Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade
Encyclopedia
The Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade is a Church of England
youth organisation with branches in the United Kingdom
, the Republic of Ireland
, Barbados
, Bermuda
, Kenya
, South Africa
, Newfoundland
and St Helena. Its origins lie in the formation in 1891 of the Church Lads' Brigade with its sister organisation, the Church Nursing and Ambulance Brigade for Young Women and Girls, later the Church Girls' Brigade, founded in 1901. The two respective fournders were Walter M Gee and Rev Thomas Milner. The two Brigades amalgamated in 1978 to form the Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade.
The Church Lads' Brigade was one of the founding members of The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS), and the Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade remains a member by virtue of its work towards the personal and social development of young people.
The Brigade's Patron Saint is St Martin of Tours
. A banner
depicting St Martin, which was presented by the Brigade in 1921 to honour those members who lost their lives in the First World War, is kept at Westminster Abbey
.
Members can become leaders and staff and continue to contribute to the CLCGB for long periods of time.
The following are the section designations for the CLB in Newfoundland:
Badgework is not just Christian teachings, many companies have been known to do The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
. Other activities include cooking, arts & crafts, host and hostess, fitness, astronomy, first aid. Activities carried out are not subject to a certain 'curriculum'. The Brigade publishes an official badge scheme and supply official badges to go on members' uniforms. Some companies choose to add their own certificates when they cannot find a suitable badge for an activity they would like to undertake.
Many companies have a parade Sunday once a month; all members are required to attend a family service in church before parading around the parish, usually with a band.
Due to the parades taking place, drill is practised on company nights. The length and complexity of drill varies with each section. By the time members reach JTC the older members are encouraged to take it in turns to command drill.
There are several national camps available, one being a trip to Butlins
and another being 'spring adventure' (the location varies), these are both early in the year. While in these examples members are not in tents, many brigade companies choose to take their members on expeditions, sometimes working towards their Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Members are taught how to put a tent up, to cook for themselves and campsite etiquette.
Currently there are plans to look at taking members to Murcia
in Spain.
For example each February, battalions are invited to take part in a unihoc contest. The different companies stay at Butlins, in Skegness
for 2 or 3 nights. Medals are awarded to the winning teams. Recently, the contest has been dominated by the Peterborough Battalion, who in February 2006, were present in each medal section. Uni-hoc is a version of hockey
, played with a puck, and plastic hockey sticks. There is also an athletics competition in which regiments compete for the trophies.
also have a marching band, with instruments such as: drums, bugles, cymbals and glockenspiels. Several bands also run successful brass and woodwind bands. Brigades teach their members these instruments and encourage lessons outside the Brigade.
Many battalions and regiments run their own band competitions for their member companies, there is also a National Band Competition for the bands to compete in which takes place annually around May time (most recently held in Hinckley
) within which many of the Brigade companies take part from all over the country including Leicestershire, East Anglia and the North of England. The current champions are St Andrews York. Probably the most successful band in the Church Lads and Church Girls Brigade ever. In addition to, this company is celebrating their one hundredth year since its formation in 1908.
Membership of the choir has varied over the years from a low of about 25 to a high of nearly 50. The choir's repertoire covers a wide range from modern and popular classics to full choral pieces. In recent years a small band of accompanists has developed including guitar, bass and percussion.
Membership brings with it the opportunity to receive the Group's 'Brigader' Magazine twice a year and the Newfoundland CLB 'Bugle' plus offers of merchandise not available from NHQ. The Secretary can be contacted via NHQ.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
youth organisation with branches in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
and St Helena. Its origins lie in the formation in 1891 of the Church Lads' Brigade with its sister organisation, the Church Nursing and Ambulance Brigade for Young Women and Girls, later the Church Girls' Brigade, founded in 1901. The two respective fournders were Walter M Gee and Rev Thomas Milner. The two Brigades amalgamated in 1978 to form the Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade.
The Church Lads' Brigade was one of the founding members of The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS), and the Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade remains a member by virtue of its work towards the personal and social development of young people.
The Brigade's Patron Saint is St Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
. A banner
Banner
A banner is a flag or other piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or other message. Banner-making is an ancient craft.The word derives from late Latin bandum, a cloth out of which a flag is made...
depicting St Martin, which was presented by the Brigade in 1921 to honour those members who lost their lives in the First World War, is kept at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
Structure
The Brigade is structured by location. Each location (normally a diocese, for example: Manchester) has a regiment or a diocesan battalion, this then divides into battalions (South, Central, North East - Durham, Oldham, Rochdale, Bolton, Tameside) and then into companies. Generally, each regiment has more than one battalion and each battalion has more than one company.Sections
The Brigade is split into groups. These correspond with the age of the members:- The Martins (named after the patron saint): 4 to 7 years of age.
- The Y Team (previously YB & YGC: Young Boys and Young Girls Corp): 7 to 10 years of age.
- JTC (Jump To The Challenge (previously Junior Training Corps)): 10 to 13 years of age.
- Seniors: 13 to 21 years of age.
- Staff: 18 years onwards.
Members can become leaders and staff and continue to contribute to the CLCGB for long periods of time.
The following are the section designations for the CLB in Newfoundland:
- LTC (Little Training Corps. Previously LBC: Little Boys Corps): 5 and 6 years of age.
- YTC (Young Training Corps. Previously YBC: Young Boys Corps): 7 to 9 years of age.
- JTC (Junior Training Corps): 10 to 12 years of age.
- SC (Senior Corps.): 13 to 18 years of age.
- Staff: 19 years onwards. Can include commissioned officers or non-uniformed instructors.
