The Church Lads' & Church Girls' Brigade Newsletter April 2009
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Transcript of The Church Lads' & Church Girls' Brigade Newsletter April 2009
Magazine of The Church Lads’ and Church Girls’ Brigade
April 2009 No 50
A Company Limited by Guarantee No 1395966
Registered Charity No 276821
Well as much
steam as we
can achieve
anyway!
In the latest round of
Government funding we
were awarded a DCSF
grant for the two years
2009/10 and 2010/11
for our ‘Bridge’ project.
Whilst it is about a third
of what we applied for, it
is nonetheless welcome
and gratefully received.
It will enable us to fund
development of new
Companies in areas of
greatest need – the
grant isn’t for core
costs. In an ideal world
and as the grants were
restricted to England,
we would have put a
Development Worker in
each of the English
Government Office
Regions. However, the
funding will allow us to
field three part-time
Development Workers,
one each for the North-
East and the North-
West and for the
equivalent of two days
per week per Region,
and one, for three days
per week, to cover the
Midlands and the South.
A real challenge but
also a real opportunity.
We have seen a few
new Companies
established in the last
few months without
Development Workers,
so with them, we are
looking towards real
GROWTH!
Our aim is to develop
new Brigade
Companies in areas not
otherwise served by
children’s and youth
work opportunities, in
areas of real social
need and with local
support from other
existing Brigade
groupings; hence the
choice of deployments.
There’s further
information inside.
The order from the Bridge? Full steam ahead!
BrigadeTH
E
Incorporating the LINK Magazine
Members of
the new
Company at
Tintwistle,
Derbyshire
which is in the
Diocese of
Chester but is
afiliated to
Tameside
Battalion.
Snow arrives at NHQ Whoopee - well some of the
staff thought so!!!
Is it my turn now?
2
A pictorial
overview of the
Church Lads’
and Church
Girls’ Brigade
events, awards,
presentations
and community-
based activities
THE MARTINS
THE JTC
THE SENIORS
THE Y TEAM
5 - 7 YEARS
7 - 10 YEARS
10 - 13 YEARS
13 - 21 YEARS
BrigadeTH
E
Mum it’s tight enough!!!
John Duffy celebrating his 60th Birthday at a Brigade
Training day in Manchester.
Members of the Martins and YTeam sections at St John’s Great Sutton
Celebrating 30 years as a Company.
3
HERE& THERE
Medals galore at Butlins.
The Sky’s the limit - St Mary’s Beverely aim high!
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh chatting to a member of St.
Mary’s Beverley Band during the Queen’s visit to Hull .
It is with great interest
that I received the
news that the
Brigade’s Championship
Band, St Mary’s
Beverley Company, has
been asked to perform
when our Patron, Her
Majesty The Queen,
visits Hull in March.
Later the same day, two
members of the band
will go to hospital
together for the giving
and receiving of a
kidney!
I wish them well for both
events of their special
and demanding day. Yet
it strikes me that this is
just absolutely typical of
the Brigade and its
leaders. They put their
Band, its performance
and members and, of
course, performing for
their Patron, before
having a kidney
transplant! That’s just
how much bands mean
in the life of the Brigade
and just how dedicated
our Leaders are.
On another ‘band note’,
I was in attendance as
Governor at the
Manchester Bands’
night. As ever (in
previous years I have
attended in my casual
uniform to help out
behind the scenes) the
enthusiasm and sheer
enjoyment and pride
that our members
demonstrate ensured a
most enjoyable evening
for the appreciative
audience; who were
attending on Valentine’s
Day evening and could
have been forgiven if
they had found reason
to be elsewhere. There
were small and large
bands and one
Company fielded its
Senior and Junior
Bands. Also typical of
the Brigade, this was
not a competition, but
judging took place and
feedback was given.
Certificates of
participation were
presented and a prize
was awarded, not for
the best band of the
night but for the most
improved band
performing on the night.
Well done to all
concerned!
As 2009 is now well
underway I am looking
forward to attending
and enjoying various
performances by our
National Band and the
Brigade Bands’
Championships in
Leicester; two firsts in
my new role as
Governor. It’s such a
great pity that the cost
of transport keeps many
other good and great
bands from joining in the
Championships, and
also prevents individuals
from joining the National
Band. Those who do
manage to join in derive
such obvious pleasure
and show great pride in
participation and
achieve enhanced
musicianship and
marching skills from
doing so.
Please accept my best
wishes for a very happy
Easter and continued
success in your Brigade
Companies.
Pamela J Corbishley,
Governor.
Governor's Message
4
St Mary’s Band Beverley.
Christ Church Band Ashton under Lyne.
