Battalion Blog

Congratulations to 1st Drumachose Juniors won the Northern Ireland District Junior Section Quiz in Newtownards on Saturday 27th October, just 1 point ahead of Ballyclare. Charlemont BB came 3rd. The team consisted of Adam, Kain, John & Sam. Well done boys!

The 1st Macosquin Company are holding a Hallowe'en Barn Part in aid of BB Funds and a Kenyan Orphanage. Music by Eternity Socials Location: Macosquin Presbyterian Church Date/Time: Friday 26th October 2012 Junior Section: 7.30pm to 9.30pm Company Section: 9.30pm to late

Officers’ Dedication Service 30/09/12 7:30 pm 1st Macosquin Quiz Kids 12/10/12 7:30 pm 5th Coleraine Closing Date for entries 24/09/12  Quiz Kids N.I.D.Final 22/10/12 2:30pm Movilla Abbey Church, N’Ards Junior Section Officers’ Conference 10/11/12 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Rathmore House Larne Closing date for Registrations is Monday 22nd October 2012. Figure Marching Officers Demonstration 14/11/12 7:30 pm 1st Portrush Carol Service 2/12/12 3:30 pm 1st Ballywatt Joint with Anchor Boys Meet at 3:00pm Musician Of The Year 12/1/13 1:45pm Templepatrick Presbyterian Church Closing Date for entries 17/12/12 Indoor 5-a-side 15/1/13 7:00 pm U.U.C.Sports Hall 1 team per Company Squad of 7 boys maximum  Indoor Games 5/2/13 7:00pm 1st Garvagh Squads may be up to 12 boys with any 6 in each game Swimming Gala 23/02/13 1:45pm. Orchard Leisure Centre, Armagh Spring Competition 2/03/13 3:30pm 1st Portrush Figure Marching Spring Competition N.I.D. F

There will be a Queen's Badge Candidates Meeting at Drumachose Presbyterian Church Hall, Limavady on Tuesday 25th September 2012, at 7:30pm. The meeting will last approximately an hour.  All boys starting their Queen's Badge this session should attend. Boys cannot embark on their badge or attend the Skills for Queen's Badge Training Course unless they have met with me and agreed their Action Plan, and have it signed off. Boys attending this meeting must : bring along their Queen's Badge Book  have an Action Plan in mind, based on the guidance in the book.  Please discuss this with your Boys before they attend.  Also, please bring along a filled out copy of the Registration Form - Skills for Queens Badge and I can sign this at the same time. This form can be downloaded or obtained from BBNI  [pdf]. Please forward number of boys from your company planning to attend this meeting to coleraine@boys-brigade.org.uk 

1st Garvagh BB will be will be starting again for a new year next week. Anchor Boys (School year P2-P4) 20th September 6:30-7:45pm  Junior Section (School year P5-P7) 21st September  6:00-7:30pm  Company Section (School year 8+) 21st September  7:30-10:00pm  All sections meet in Main Street Church Hall.

The 1st Coleraine Company Boys' Brigade will begin with a registration night on Thursday 13th September from 6.15pm to 8.30pm at St Patrick's Parish Centre. Sections will begin to meet from Thursday 20th September... Anchor Boys 6.15pm to 7.15pm. Arriving via Minor Hall side door (Circular Road) and leaving via Main Hall front door (Brook Street) Junior Section  6.45pm – 8.00pm Arrive and Leave via Main Hall front door (Brook Street) Company Section  Arrive via Minor Hall side door (Circular Road) and leaving via Main Hall front door (Brook Street) http://www.stpats.co.uk/

1st Kilrea Company will commence on Friday (Anchors, Company and Seniors) 7th September and Monday (Juniors) 10th September 2012. All sections meet at 1st Kilrea Presbyterian Church Hall. Anchors: Fridays 7.30pm to 8.30pm Juniors: Mondays 7.30 to 8.30pm Company: Fridays 7.30 to 10.00pm Seniors: Fridays 7.30 to 10.30pm

