and the date.<br />
When the day arrives, at least 30 children will meet, and<br />
we introduce the boys to our activities and award scheme.<br />
After the introduction our next meeting will be a hike.<br />
Global Fellowship: How do you train the leaders?<br />
Chune: I train them four Saturdays before we even plan the<br />
first evening. On the first evening I will be with the officers<br />
and will be with them for the next year, until the first enrolment<br />
service. Then I move on to the next company, but I will<br />
continue to turn up every now and then.<br />
The picture shows Chune Hohip on the right shaking hands<br />
102 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010
PRESIDENT’S COMMENDATION – DAVID HEYBURN<br />
David Heyburn of the 1 st Raffrey Company was presented<br />
with the President’s Commendation by Perry Donaldson,<br />
Brigade Vice President on 12 th March 2010.<br />
This commendation was presented to David for the courage he has<br />
shown despite his health difficulties. David joined the Company as an<br />
Anchor Boy and has seldom been absent in 14 years. He joins in every<br />
activity to the best of his ability and over the years he has grown in<br />
confidence to become the young man he is today.<br />
David has been a loyal and dedicated member of the 1 st Raffrey<br />
Company. His efforts, achievements and loyalty have remained<br />
constant and his positive, cheerful attitude and enthusiasm is an<br />
inspiration to all who know him. He is a credit to himself and his<br />
family and the Brigade is proud to have him as a member.<br />
Photo: Mrs Diane Heyburn (Mother),<br />
Mr David Heyburn (Father),<br />
David Heyburn, Mr Perry Donaldson,<br />
Brigade Vice President,<br />
Miss Rebekah Heyburn (Sister)<br />
PRESIDENT’S COMMENDATION – REECE SUFFERIN<br />
Reece Sufferin of the 2 nd Limavady Company was<br />
presented with the President’s Commendation by<br />
David Kennedy MBE, Brigade Honorary Vice President<br />
on 23 rd April 2010.<br />
This commendation was presented to Reece for his brave<br />
actions when trapped in a cave he was exploring with his best<br />
friend, Matthew Forsythe. They were trapped by a rising tide for<br />
around five hours and were up to their chests in water by the time a<br />
member of the local lifeboat crew swam into the cave to find them.<br />
As only one boy could be rescued at a time they were asked<br />
who would leave first. Reece asked that his friend be rescued as<br />
Matthew suffers from a nut allergy and shock could have set in at<br />
any time, which could prove fatal. The rising tide meant that only<br />
one further rescue attempt was possible.<br />
Reece is commended for his selfless bravery in the face of danger.<br />
He is a credit to himself and his family and The Boys’ Brigade is<br />
proud to have him as a member.<br />
PRESIDENT’S COMMENDATION – Lachlan Carter<br />
Lachlan Carter of the 1st Bearsden Company<br />
was presented with the President’s<br />
Commendation by Mrs Janice Dando,<br />
Brigade Vice President on 7th May 2010.<br />
This commendation was presented to Lachlan who<br />
has Asperger’s Syndrome for the loyalty and dedication<br />
he has shown to the Company since joining in 2004. He<br />
has attended camp every year and also joined the trip to<br />
Wisconsin in 2008 and very much enjoyed the experience.<br />
He has represented the Company at swimming and<br />
cross country and has also represented the Battalion<br />
at the Scottish National Cross Country. Lachlan<br />
also gained his President’s Badge in 2008 and was<br />
awarded his Queen’s Badge on the night he received<br />
his commendation. Lachlan’s positive attitude is an<br />
inspiration to all other members of the Company and<br />
he is a credit to himself and his family and the Brigade<br />
is proud to have him as a member.<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 103
OBITUARIES<br />
We pay tribute to BB members who<br />
have died during the last few months<br />
and thank God for their faithful<br />
service to the Brigade and church<br />
and their witness in the community.<br />
JIM GRAHAM, BRIGADE HONORARY<br />
VICE PRESIDENT, joined the 13th<br />
Paisley Company in 1926 as a boy<br />
and was registered as an officer in<br />
1932. He later became Captain. He<br />