As I am sat writing
this message, it is
approaching dusk
but I can still see the
white and yellow crocus
flowering in the lawn
(Ancient Moat Site!) and
the snowdrops at the
entrance to Brigade
NHQ. Yet it’s only just
over a week since I was
battling against being
snowed in at home and
at Brigade NHQ!
I am thus reminded of
our new Governor’s
words at the Brigade’s
Annual General Meeting
this year, recounting not
just the difficulties that
we have been
experiencing but also
the positive features that
are affecting the
Brigade: “............. eachtime the autumn leavesfall and die it indicatesthat, after the bleaknessof winter, new shoots oflife will become visibleagain, to grow tall andstrong. If we were todwell on the negativeand not build on thepositive, we would notbe worthy of or equal toour forebears, whobrought this greatorganisation intoexistence, or thesubsequent generationsof officers and leaderswho served it so welland from whom we haveinherited custodianshipof the Brigade and whowould expect us toserve it well; as will thecurrent generation ofleaders and membersthat we serve. TheBrigade is great, is stillrelevant and it still doesgreat work, enriching somany young lives and
communities.
Yes there arechallenges facing us.We must be up to thechallenges. We mustmake and takeopportunities. Wemustn’t give up at thefirst or the twentiethdifficulty that besets us.”
Just this morning Martin
Lambourne and I
rendezvoused at St
John’s Church
Adlington, Lancashire,
to collect some band
instruments and
uniforms no longer
needed by the Church,
as their Brigade
Company closed in
1996. The former
leaders recounted to me
the problems that any
successors will face if
they want to restart a
Brigade Company there,
and it had been hoped
since 1996 that this
would happen and it
hasn’t yet. The reasons
cited were the very ones
causing them to
handover their
instruments and
uniforms, a lack of
storage space, even
when there is a suitable
meeting place. In times
past, Churches had their
own Church Hall, or
Church School or Parish
Room or a combination
of these or all three, and
with additional storage.
It’s the same cry as with
visiting modern houses
and new developments,
‘where’s the storage’?
That’s something that
will doubtless exercise
all those wanting to start
up new Companies, a
suitable venue and
adequate storage.
I am delighted to report
that we were successful
in the recent application
round for Government
grants. The Department
for Children, Schools
and Families has
awarded the Brigade
£75,000 per annum for
2009/10 and 2010/11 to
enable us to employ
some additional staff, to
develop new Brigade
Companies. Whilst this
is about a third of what I
applied for, it is
nonetheless helpful and
appreciated and we
have just received
approval as to our
modified project
submission and budget,
and are hoping to be
able to get the project
off the ground by 1st
April 2009! It was
interesting to note that
we were the only
uniformed youth
organisation in the list of
successful applicants
and another,
knowledgeable,
observer commented
that we were the only
Christian group to have
been awarded a grant.
Our intention is to
employ three part-time
Development Workers,
who will identify
communities in deprived
areas, which do not
have any other form of
youth and children’s
organisation or
provision, and to seek to
establish Brigade
groups in such localities
and where local
leadership can be
5
The Brigade Secretary's Message
Brigade
Headquarters
has been
actively engaged in
gathering in redundant
instruments from
closed and current
Brigade Companies
with
surplus
and
redundant
items. We
currently
have a
range of
marching
drums
(side
drums,
mostly
snare
drums;
tenor
drums; bass drums) a
limited range of
bugles (valve less
trumpet style),
cornets, bell lyres,
glockenspiels,
cymbals and maces.
Conditions of the
instruments vary from
being excellent to
worn but playable. In
some instances we
have matched sets of
drums and suitable
accessories, e.g.
drum slings, sticks,
carrying harnesses,
dress cords, etc.
These instruments are
available on a three-
monthly renewable
(unless wanted
elsewhere) loan basis
and are intended to
help new Companies
to establish bands,
whilst they achieve
sufficient funding for
their own instruments.
However, existing
Companies wanting
additional instruments
are also eligible to
borrow instruments on
the same terms.
All enquiries should
be addressed to the
Brigade Secretary at
NHQ.
6
identified. We need to
recruit two Development
Workers, for the
equivalent of two days a
week in both the North-
East and North-West
Regions and one for
three days equivalence
per week for the
Midlands and South,
including London. Quite
a tall order and a
challenge but that
seems the best way to
use what we have been
offered and accepted.
The money can only be
used for this project, it
cannot be used for
mainstream operational
and running costs for
the Brigade, and so
fundraising for that still
goes on. We are
preparing to advertise
nationally, openly and
within the Brigade, to
recruit suitably skilled,
knowledgeable and
enthusiastic
Development Workers.