1st Ballywillan Company will be starting back on the following dates in September meeting at Ballywillan Presbyterian Church halls.  Anchors: Monday 17th September 6.15pm to 7.30pm Juniors: Thursday 20th September 7.00pm to 8.30pm http://www.ballywillanpci.org/

The 2nd Coleraine Company will restart on Friday 14th September 2012 in either 1st Coleraine Presbyterian Church hall or New Row Presbyterian Church hall. Anchors 6.30pm to 7.30pm in 1st Coleraine PC Juniors 7.30pm to 9pm in New Row PC Company Section: 7.30 to 10pm in 1st Coleraine PC Special Company Section Events in September: 14 Sept: 7.00pm-9.00pm (watching Ulster on Bug Screen in 1st Coleraine) 21 Sept: Orienteering in Downhill 6.30pm-8.00pm 28 Sept: 7.30pm-9.00pm in 1st Coleraine. http://firstcoleraine.com/ http://www.newrowpc.org/

1st Dunboe Company will be starting back on Thursday 6th September 2012 meeting at the1st Dunboe Presbyterian Church Hall in Articlave. Anchors 6.30 to 7.30pm Juniors 7.17pm to 8.30pm

The 1st Portrush Company returns on Friday 7th September for all sections meeting in Mark Street Halls in Portrush.  Anchors 6.30pm to 7.30pm Juniors 7.00pm to 8.00pm Company Section 8.00pm to 10.00pm http://www.portrushpresbyterian.org

1st Drumachose Company will be starting back on Friday 14th September in Drumachose Church Hall, Church Road, Limavady. Anchor Boys: 6.00pm to 7.15pm Junior Section: 7.00pm to 8.15pm Company/Seniors: 8.00pm to 9.30pm http://www.drumachose.org.uk/

The 1st Dunluce company in Bushmills will be holding a registration night on the 12th and 13th September. Anchor Boys: Evening of Thursday 4th October Rest of Company: Evening of Friday 5th October

The 5th Coleraine Company will be starting back on Thursday 13th September at Terrace Row Presbyterian Church Halls. The various sections will be meeting at the following times:  Anchor Boys 6.30pm to 7.45pm Junior Section 7pm to 8.30pm Company/Seniors 8pm to 10pm.  http://www.terracerow.org.uk/

1st Macosquin Company will be holding a registration night on Friday 7th September at Macosquin Presbyterian Church Hall. The various sections will start back as follows: Anchor Boys on Monday Evenings, from 6.30-7.30pm (beginning from Mon 10th Sept 2012 ).  Junior Section on Friday Evenings, from 6.30-7.45pm, (beginning from Fri 14th Sept 2012).  Company Section on Friday Evenings, from 8.00-10.00pm, (beginning from Fri 14th Sept 2012). http://www.macosquinpresbyterianchurch.com/

The Boys’ Brigade has been privileged to have Her Majesty as our Patron throughout her reign and in celebration of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee four young men, representing the four nations of the United Kingdom, have conveyed the loyal greetings of The Brigade to Her Majesty at Balmoral Castle. Her Majesty’s reply was sealed in a Baton and carried by BB members throughout the British Isles using a variety of means to reach London for the annual Council Meetings of the Brigade on 15th September. The Baton was first used in 1935 when the Brigade conveyed a message to Her Majesty’s grandfather King George V on the occasion of his Silver Jubilee and later in 1951 to King George VI in celebration of the “Festival of Britain”. The Baton has travelled through Scotland before being conveyed by Ferry to Northern Ireland and will then cross into the Republic of Ireland and then fly to Newcastle to begin its journey through England and Wales. The Royal Message was brought to The Town H