served as Training Officer, Battalion<br />
Treasurer, Battalion Secretary and<br />
Battalion President. In addition to his<br />
Battalion commitments, Jim served on<br />
the National Life Boy Committee and<br />
on the National Executive of The Boys’<br />
Brigade. Jim also served his Church<br />
and Congregation as Session Clerk<br />
for almost 50 years. We give thanks to<br />
God for Jim’s constant commitment to<br />
the Church and to The Boys’ Brigade.<br />
FRANK SMITH MBE (82) BRIGADE<br />
HONORARY VICE PRESIDENT, joined<br />
the 25th West Middlesex Company<br />
at Hammersmith as a boy and was<br />
eventually appointed a Lieutenant.<br />
When he moved to Kent he became<br />
involved with Tunbridge Wells,<br />
Tonbridge & District Group (later<br />
Battalion) serving as the Secretary.<br />
Following a Battalion amalgamation<br />
in 1975 he became a Vice President<br />
of North West Kent Battalion and,<br />
two years later, its President. Later,<br />
for a while he was Secretary of<br />
South Midland District. He was also<br />
appointed President of London District<br />
and chairman of the Felden Lodge<br />
Development Group, which raised<br />
funds for the new accommodation<br />
block. Nobody who met Frank could<br />
ever doubt his deep Christian faith.<br />
JIM SIMPSON, (74) joined the<br />
company at St Matthews, Bootle, at<br />
the age of 12 and continued until he<br />
served in the Army at 18, in the medical<br />
corps and had the duty of nursing<br />
General Field Marshall Von-Kessellring,<br />
a prisoner of war who had been in<br />
charge of the German Air Force. Jim<br />
rejoined the BB on completion of his<br />
National Service and in 1982 moved to<br />
Rainford and joined the 1st Rainford<br />
Company where he helped with<br />
physical training and taught drumming.<br />
Jim will be remembered for his quiet<br />
attitude and his beaming smile.<br />
MRS PAT KERR was the officer in<br />
charge of the Life Boy Team of the<br />
10th Hounslow Company, which<br />
was founded by her husband, the<br />
late Jack Kerr. Pat and her husband<br />
organised the camp site at<br />
Woolacombe, North Devon, for<br />
many years. She will be missed for<br />
her dedication to the company.<br />
MICHAEL MORREY (61) joined the<br />
Life Boys at Warley Baptist Church<br />
and continued through the ranks to<br />
become an officer of the former 8th<br />
South Staffs / 3rd Warley Company.<br />
He served the Company for over 50<br />
years, 23 years as Captain. Mike<br />
was one of the founders of the 3rd<br />
Warley project camp, providing<br />
annual summer camps for thousands<br />
of young people over the last three<br />
decades. Mike was an inspiration to<br />
all who knew him and lived out his<br />
Christian faith with a servant heart.<br />
ROBERT J M BAILLIE (88) joined<br />
the Life Boys then the Company of the<br />
203rd Glasgow in Pollockshaws. He<br />
also served in the 20th Glasgow. He<br />
gained his Kings Badge and became<br />
a lieutenant, taking charge of the<br />
Life Boys. After serving in the RAF<br />
as a Flight Lieutenant, he returned to<br />
Glasgow. In 1967 he was appointed<br />
Captain of the lst Alexandra Company.<br />
Bob was an Elder and a long standing<br />
member of the Communication Team.<br />
Bob became the National Competitions<br />
Co-ordinator for The Boys’ Brigade<br />
in Scotland and in this role he was<br />
greatly respected throughout Scotland<br />
and the U.K. Bob was also involved in<br />
Queen’s Badge courses in Scotland.<br />
Many will be grateful for his influence<br />
on their lives.<br />
IVAN MARSHALL spent 44 years<br />
in the BB. He joined the 1st Caledon<br />
Company in 1959 and rose through<br />
the ranks, gaining the Queen’s Badge<br />
and becoming Captain, a position he<br />
held for 33 years. He built the company<br />
up, starting a Junior Section in 1971<br />
and a ‘Robins’ Section in 1980. He<br />
was known for his skill at drill and the<br />
company won the Northern Ireland<br />
Drill competition in 1984. He was on<br />
the Battalion Executive, was Battalion<br />
President and judge for the NI District<br />
Drill Competitions. He led by example<br />
and those who served with him will<br />
remember his great leadership skills,<br />