Unfortunately, our
Officers’ and Leaders’
Conference had to be
postponed, as there
were insufficient
bookings by the point at
which we would have
needed to pay a 50%
cancellation fee, if we
went any further. When
the Governor told a
meeting she was
attending of this
decision, she discovered
several Leaders were
intent on attending but
had not yet submitted
their forms to NHQ!
Where have we heard
that one before?
We are continuing to
hold discussions with
two Christian charities
that both want to
acquire our
Headquarters buildings
and site and are seeking
to achieve the finance to
enable them to do so
and with some degree
of optimism that they
may be able to achieve
the funds.
A subcommittee of
Brigade Council is being
convened to look at the
future of the Brigade
and what actions need
to be taken to achieve
the desired outcomes. It
will report back with its
recommendations in
June 2009.
I am advised that this
year’s Butlins was
well attended and
very enjoyable, with
good weather and
great friendship.
When I enquired who
had ferried any
sports’ casualties to
hospital, I was told
that it had been
unnecessary and that
I was obviously a jinx
on the event, as
when I attended it
experienced lashing
gales, freezing
temperatures and I
spent the Saturday
afternoon ferrying
casualties from the
Unihoc tournament to
and from hospital!
Alan Millward,
Brigade Secretary.
The Brigade Secretary’s Report continued from page 5
Musical Instrument Loan Scheme
Stop Press
Johnny Conn, of the
Brigade’s Historical
Group, has had a 5 page
illustrated article printed
in the April 2009 issue of
the popular magazine
Practical Family History
(ISSN 1367-1661) priced
at £3.75 and widely
available through major
newsagents. The article
shows the origins of and
links between Church
Scouts and the Brigade.
Aquantity of
uniform items
have been
brought to NHQ from
recently closed
Companies. These are
mostly used uniform
items, mostly ‘new style’
uniform but with some
older style items and
some are ‘new’ (never
issued) but dusty
through storage. There
are varying sizes of
shirts, blouses, skirts,
trousers, caps and hats,
belts and colours of ties.
Conditions vary but they
are available to
Companies where there
is a need for uniform
items and where
families find it difficult to
meet the cost of new
items. Most items of
clothing will be free or
for a suitable donation
but costs of postage and
package must be met by
the Company
concerned.
If you are interested in
any particular items or
want further information,
please contact the
Brigade Secretary at
NHQ.
7
Uniforms
National Band
The Brigade’s
National Band
has recently
established its own
website:
nationalband.org.uk
The National Band is
holding one of its
Training and Activity
weekends over 28th
and 29th March 2009
at Smallwood Manor
Preparatory School,
Uttoxeter and will be
performing at the
National Memorial
Arboretum, site of the
Brigade’s own
Memorial Garden on
Saturday, 28th March
2009 at 2.15pm
approx. As part of
their Band Weekend
on 2nd to 4th May
2009, the National
Band will be in
Concert at William
Bradford Community
College at Earl Shilton
on 2nd May 2009
(tickets available via
the Band’s website).
The Band will also be
performing at
Marchington Summer
Fair on Saturday, 27th
June 2009 during their
Band weekend 27th
and 28th June 2009.
Further Band
weekends have been
arranged for
September 18th,
October 23rd,
December 4th 2009,
January 29th, 26th
February, 30th April,
18th June 2010 and
all are at Smallwood
Manor Preparatory
School, Uttoxeter.
As part of the
Brigade’s Bands’
Competition, the
National Band will be
in performance at
Alumwell School,
Walsall on Saturday,
16th May 2009 and
from 1st to 9th August
2009 the National
Band’s Summer Tour
will take place in the
Moselle Valley,
Germany.
For any further details,
including how to join
the National Band or
to get input into the
work of your own
Company or
Formation Band, see
the website.
National Band
Personnel:
Commanding Officer:
Alison Macefield;
Adjutant: Sue Hedges;
Band Chaplain: Father
David Arnold;
Principal Band
Master: Paul Roberts;
Bandmaster: Natalie
Adcock BA(Hons),
MMus, PGCE; Senior
Warrant: Martyn Hall
BA(Hons), PGCE;
Principal Musician:
Sarah Lowe
BA(Hons), PGCE.
Music Tutors: Drum
Major: John Dines;
Wind Tutor: Thomas
McClure BA(Hons),
PGCE; Drum Tutors;
Kelly Brown and Scott
Ramsbottom; Bugle
Major: Stuart Squires
BSc(Hons); Mixed
Percussion: Michael
McKenna BA(Hons),
PGCE; Mallets (Tuned
Percussion): Sam
Barker BSc(Hons),
PGCE.
