From the Brigade Secretary . . .
The start of the New Year seems a long time
ago and I hope that you are looking forward
to the challenges of 2011.
2011
promises to be an exciting year as we
continue to build on the positive work of
the last year. We are well on the way with
the production of supplementary material for
the Anchors and Juniors programmes and we
are also looking now at new resources for
sharing faith in a relevant way.
I am
conscious of the great efforts that are
being made throughout the Brigade, so thanks
for all that you do and every blessing for
the year ahead.
Steve Dickinson
Brigade Secretary
Activity Packs launched for all age groups .
. . How is your Company getting involed in
Get up and Go? If you have not already
thought about this then consider how your
Company can take part over the next 2 years.
The beginning of January 2011 was the
official start of the Get up and Go Project,
but even before then we have been hearing
about Companies making use of resources and
raising funds over the Christmas period.
Each of our partner charities has
produced an activity pack that is available
to download from the website. The pack
contains educational programme resources,
information about the charity, fundraising
ideas and more. So download the activity
packs today and include Get up and Go in
your weekly programme.
Celebrating 125 years of camping . . .
During 2011 we will be celebrating the 125th
anniversary of the 1st Glasgow's first ever
BB Camp at Tighnabruiach. Camps today take
many different forms but recent research
shows that residential events are one of the
most popular activities for our members,
indeed many people still talk of camp being
the highlight of the BB year. The Brigade
Executive is keen to encourage all Companies
to give their young people the opportunity
to attend at least one residential event
next year. If you have not been to camp for
a while why not give it a try again.
We are marking the anniversary with the
production of a special badge that can be
awarded to young people who attend a
residential event during the year. There
will also be a commemorative certificate for
each person, and a special Company
certificate to record all those attending
the event.
Find out more about the 125th Anniversary of
Camping . . .
KGVI Youth Leadership Training . . . KGVI is a 2 week long (One week in each
of consecutive years) residential experience
for those aged 17 to 21 years covering all
that you need to become a leader in The
Boys' Brigade.
This year's KGVI
will be held from 30th July 2011 to 5th
August 2011 at Felden Lodge, Hemel
Hempstead.
As well as covering the
core modules of Youth Leader Training the
KGVI programme is designed to give
participants the opportunity to gain skills
through leading sessions and to share
experiences with other participants.
Are there any young leaders in your
Company who could attend KGVI in 2011?
For further information contact Eric Hudson
at Felden Lodge or E-mail
eric.hudson@boys-brigade.org.uk.
Do Something Funny for Money this Red Nose
Day . . . Red Nose Day is the 18th March 2011 and
is a perfect opportunity for your Company to
get involved and help people in the UK and
Africa living incredibly tough lives.
By raising cash this Red Nose Day,
you're helping to change lives forever. This
is because Comic Relief spends all the money
raised by the public to give extremely
vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the
UK and Africa a helping hand to turn their
lives around.
How can you get
involved? Comic Relief is working
with youth groups up and down the country
and is challenging every Boys' Brigade
Company to get involved. To help you come up
with some fun-filled fundraising ideas
there's a fundraising e-magazine designed
specifically for young people and it's
packed full of ideas to help you raise loads
of cash.
Download your 'BB' Red Nose Day Fundraising
Kit . . .
Help raise awareness during Fairtrade
Fortnight 2011 . . .
Fairtrade Fortnight is coming around again.
Two whole weeks (28th Feb - 14th Mar)
to tell everyone you know about the
difference Fairtrade makes to the lives of
farmers who grow the products we enjoy in
the UK. And this year we are asking you get
loud and proud and show off your label. Show
off your passion, your favourite product,
your producer stories. Load the FAIRTRADE
Mark with meaning and get more people
excited about the difference their choices
can make. Last year, a million and one
Fairtrade swaps were made.
This year
let's go a step further, showing off what's
behind the swaps and why Fairtrade is
important. Most of all, we want to show off
Fairtrade cotton and highlight the
injustices that make Fairtrade a vital
lifeline for cotton farmers in West Africa
and India. Let's show off a different way of
doing trade and why we support it!
How can your BB Company get involved with
Fairtade week? A resource guide is
available to download from the Fairtrade
website or for those working with the
Company Section check out the 'Fairtrade'
topic in the 'Discover Programme pack'.
Find out more about Fairtrade Fortnight 2011
. . .
Are you coming to Firm Foundations this year
?
The event, which is jointly run by BB and
The Girls' Brigade England & Walesat Felden
Lodge, will take place from Friday 27 May to
Monday 30 May 2011.
Booking forms are
available to download from the website. Day
and evening tickets are also available.
WIN A free group visit to Alton Towers . . .
Your Company/Battalion/District can get
access to tickets at discounted rates
through Youth Fun Days which operates
exclusively for youth organisations such as
The Boys' Brigade.
There are
attractions throughout the UK including
theme parks, aquariums, dungeons and more .
. .
WIN A FREE GROUP VISIT* TO
ALTON TOWERS RESORT To be in with a
chance of winning, simply use your
imagination to "design your own
rollercoaster", using paints, crayons, inks
or other colouring materials. For more
details see the
website. Send your entries by 31st
March 2011 to BB Headquarters.
Planet BB: The Boys' Brigade around the
world . .
PLANET BB: The Boys' Brigade around the
world which has been written by young
people, officers, Brigade Secretaries, and
Presidents from almost 30 countries, was
officially launched in December. Already,
around 700 copies have been despatched all
over the world! This includes 100 copies to
Malaysia, 50 to Australia, Indonesia, Hong
Kong & Singapore, 220 to a bookshop chain,
and many more individual orders!
The
website
www.planet-bb.co.uk gives all the
details about the book which can be ordered
from David Chant at bbworldwidebook@live.com
. Orders of more than 10 copies will get
discount.
So far over £2000 has been
raised through various non-book sales, all
of which has gone to an orphanage in Uganda
run by a BB officer. All royalties will now
be sent to Global Fellowship.
Disability Advice Network . . .
The BB's Disability Advice Network (part of
our ongoing work on Equal Opportunities) was
set up to support and advise any company or
individual on a range of disability issues.
The Disability Advice Network is there if
you need advice or support, if you would
like to be put in touch with someone please
contact BB Headquarters.
A selection
of advice leaflets are available to download
from the BB website including: � Hearing
Impairment � Visual Impairment �
Downs Syndrome � Dyspraxia �
Epilepsy � Autistic Spectrum Disorder
� ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder)
If you would like any
further information please contact Karen
Jay, Children's & Youth Work Director at
karen.jay@boys-brigade.org.uk.
For more information on anything in this e-update contact Eric Hudson (Director for England) at eric.hudson@boys-brigade.org.uk