his concern for them and his great<br />
love for the BB.<br />
CYRYL ISAAC (86) began his BB<br />
career as a Lifeboy in the 6th South<br />
Shields Company. He enrolled in the<br />
15th South Shields Company in 1947<br />
and took over the captaincy in 1963, a<br />
post which he held until 1982, stepping<br />
down to the rank of Lieutenant until his<br />
retirement in 1983. Former and current<br />
members of the 15th are indebted to<br />
Cyril for his leadership, dedication<br />
and friendship over the years.<br />
TurnaBBout<br />
The Falkirk & District Battalion<br />
staged their fourth TurnaBBout<br />
Event on 19th March 2010<br />
The Battalion Event is for all sections<br />
and it replaces various church services<br />
during a session in this ‘one off’ ‘Service’<br />
with a completely different approach in<br />
the hope of ‘Turning About’ the attitude<br />
of boys to more conventional services,<br />
which were attracting fewer and fewer<br />
boys. Whereas conventional services<br />
were attended by about 150 boys,<br />
TurnaBBout over the last four years<br />
has averaged over 500.<br />
This year, after a welcome by the<br />
Battalion President, the Battalion Colours<br />
were piped into Zetland Church in<br />
Grangemouth and the ‘show’ began.<br />
The Glasgow Gospel Choir led the<br />
evening with boys enthusiastically<br />
singing along, especially during a<br />
‘teach-in’ part of the performance. Mara<br />
Menzies, a story teller from the Church<br />
of Scotland Netherbow Centre, engaged<br />
the younger boys in an interactive story<br />
session and Jean Brogan Glen, star of<br />
the TV Series ‘River City’, gave her own<br />
personal Christian testimony particularly<br />
aimed at the older age group. Three<br />
junior boys then led the battalion in an<br />
‘eye-open Prayer-Point’ presentation<br />
along with accompanying meditational<br />
music. The choir raised the roof in the<br />
finale with singing and participation,<br />
which will long be remembered by all<br />
those present who left with the loud<br />
strains more associated with a popconcert<br />
ringing in their ears.<br />
104 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010
News • News • News<br />
Attendees at the Annual Council Meeting in Bromley<br />
The Federation’s Annual Council Meeting was held<br />
at Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, Kent over the<br />
weekend 21st – 23rd May. All enjoyed a marvellous<br />
weekend of BB Fellowship with visitors from<br />
many Associations. During the Council Meeting<br />
the following were confirmed to serve on the<br />
Management Committee.<br />
Chairman<br />
Vice Chairman<br />
Hon Secretary<br />
Hon Treasurer<br />
Publicity<br />
Editor FedNews<br />
Extension<br />
Eric Chilton<br />
John Bates<br />
Phillip Stallard<br />
Peter Parkin<br />
Philip Daley<br />
Ron Adshead<br />
Paul Juby<br />
After lunch on Saturday, we enjoyed a visit to<br />
Hall Place, Bexley, a fabulous historic house and<br />
gardens. The Mayor of Bexley welcomed the group<br />
and the Pacemakers entertained us on the lawn.<br />
On Sunday there was a Parade Service to URC<br />
Freelands Road, Bromley. Bromley Battalion along<br />
with the Stedfast Association participated in the<br />
Parade and the Service.<br />
During the business meeting on the Saturday<br />
morning, George Holkham and John Donoghue,<br />
presented an outline of the details covering the<br />
location, venue, programme and date for the next<br />
Annual Council Meeting, which takes place in<br />
Eastbourne 2011, at the invitation of the Brighton<br />
and Hove District Stedfast Association, at the Albany<br />
Lions Hotel, on Friday 20th May to Sunday 22nd<br />
May 2011.<br />
If you would like to contribute anything for future<br />
columns, please contact<br />
Philip Daley, The Stedfast Association, Unit C1<br />
Nutgrove Office Park, Nutgrove Avenue,<br />
Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 or email boysbrigade@<br />
eircom.net or telephone +353 (1) 296 4622.<br />
Anchor Boys’ Fun Day at Pollok Park, Glasgow<br />
On Saturday 6th March,<br />
around 140 Anchor Boys<br />
from 13 Glasgow Companies<br />
descended on the Riverside Field at<br />
Pollok Country Park (Europe’s Best<br />
Park 2008) for what was to be a day<br />