Auxiliary Staff:
Officer in Charge of
Lads: Simon Eshborn;
Officer in Charge of
Girls: Sam Barker
BSc(Hons), PGCE;
Head of Logistics
Staff: Mrs. A. Burton.
Well we are half
way through the
Band’s year and
find ourselves busy and in
unchartered water for the
National Band! By this I
mean that we are holding
this year’s concert on a
Saturday, putting ourselves
under pressure to arrive,
rehearse and perform all
within a few hours! All I
can say is it seemed like a
good idea at the time –
which was last August!!
For non-members of
National Band, who are
unaware that we have a
prize presentation evening
and a celebration night at
Christmas, it has been
suggested that we
announce the winners in
the magazine as we do
with the national sports.
The awards are given out
to the best and improved
in each section, overall
best lad and girl and then
a series of leadership
trophies are given to those
who have demonstrated
above and beyond the
required elements. Many
of the trophies have been
given to the Band from
past members, such as the
Wendy Brumpton trophy.
On leaving the Band
20plus years ago, Wendy
donated the trophy to be
awarded to someone who
had continued to attend
Band (and Brigade)
against adversity.
The award nominations
are from the Band section
leaders. I do get to choose
some winners and Paul
Roberts decides the best
section for the year, which
isn’t always a musical
section. This year it was
awarded to the men and
ladies of the domestic
variety, without them the
Band could not function.
Our staff may have their
children in the Band
presently or have had
them in the past. As our
premises are so very
different to the original
Darlaston Community
school, as soon as our
staff arrive they are out
into Uttoxeter buying the
food for the day, others
bring produce with them so
they start the cooking but it
is non-stop and the Band
is grateful for the great
food and the fun – the staff
will not be left out of any
games or competitions!!
As we are now about to
attend the March weekend
it is my intention next year
to get the winners to the
magazine for you all to
see.
The March weekend
brings for the Band a long
overdue visit to the
National Memorial
Arboretum. We shall spend
a few hours there and play
– of course!!
We embark on a trip to
Germany this year, we
have not been for several
years and it will be great to
be away making music in
such beautiful
surroundings.
It gives me great pleasure
to announce the arrival of
www.nationalband.org. It
is the hard work and
complete dedication of
several of our members,
who thankfully had too
much time on their hands
at the last half-term.
Please take a look and
enjoy! Please sign the
guestbook.
National Band like other
areas of Brigade is short of
members and we would
like to remind you that, as
long as you are a member
of the Brigade, you can be
a member of National
Band, with permission of
your CO – you do not have
to have a Company Band.
If you or anyone including
the CO or Bandmaster
would like to join us on our
training weekends please
contact either Sue Hedges
or myself. This year we
have found being busy for
us is great but makes
accepting visitors difficult,
but I am sure we can find
a way!
Alison Macefield.
Commanding [email protected]
Sue Hedges. [email protected]
8
Alison Macefield Commanding Officer of the National Band writes
On arriving in Hull
on the Royal
Train the Queen
and Duke of Edinburgh
were met by the
sound of the
Beverley St
Mary’s Church
Lads’ and
Church Girls’
Brigade Band
who had been
invited to play on
the platform,
after leaving the
Train the Queen
and Duke of
Edinburgh
stopped and
spoke first to the
CO and Band
Leader Glen
Redhead and
then continued to speak
freely to members of the
Band.
The weather was
perfect with the sun
shining onto the platform
as she made her way
out of the station to start
her tour of Hull.
All those who took part
enjoyed this Royal
Occasion.
Out Royal Patron, Her Majesty The Queen, visits Hull by Glen Redhead
Since I rejoined
the Brigade as
Brigade
Secretary, I have been
amazed that we do
not have a memorial
anywhere as to the 22
VC recipients who
were members of the
Church Lads’ Brigade.
After all, the Victoria
Cross is Britain’s
highest award for
gallantry that can be
awarded to military
personnel. (I am also
told that the Guinness
Book of Records
shows that CLB is
second only to Eton
College for the largest
number of Victoria
Crosses awarded to
its former members.)
In time for last year’s
Remembrance
Service the Brigade’s
Hon Archivist, Rob
Bolton furnished me
with a list of the
names, CLB
Companies and
military formations of
our VC recipients.
Imagine my surprise
when I saw that the
22 was not a ‘total’
count! There are two
VCs where local
knowledge tells us
that the VC recipient
was indeed in the
local Brigade
Company (as in the
case of Joseph Lister
and St Elizabeth’s
Reddish, Manchester)
but local Brigade
records for the time
are not available to
us; and there were
four holders of the VC
who later joined the
Brigade and these
aren’t counted.
