1st Ballywatt Company have recently returned from their Camp at the Glenbrook Guide Centre in the Peak District.

The 10 boys and five staff (including their cook!) spent seven days at the site which is approximately five hours from Stranraer Port in Scotland. They found the site in a lovely location and very well maintained. The week's programme included various sports, competitions, worship and swimming.

The camp also included a trip to Old Trafford where they say they "never saw a lawn like it at Old Trafford – carefully guarded – couldn’t even hover over it, let alone walk on it!!". Also on the agenda was a day at Alton Towers. Both trips were within about one hour of the camp site at Glenbrook.

The boys and staff had good weather for the most part, with a few heavy showers. They said they would highly recommend the site adding that they took our own canvas but think that canvas can be hired.

"All in all a good week."

Details provided by Rev Ivan Hunter (Chaplain, 1st Ballywatt)

The annual Junior Section Outdoor 5-a-side competition too place on Saturday 6th June 2009. The event was held at Coleraine's Rugby Avenue Playing Fields with 12 teams from across the battalion taking part.


The overall winners were 1st Ballywillan (pictured). They beat runners-up 2nd Coleraine after a penalty shoot-out in the final game. Congratulations to all those who took part.

Submitted by Lex Smith (Junior Section Secretary).
Photo thanks to Andrew Drennan (1st Ballywillan).

Queen's Badge Conference and Holiday Leadership Course to be held in June in Northern Ireland.

A Queens Badge Conference will be held in Templepatrick for Queens Badge Advisors, Queens Badge Tutors, Battalion Secretaries, Brigade Training Officers, Battalion Training Officers, Captains and other interested Officers. More...

A Holiday Leadership Course is being held in Castledawson those from other Battalions who wish to attend, will be made very welcome. More...

For further information, including contact details, please see the Battalion Training page here.

Junior Section boys from across the Coleraine and District Battalion came together at Castleroe Wood to plant 125 trees to celebrate the Boys' Brigade  125 Anniversary. The 25 boys and 10 officers met at Castleroe Wood on the Curragh Road on the morning of Saturday 21 March to plant a mixture of native oak and Scots pines.
By Lex Smith, Battalion Junior Section Secretary

    

The results for Division One of the 2008/2009 Battalion Badminton season are in. Congratulations to all those who took part. Photographs can be found on our Bebo Group.

1. 2nd Coleraine Company
2. 5th Coleraine Company
   
3. 1st Coleraine Company

  

Four Companies from the Coleraine & District Battalion of the Boys’ Brigade took part in the first outdoor competition of 2009. The Orienteering event was held in Garvagh Forest and was won by the local 1st Garvagh Company (pictured) who completed the course in 41 mintes. They were closely followed to the finish line by two teams from the previous winners 2nd Colerine. Also taking part were teams from 1st Dunluce and 1st Kilrea Companies.

The competition was organised set up by Ivan Morrison (Battalion Recreation Convener) who presented the prizes to the successful winners on the day.

• More photographs on Bebo...

The Coleraine & District Battalion will be hosting a non-residential Youth Leader Training (YLT) course. The programme will run over two Saturdays at Macosquin Presbyterian Church Hall.

• Saturday 14th March 2009
• Saturday 21st March 2009
  
• Courses will commence at 9.45 AM and end at 8.00 PM.
  

To fulfil the course requirements, attendance at both sessions is required. To be eligible for Youth Leader Training an applicant must be at least 18 years of age. Registration forms can be downloaded from Northern Ireland District website. Click here.

The 2009 Northern Ireland District Camp will take place at Crawfordsburn Country Park on the southern shores of Belfast Lough. There is an excellent infrastructure for the size of camp we anticipate with a wide range of activities available on-site or near-by.

DATES & TIMES

We anticipate arrivals between 6.00pm and 8.00pm on Tuesday 30 June, with the first activity at 8.30pm. Camp will close at 2.30pm on Sunday 5 July.

ACTIVITIES

The programme will include: Watersports, canoeing and raft building; Adventure activities abseiling, orienteering and pioneering; Competitions go-kart racing, archery, and par 3 golf; Sports, football, softball, volleyball, etc... and a few visits to local places of interest.

CAMP STRUCTURE

In order that no one will be overwhelmed by the numbers we are expecting at camp, there will be a number of ‘villages’ with about 40 boys and 8-10 staff in each. Most of the activities will be on a village basis, but there will be times each day when the whole camp will meet together.

MORNING & EVENING PRAYERS

These will be an important part of camp life. In the mornings there will be a short time of worship to begin the day’s programme; in the evening a fast-moving and varied programme is being arranged.

FOOD

Meals will be provided centrally. To allow off-site activities and save time, packed lunches will be provided as appropriate. There will also be tuck shop facilities on site.

COST

£121 per person, which includes all camping costs, food and activities. We are asking for a non-refundable deposit of £31 per person to be paid by 28 February, followed by three payments of £30 by 31 March, 30 April and 31 May respectively.

Anyone interested should contact their Company Captain for relevent registration forms. Leaders should contact Rathmore House directly. 

On Thursday 26th February the Mayor of Coleraine Borough Council will hold a reception for the Coleraine and District Battalion in honour of the 125th Anniversary of the Boys' Brigade.

Arrangements: Boys and Officers in full uniform are asked to meet at the Cloonavin Council Offices, Portstewart Road (click here for map) no later than 7pm and refreshments will be served. Companies are permitted to send a party of five, at least one Officer and hopefully at least one boy from each section. The evening will last approximately 11/2 hours.

For further information contact Alan Morrison (Battalion Secretary) via his or the battalion email address.

During the festive period twenty eight teams representing thirteen Boys’ Brigade Companies of Coleraine and District Battalion descended on the University of Ulster Sports Complex for their annual 5-a-side football competition. The event was organised by Ivan Morrison (Battalion Recreation Convener) and Martin McCook (Tournament Official). Robert Black, a former BB officer in the Battalion, officiated as referee.

Junior Winners	Senior Winners
Junior 5-a-side winners 1st Coleraine Company, included are Martin McCook (Tournament Organiser), Robert Black (Referee) and Rev. Trevor McCormick (Battalion President).	Senior 5-a-side winners 1st Garvagh Company, included are John McFadden (Company Captain), Robert Black (Referee) and Rev. Trevor McCormick (Battalion President).

Junior Tournament

Sixteen teams competed in the Junior Competition (under 14). There were notable performances by 1st Kilrea (4-0) and 1st Garvagh ‘A’ (3-0 and 4-1) in the early group games and it was these two teams along with 2nd Coleraine and 1st Coleraine ‘A’ who progressed to the semi-finals. Garvagh just saw off a spirited Kilrea side 1-0 in a very tight first semi-final. 1st Coleraine were more convincing, dispatching 2nd Coleraine 2-0 in the other game. 1st Coleraine came away deserved victors in a very closely contested final, the teams finally being separated 3-2 by sudden death penalties.

Senior Tournament

The Senior Competition (14-18 year olds) saw eleven teams compete. 5th Coleraine showed most potential early on with 3-0, and 5-0 wins. 2nd Limavady, 2nd Coleraine and 1st Garvagh all progressed to the semi-final stage unbeaten from their respective groups with 5th Coleraine filling the other spot. Both semi-finals were one sided affairs with 2nd Coleraine defeating 5th Coleraine 4-1 and 1st Garvagh scoring five without reply from 2nd Limavady. As was expected, the final was a much closer affair with one goal separating the sides at the end, Garvagh emerging as winners 1-0.

• More photos from the tournament are available on our Bebo group, click here...