More than a Badge

I was a member of the Boys' Brigade, boy and man, for over 20 years and still have an affinity with the organisation, albeit vicariously since I no longer have the time (or the energy!) to be involved.

The BB Company attached to my church - the 1st Cumbernauld - held its annual display on Thursday night and it was great to see all the energy, enthusiasm, concentration and commitment on display, plus the sheer sense of fun that everyone seemed to be having, from the youngest P1 child in the Anchor Boys to the young men in the Seniors.

After all the effort on display during the evening, it was time for the awards to be handed out and it was a privilege to see four young men be presented with their President's Badges and even more so to see three gain their Queen's Badge - the highest award that the BB has to offer.

The amount of work, time and effort required over several years to gain this award is astonishing - the BB Captain read out what each boy had achieved in order to gain this award - and, when one thinks that they were also studying for qualifications at high school at the same time, it speaks volumes about these young men's skills and commitment. They are a credit to their Company, their families and themselves.

It was also a night to be proud of what some young people, given the right leadership, direction, encouragement and support, can achieve.