packed full of fun.<br />
From 10.00am until 3.00pm the boys<br />
took part in Bug Hunting (provided by<br />
the Park Rangers service), treasure hunt,<br />
welly throwing competition, face painting,<br />
obstacle course and sports day, which<br />
included an egg and spoon race, sack<br />
and beanbag race and football.<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 105
SMALL ADS<br />
Small Advertisements Copy to BBHQ, Felden Lodge, Hemel Hempstead, Herts. HP3 0BL. The Boys’ Brigade takes no responsibility<br />
for statements made in any advertisements here or elsewhere in the BB Gazette. Advertisements for the October 2010 issue should be<br />
received not later than 1st August 2010. The cost is 20p per word.<br />
Approved Campsites<br />
The following sites have been officially<br />
approved, having met Guidelines laid<br />
down by the Brigade, and local Fire and<br />
Public Health Authorities.<br />
AUCHENGILLAN OUTDOOR CENTRE<br />
offers a choice of camping areas and modern<br />
indoor accommodation in an unrivalled setting<br />
in the central Scottish Highlands near to Loch<br />
Lomond. Visiting groups can undertake an<br />
extensive range of challenging and adventurous<br />
activities (on-and off-site) and there are lots of<br />
places of interest to visit close by. Free colour<br />
brochure available from Auchengillan Outdoor<br />
Centre, Blanefield, Stirlingshire G63 9AU.<br />
Tel: 01360 770256; Fax: 01360 771197;<br />
E-mail: centre@auchengillan.com<br />
Website: www.auchengillan.com<br />
FELDEN LODGE CAMPSITE 2011/2012.<br />
BB canvas campsite (operated by 10th Enfield)<br />
fully equipped for up to 70 (smaller camps<br />
welcome) at the BBUK HQ in Hertfordshire<br />
(from June to Sept). Contact Chris Norman<br />
on (t) 07703 571915<br />
or (e) chris@boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
HONEYHILL CAMP (NW Kent Battalion).<br />
12 acres Bearsted near Maidstone. Easy access<br />
to coast, places of interest, sports facilities.<br />
Building with kitchen, gas, electricity, mess tent.<br />
Contact Dennis Hatt, Tel: 01795 873392<br />
Mob: 07749 790413.<br />
Email: dennis_1stminster@talktalk.net<br />
WEST MIDLAND DISTRICT CAMPING CENTRE,<br />
DYFFRYN ARDUDWY. The Boys’ Brigade<br />
Camping Centre at Dyffryn Ardudwy<br />
has available 3 camp sites all suitable for<br />
mixed camps. The largest main centre site<br />
caters for up to 90 people, has a fully equipped<br />
kitchen and dining area. Also provided is<br />
dormitory accommodation for 40 people and<br />
meeting room/Chapel. Ridge tents are provided<br />
on the adjacent 5 acre field which can also be<br />
used for sports. The 2 smaller 3 acre sites<br />
each cater for up to 50 people and include<br />
individual kitchen and store with gas range,<br />
grill, instant hot water heater, fridge & freezer.<br />
Tents and marquee are supplied for each 3<br />
acre site. All three sites have their own flush<br />
toilets, wash and shower facilities. Details<br />
from Jamie Copson 01905 480 955.<br />
Email: info@bbcamping.co.uk<br />
Website: www.bbcamping.co.uk<br />
VECTIS YOUTH CAMPS. Two beautiful<br />
campsites on the Isle of Wight with permanent<br />
kitchens, showers and toilets. Each site is<br />
self contained and is in easy reach of safe<br />
beaches and all the attractions of the Island.<br />
All tenting and equipment included. Prices<br />
from £41 per person per week. Ideal for<br />
organized camps of between 25 and 250<br />
people. Telephone 01344 430203. Email:<br />
siteadministrator@vectisyouthcamps.org.uk<br />
website: www.vectisyouthcamps.org.uk<br />
GLENGARRY CAMP 2010/11, Chideock,<br />
Dorset (near Lyme Regis). Fully equipped<br />
approved BB site 10 minutes from beach. Brick<br />
cookhouse, running hot and cold water, gas<br />
cookers and grills, chip fryer, new fridge freezer<br />
etc. White canvas for 30 – 70 including 45’ x 30’<br />
marquee. Nearby leisure centre with indoor<br />
pool 10 mins. Contact Mark 020 8903 1116<br />
or email mark.myhan@talk21.com<br />
CRAGGAN, the Outdoor Centre of Edinburgh,<br />
Leith and District Battalion. Set in glorious<br />
countryside by Loch Tay, Perthshire. The Centre<br />
is recently refurbished, has disabled access,<br />
sleeps 30, is self-catering and is ideal for<br />