Hence, I decided that
after some 90 years it
was about time that
we had a tangible
record and memorial
at NHQ to our Brigade
VC holders and this
was achieved as a
Roll of Honour in time
for this year’s Annual
General Meeting on
31st January 2009
when, appropriately
enough, our Brigade
Chaplain, Bishop Jack
was able to be with us
and all of the
Brigade’s leadership
was at liberty to
attend. The Roll of
Honour was dedicated
by Bishop Jack prior
to the Annual General
Meeting commencing.
9
VC Roll of Honour
Bishop Jack dedicating the
VC Roll of Honour.
10
Nativity by Paul Matthews
We’ve a new
vicar, so time
for a new start
and a ……..new stitch
up! We were asked to
do the Nativity play for
the family service
“YIKES”; I’ve never
done any drama! Where
do I start? I asked
friends and the local
Sunday school and
nursery school teachers
but after a fruitless
search I tried the
computer, thank
goodness for the
internet!!
I then announced to the
St Crispin’s Company
that we were doing a
Nativity play. It was a bit
disappointing to hear
some of the kids say
“I’m at my Dad’s” or
“we’re away” but we
started casting. Betty
from the church helped
Margaret and Janet with
the costumes, Gill and
Donna started practicing
drum and bell tunes with
the appropriate kids,
while I and Oliver (a
very helpful Duke of
Edinburgh participant)
started with the
rehearsals.
What a roller coaster
ride, with good and bad
nights, nights when I
was ready to throw in
the towel and nights
when I came away
glowing with pride at
what the members had
achieved. As we got
closer to the Sunday it
was really encouraging
to have some of those
“I’m at my Dad’s” and
“we’re away” kids ask to
be a part of the Nativity!
As it turned out, Sunday
14th December was
terrific, a great
achievement. The
performance went
superbly with the
members giving their all.
A big humongous thank
you to all our young
members of St Crispin’s
CLCGB of whom I have
the privilege of being
Commanding Officer.
Also a big thank you to
all my staff and church
members, who helped
make this a very special
performance. Finally a
special thank you to our
new vicar Arthur
Deegan for (stitching me
up) and laying down a
challenge that I think we
met and dealt with
superbly.
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The DofE is now
accrediting assessors
for all three levels of
the Award. To enable
the Brigade to
maintain its ability to
offer assessors for
Brigade Companies,
we have begun a
process of training for
all our leaders who
wish to be accredited.
The process has
begun in the North
West where we now
have three Assessor
Supervisors (including
our National Training
Officer) who can
supervise new
assessors as they
assess practice or
actual expeditions at
Bronze, Silver and
Gold. Ten other
leaders are also
progressing towards
their accreditation as
assessors.
We can also run the
induction days and
training days required,
so if any other regions
wish to become
engaged in this
scheme, please let
Martin Lambourne
know at NHQ.
We will shortly provide
all Companies with
details of the
Assessor Team who
are available to
assess your
expeditions.
11
New Expedition Assessor Team
Prayer
Sam Bennie (Centre), National DofE Officer, with new Brigade
Assessors on the Manchester Training day in February.
God of Good Friday,
Whose Son, Jesus Christ, gave His life for our salvation,
Help us to keep our promise to be His faithful soldiers and servants
to the end of our lives.
God of Easter Sunday,
Who raised Jesus Christ to life again to give us hope in believing;
Help us to live our faith in all we do, knowing we serve a Living God
who walks beside us every day.
God of Pentecost,
Who sent the Holy Spirit to empower your church
to turn the world upside down,
Give us the strength to persevere in changing the world for the better
that your kingdom may come on earth as in Heaven.Amen
12
BrigadeTH
E
results National Competitions
Designed and Published by The Church Lads’ and Church Girls’ Brigade, 2 Barnsley Road, Wath-upon-Dearne, Rotherham, S63 6PY Registered Charity No 276821
Telephone (01709) 876535 - Fax (01709) 878089 - e-mail: [email protected] - web site: http://www.clcgb.org.uk
Printed by Dearne Valley Printers, Wath-upon-Dearne, Rotherham
UNIHOC AT BUTLINS
Y Team 1st Manchester
2nd Durham
3rd Peterborough
JTC 1st Oldham/Durham
2nd Peterborough Girls
3rd Peterborough Boys
Senior Lads1st Durham A
2nd Oldham
3rd Durham B
Senior Girls 1st Longridge
2nd Durham
3rd Manchester
Veteran Lads1st= Durham
Peterborough B
3rd= Peterborough A
Oldham
Veteran Girls1st Durham
2nd Oldham
Congratulations to
all who took part.
What a great
weekend it was.