Coleraine District Boys Brigade U-14 team football team has won the Northern Ireland District Shield. The team consists of BB members from local companies in Coleraine, Garvagh, Kilrea, and Limavady and under the guidance of Norman Edgar they have won the Competition for the first time ever. In the earlier round the boys qualified for the Semi Finals by beating the Portadown Battalion 9-3. This was followed by a 3-2 win Semi-Final win over a tough East Antrim side. The final was played at the Antrim forum on Friday the 8th of June 2012 against a strong Lurgan Battalion team. In the early stages of the final Coleraine took control and were rewarded with a goal, Adam Rowe chased down a through ball and slotted in under the hesitant keeper. In the following period of play Coleraine hit the post and had a header cleared off the line. However Lurgan gradually started to get a hold of the midfield and stunned Coleraine with two goals in quick succession, both fine long range

Coleraine District Boys Brigade U-14 team  football team has reached the Final of the Northern Ireland District Shield. The team consists of BB members from local companies in Coleraine, Garvagh, Kilrea, and Limavady and under the guidance of Norman Edgar they have made the Final of the Competition for the first time ever. In the Semi Finals played at Clyde Park Garvagh, they met a strong East Antrim Battalion side. In a very close encounter Coleraine took an early lead when Jonathan Lever forced the ball home from close range. The strong Coleraine forward line were forcing the East Antrim defensive line into errors and one such error resulted in a penalty for Coleraine. The Antrim keeper however made a fine save from the resulting spot kick . Boasted by this the Antrim boys got back into the game a short time later when their Centre forward followed in on the rebound after a fine save from Jamie Cunningham in the Coleraine goal.  Coleraine took the lead again 10 minutes before

The Coleraine & District Battalion Under 14 Football team have successfully made it through to the semi finals of the Northern Ireland Competition after defeating Portadown Battalion 8-3. The semi-final will be played next Tuesday (8th May) against the East Antrim Battalion. Many congratulations to the team, coaches and organisers!

Great video from the 1st Garvagh Company Display. Imaginative box work segment including an intro video, well done to all the young men and officers involved!

In March North West Orienteering club (NWOC) in association with University of Ulster Sports Services will be running an exciting new introduction to orienteering, suitable for all ages, fitness levels and abilities (beginners and those who want to improve skills) at the University of Ulster Coleraine – Sports Centre South Building. Thurs 1st March Thurs 8th March Thurs 15 March Thurs 22nd March Thurs 29th March - Street O event The sessions are held between 6.30 and 8 pm and are run by a qualified orienteering coach. A small charge is made to cover costs of maps and coaching - £10 for the 5 week programme. Have Fun Get Fit sessions will involve learning how to navigate using simple exercises indoors and outdoors (weather and lighting permitting), they will also involve physical exercises to build your body strength and flexibility. There is no need for special equipment, just come along in comfortable jogging/leisure clothes. Orienteering is an exciting outdoor adventure

At a recent Battalion training evening hosted by 1st Garvagh in Main Street Presbyterian Walter Lamb spoke on the Dis a Bility resources which have been compiled by BBNI on issues such as Wheelchair users, ADHD, Dyslexia and how to provide an inclusive programme. Most of the leaflets have already been uploaded onto the BBNI website and can be downloaded - www.bbni.org.uk  During the second part of the evening  Rev. Trevor McCormick gave an overview of the new Programme Packs for Anchors and Juniors. Companies who attended were also given the opportunity to share some programme ideas for all sections. You can see a selection of ideas below... 1st Aghadowey -  The Anchor Boys have designed a number of banners featuring verses of the Bible.  1st Ballywatt - Programme night around the story of David & Goliath. One of the leaders was able to put together a small catapult/trebuchet. The boys had a opportunity to use it for target practice using tennis balls.  1st Garvagh - Arch

The Coleraine & District Battalion will be holding an event to formally introduce the new Anchors and Junior Section programme files. The evening will also incorporate disability awareness & working with boys with special needs. The event will take plae on Monday 6th February 2012 at 8.00pm in Main Street Presbyterian Church Hall in Garvagh. The later start time will hopefully enable companies who meet that night to come along. It would be very encouraging as well as being of great benefit to yourselves if all sections of all companies could be present. Those Companies represented on the evening will have the opportunity to purchase the Anchors and Juninor Section Programme Files at half price. .