weekend and other camps. Well situated for<br />
outdoor and water activities with own canoes and<br />
jetty. Contact craggan@thebb-edinburgh.org.uk<br />
or 0131 551 1200 ext 20.<br />
WOOLACOMBE NORTH DEVON. Overlooking the<br />
sea our campsite accommodates up to 70 people.<br />
We have a permanent cookhouse, showers and<br />
toilets. Call Geoff Hills at the farm 01271 870501<br />
or visit our website www.warcombe.org.uk.<br />
Camping/Holiday<br />
Activities<br />
BLACKPOOL AREA. Self-catering accommodation.<br />
(1) Accommodation for 44 in comfort. 4 single<br />
bedrooms for staff. 2 shower rooms, bedding<br />
and crockery provided. Fully equipped kitchen.<br />
(2) Small Party Unit for 16 persons, including<br />
two staff rooms. Fully equipped as above.<br />
(3) Camp site with camp kitchen/dining room,<br />
shower and toilet facilities. The complex includes<br />
a large sports hall with climbing wall and sports<br />
field. Quiet situation near Kirkham, a market<br />
town on the Fylde Coast. Within easy reach of<br />
Theme Parks and Lake District. For brochure<br />
contact: The Warden, The Boys’ Brigade,<br />
Carr Lane, Treales, Kirkham, PR4 3SS.<br />
Tel/Fax: 01772-685000.<br />
www.TheBoysBrigadeInTheNorthWest.org.uk<br />
ROCK UK ADVENTURE CENTRES.<br />
Bring your Company/Battalion to one of our<br />
spacious venues. Carroty Wood (Kent), Frontier<br />
Centre (Northants), Halls Green (Kent) and<br />
Whitaugh Park (Scottish Borders). We’d love<br />
to send you a brochure! Contact Sally McGuire,<br />
Rock UK Adventure Centres, Frontier Centre,<br />
Addington Road, Irthlingborough, Northants,<br />
NN9 5UH quoting BBG Tel: 01933 654120<br />
www.rockuk.org or email sales.info@rockuk.org<br />
SOUTHERN SCOTLAND. Spacious Edwardian<br />
house in its own grounds within the lovely town of<br />
Moffat. Rent the Well Road Centre for a self-catering<br />
conference/ activity weekend/week. Open all year.<br />
Two meeting/ activity rooms. Large kitchen and<br />
dining room. 13 comfortable bedrooms of various<br />
size. Indoor sports hall. The beautiful Moffat hills<br />
for hiking/orienteering. Suitable for groups of 20 to<br />
65 in number. Only your group in occupation during<br />
your stay. For brochure contact: Well Road Centre,<br />
Moffat DG10 9JT. Tel: 01683 221040 or website:<br />
www.wellroadcentre.co.uk<br />
GREENMOOR CENTRE, S35 7DX, Sheffield<br />
& District Battalion’s residential self-catering<br />
Centre. Sleeps 28 (3 dormitories, separate 2-staff<br />
bedroom and 2-staff/disabled bedroom). Toilets,<br />
showers and fully fitted kitchen. Situated in the<br />
Upper Don Valley, north of Sheffield on edge of<br />
Peak District National Park, within easy reach<br />
of M1. Grid ref SK280994. Contact Sue Cowie<br />
01246-274021, email jmcowiefts@tiscali.co.uk<br />
CAMP 2011/2012 – STOKE GABRIEL, SOUTH<br />
DEVON. Come and camp in our fully equipped<br />
white canvas next to farm/holiday park near<br />
Paignton. Shop/telephone and showers on<br />
Holiday Park. Many local attractions. Please<br />
enquire to Clive Gordon 0121 422 0042/ 0771<br />
876 1150. Email cliveg04@yahoo.co.uk or<br />
Jim jimdrew@blueyonder.co.uk<br />
More info/campsite photos on website<br />
http://3warley.boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
TORBAY. Indoor accommodation during the<br />
summer holiday available at a Methodist Church<br />
operated by 1st Goodrington. We are near the<br />
Devon coast with a wide range of sports, leisure<br />
and visitor attractions close by. Small/medium<br />
groups or first time campers welcome. Contact:<br />
01803 551574 or email: demartin@sky.com<br />
BROADLEAS, HAYTOR, DEVON. Self catering<br />
accommodation for 30, plus 2 staff bedrooms<br />
that will sleep 5. Two shower rooms, fully<br />
equipped kitchen and dining area. Camping<br />
facilities for up to 55. Tentage provided.<br />
Fully equipped kitchen, dining hall, showers<br />
and toilets. Outdoor swimming pool and<br />
large hall. Tel: Don Reeby 01752 771699.<br />
http://broadleas.boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
Email: broadleas@boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
SWANAGE, DORSET. Booking now for 2011,<br />
(3 weeks available) & 2012. Fully equipped<br />
site run by Basildon & District camping Group<br />