What Happens In Brigade
Note: The following may not apply to all brigade companies; this is a sample of how several choose to operate.Company Night
Members will arrive and be instructed, subs will be taken before moving onto badgework. This can last between 10 minutes and an hour depending on the age of the children (see Sections). The members are then instructed to fall in and do drill before moving onto games. Lastly, the Brigade Prayer is said before any notices are given out. Sweets are available at the end of the night.Badgework
Badgework can take place in several different forms. A main part of the Brigade is the Christian teachings that take place, this can be anything from a Christmas word search (used within the Martins) to complex teachings and encouragement of interpretation of passages from the bible.Badgework is not just Christian teachings, many companies have been known to do The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award , is a programme of activities that can be undertaken by anyone aged 14 to 24, regardless of personal ability....
. Other activities include cooking, arts & crafts, host and hostess, fitness, astronomy, first aid. Activities carried out are not subject to a certain 'curriculum'. The Brigade publishes an official badge scheme and supply official badges to go on members' uniforms. Some companies choose to add their own certificates when they cannot find a suitable badge for an activity they would like to undertake.
Drill
This is not dissimliar to military drill.Many companies have a parade Sunday once a month; all members are required to attend a family service in church before parading around the parish, usually with a band.
Due to the parades taking place, drill is practised on company nights. The length and complexity of drill varies with each section. By the time members reach JTC the older members are encouraged to take it in turns to command drill.
Camp
Taking groups away is a large part of the Brigade, while there may be only two or three camps a year at company level, there are many more when escalated through battalion, regimental and national levels.There are several national camps available, one being a trip to Butlins
Butlins
Butlins is a chain of large holiday camps in the United Kingdom. Butlins was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families....
and another being 'spring adventure' (the location varies), these are both early in the year. While in these examples members are not in tents, many brigade companies choose to take their members on expeditions, sometimes working towards their Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Members are taught how to put a tent up, to cook for themselves and campsite etiquette.
Currently there are plans to look at taking members to Murcia
Region of Murcia
The Region of Murcia is an autonomous community of Spain located in the southeast of the country, between Andalusia and Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast....
in Spain.
Sports
Members are encouraged to get involved with a number of sports, while games of various natures are played on company nights there are competitive events for football, netball, swimming, rounders and athletics. Some of these sports are used as competitions between battalions and then between regiments. This encourages members to meet people from other places and discuss the brigade with them.For example each February, battalions are invited to take part in a unihoc contest. The different companies stay at Butlins, in Skegness
Skegness
Skegness is a seaside town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. Located on the Lincolnshire coast of the North Sea, east of the city of Lincoln it has a total resident population of 18,910....
for 2 or 3 nights. Medals are awarded to the winning teams. Recently, the contest has been dominated by the Peterborough Battalion, who in February 2006, were present in each medal section. Uni-hoc is a version of hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
, played with a puck, and plastic hockey sticks. There is also an athletics competition in which regiments compete for the trophies.
Band
Many Brigade companies in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
also have a marching band, with instruments such as: drums, bugles, cymbals and glockenspiels. Several bands also run successful brass and woodwind bands. Brigades teach their members these instruments and encourage lessons outside the Brigade.
Many battalions and regiments run their own band competitions for their member companies, there is also a National Band Competition for the bands to compete in which takes place annually around May time (most recently held in Hinckley
Hinckley
Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 43,246 . It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council...
) within which many of the Brigade companies take part from all over the country including Leicestershire, East Anglia and the North of England. The current champions are St Andrews York. Probably the most successful band in the Church Lads and Church Girls Brigade ever. In addition to, this company is celebrating their one hundredth year since its formation in 1908.
Music Played
Historically many companies have a large bugle section, therefore choosing to play bugle marches such as Assam Rifles, The Little Bugler and Mechanised Infantry. Other companies that have a more pronounced brass and woodwind section will play more marches such as Aces High.National Band
To support individual companies the CLCGB runs a National Band, aiming to extend the talents of its members by providing training and an opportunity to play in a band of over 60 members. Summer tours have seen the band play across Britain, Europe and as far away as New York. The band play a variety of music, having a talented brass and woodwind section along with their accomplished traditional Drum Corps, Bugle Corps and mallet section.National Choir
The Brigade has a National Choir. Formed in 1991 the choir welcomes members from all regions in which the Brigade operates and provides the opportunity for members to extend and express their vocal talents. It supports Brigade events and performs three concerts in the autumn of each year. It has also in recent years played a central role in the Brigades Annual Service of Remembrance held each November in the Chapel of the National Arboretum at Alrewas, Staffordshire.Membership of the choir has varied over the years from a low of about 25 to a high of nearly 50. The choir's repertoire covers a wide range from modern and popular classics to full choral pieces. In recent years a small band of accompanists has developed including guitar, bass and percussion.
Historical Group
Formed in 1996, the Historical Group has made a positive contribution within the Brigade. Its membership is very varied, encompassing all ages and interests, including members from Newfoundland, Canada and South Africa. We have built up a friendly and constructive relationship with the keepers of the Archives of the Newfoundland Church Lads’ Brigade and share material. We share a desire to learn about our heritage in a constructive way. Aiming to educate members using attractive and interactive methods and a new historical information sheet has been produced along with numerous factsheets. The cataloguing and conservation of the National Headquarters archives along with provision of a Reference Library have all now been initiated.Membership brings with it the opportunity to receive the Group's 'Brigader' Magazine twice a year and the Newfoundland CLB 'Bugle' plus offers of merchandise not available from NHQ. The Secretary can be contacted via NHQ.
The Brigade Prayer
Members are encouraged to pray at least once on company nights. This prayer is the standard brigade prayer and is said all over the country.'Heavenly Father, bless and guide with your spirit the work of the Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade. Help us never be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified. To fight valiantly under his banner against sin, the world and the devil, and to continue as his faithful soldiers and servants to the end of our lives. Amen'