since 1983. Close to Swanage town centre &<br />
sand beaches. Comprehensive, well maintained<br />
facilities and canvas. Gas, electricity via<br />
generator and flush loos. For joint/single camps<br />
from 35 upwards. Brochure: Steve Nice, 29<br />
Botelers, Basildon, Essex, SS16 5SD. Tel 01268<br />
545907. Email: s.nice@o2.co.uk – see the<br />
facilities on our website at www.bdcg.org.uk.<br />
GLASSHOUSES MILL. In beautiful Nidderdale<br />
near Harrogate, hostel accommodation for 40.<br />
Access to sheltered lake and Yorkshire Dales.<br />
Close to Ripon and Flamingo land. Weeks<br />
still available for this summer. For details<br />
www.themillactivitycentre.org.uk. Now taking<br />
bookings for summer 2010 and 2011.<br />
MAGAZINES FOR SALE:. Collection of Stedfast<br />
Magazines, Junior Stedfast magazines and BB<br />
Gazettes for sale (will discuss price). Contact<br />
Phillip Stallard 029 2082 5631 (daytime) or<br />
01633 215753 (evening) for details.<br />
106 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette July 2010
Come and Celebrate The Boys’ Brigade<br />
Canoe Club’s 40th Anniversary<br />
On the banks of the beautiful River Wye.<br />
17th to 19th September 2010<br />
Camping<br />
Kayaking<br />
Canoeing<br />
Slalom and river race events<br />
Fun and games<br />
Sunday celebration<br />
40th Anniversary<br />
Check out the website canoeclub.boys-brigade.org.uk for more details<br />
or get in touch with the secretary rjlangdon@yahoo.co.uk<br />
SPORTS HALL<br />
STEDFAST LODGE<br />
CENTENARY HALL<br />
ADVENTURE AREA<br />
CAMP KITCHEN<br />
WORSHIP AREA<br />
North West District<br />
Training & Activity Centre<br />
The Centre is located outside the village of<br />
Treales in a quiet location with easy access<br />
by rail or road, within easy reach of Theme<br />
Parks, Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Lake<br />
District National Park.<br />
The ample car park is suitable for coaches<br />
while the field is ideal for canvas camps<br />
and outdoor activities.<br />
For large groups Centenary Hall with its<br />
newly refurbished kitchen and disabled<br />
facilities can accommodate up to 44<br />
people while for small groups Stedfast<br />
Lodge has beds for 16 people and<br />
disabled facilities.<br />
The Sports Hall with Table Tennis, Pool,<br />
Snooker and climbing wall* together with<br />
outdoor adventure area, archery* and<br />
orienteering combine to make your stay<br />
and active and fun filled one.<br />
For more information or to check<br />
availability please contact the Wardens.<br />
*Archery and Climbing Wall activities require<br />
a qualified instructor - Available if needed.<br />
<br />
July 2010 The Boys’ Brigade Gazette 107
BB SUPPLIES<br />
Company Section / Seniors Programme Resources<br />
Is your Company using the latest resources for this age group, the Discover (11 to 15) and Challenge Plus (15 to 18)<br />
programmes provide you with easy to deliver activities with lots of ideas on how to expand these further.<br />
You can also purchase a handbook for members in the Company Section / Seniors to help record their progress<br />
with awards and to record their experiences. The I-File is a great resource for new members to<br />
receive when they start their BB journey.<br />
31 146 0 Discover Programme Pack................................................................£35.00<br />
for 11 to 15 year olds<br />
31 147 0 Challenge Plus Programme Pack.................................................. £30.00<br />
for 15 to 18 year olds<br />
36 351 0 I-File Handbook...............................................................................£4.00<br />
for Company Section/Seniors members<br />
2010/2011 Membership Cards<br />
New membership cards for the 2010 – 2011 session will be available from BB Supplies<br />
from 19th July 2010.<br />
31 380 1 Membership Cards 2010/2011.........................................................£1.50<br />
Sold in packs of 10<br />
BB Supplies, Garcia Estate, Canterbury Road, Worthing, BN13 1BW<br />
Telephone: 08707 442 292 Fax: 08707 203 842<br />
Order online 24 hours a day through the Online Shop at http://shop.boys-brigade.org.uk<br />
Also available at local depots around the UK (See Supplies Catalogue or Website for more details)