Annual Report - Secretary's Report

38th ANNUAL REPORT (2003 - 2004)

[ The 36th Annual Report is available here The 37th Annual Report is available here]  

In preparing this report on behalf of the Battalion Executive I went back through the old minutes of Battalion AGM's for certain information and I was drawn into many reminiscences of people and occasions going back to the formation of the Battalion. When I reflect on these things I realise how much we owe to the guiding hand of our Heavenly Father for bringing us through many times of troubles and allowing us to be witnesses for Him to the community in and around our Boys' Brigade Battalion.

The Executive would like to thank all the Officers in the Battalion for their hard work and dedication throughout the session which has just passed and a special thanks to those who have been involved in the leadership of the Battalion and those who have undertaken duties at NID level.

At Battalion level we have to say a farewell to our Battalion Chaplain, Rev Trevor Jamison who leaves Larne for pastures anew in Ballymena. We all have been impressed by Trevor's regular attendance at all council and executive meetings and his leading of our devotions has been an inspiration to us all. We wish him and his family God's richest blessing in his new charge.  Our Battalion Treasurer , Mr. Wilbert McNeilly is standing down after 13 years service to the Battalion.  In that time he has been exemplary in his handling of our finances such that our battalion dues have remained steady over that period of time.  We thank him sincerely for all his efforts on our behalf during his term of office.

Our numbers remain relatively constant but it is with mixed feelings that we report that the 1^st Islandmagee Company did not operate this year due to the lack of boys while on the other side it is pleasing to report that 2^nd Larne Company reformed their Company Section during the year. After loosing some Company Captains last year it is pleasing to report that Mr Jim Brown has been appointed acting Captain of 6^th Carrickfergus, the Rev Roy Vallelly is acting Captain of 1^st Ballylinney Company and Mr Andrew Houston is acting Captain of 2^nd Larne Company. We hope these gentlemen will be able to complete their Captain's element in the new session.

Our Battalion activities have continued as usual during the past session and it is pleasing to report that 8^th Carrickfergus won the Roy McCune Cup. In the Christian Education exam our numbers were slightly down as due to the delay in producing the Bible Class handbook several company Chaplains decided to do their own course. If the usual numbers from these companies had entered the exam our numbers would have been up. 4 Boys obtained 100% in the stage one exam and share the William Simms Memorial Shield. They are S. Higgins 3^rd Ballyclare, N. Doherty 3^rd Carrickfergus, N. McFarlane 8^th Carrickfergus and P Duff 3^rd Larne. The Dorothy McAdoo Cup for stage two was won by M. Patten 1^st Larne  and the McKinley Family Cup for stage three was shared by A. Montgomery 8^th Carrickfergus and J. Brownlee 1^st Larne. The Frank Dennis Cup for stage four was won by R. Garrett of 1^st Larne and the William Fitzell Cup was won by the 1^st Larne Company.  It was also pleasing to see a large turnout at the Joint Councils meeting where Mr. Colin Millar, the NID rep for disability, gave us a very informative and entertaining talk on disability in the Boys' Brigade and told us how we can help to make our company activities suitable to boys with different types of disability.

Our President produced a prayer letter for all officers and if anyone has particular topics or requests please speak with him so that a new prayer letter can be issued at the Council meetings at the start of next session.

It was pleasing to note that throughout the session there has been a regular giving to our projects at Junior Section and Anchor Boy level as well as companies giving at special events. Some companies also make their own donations to charities. It is difficult to place a figure on this giving but it mounts to several thousand pounds.

The Battalion Church Parade was hosted by 3^rd Carrickfergus on a glorious sunny day, for a change.  It was disappointing to the Executive that our turn-out was very poor and we were not able to fill the lower floor of the church. There was a Scout Parade in Carrickfergus at the same time and there were many more at that parade than at ours.  Our Church parade is the only time when we as a Battalion have the opportunity to bear a witness for our Great Captain and the Executive would ask all Companies seriously consider their obligation to show the community that we are the leading Christian organisation for Boys in the area. and make every effort to be present at next years parade.  The Executive would also ask all Officers to make an effort to attend the section council meetings or at least ensure there is one officer representing your company at each meeting.

In the Company Section activities 1^st Whitehead won the senior Drill with 1st Ballyclare winning the Novice competition. Our sporting programme continues as usual. At the NID level congratulations are due to 1^st Greenisland Company who qualified for the Brigade Final of the Master-team quiz competition where they finished a creditable fourth and to 1^st Whitehead Company who finished runners-up in the senior 7-a-side rugby competition.  We also say adieu to our Recreation Committee Convenor Frank Dennis. Frank has been active in this post for a very long time but has had to relinquish it because of failing health. He is currently recovering very slowly from a hip replacement operation and our prayers and thoughts go out to him in the hope of a satisfactory recovery. We hope he will be able to assist in an advisory capacity when he is returned to full health. Thank you for all your hard work over the years.

In Junior Section activities The Fitzell Cup was won this year by 8^th Carrickfergus and in the Quiz Kids competition 6^th Carrickfergus were the winners and 1^st Greenisland also qualified for the finals as the best runner-up. The NID Competition battalion heat was won by 1^st Greenisland, 3^rd Larne won the Figure Marching competition and in the 5-a-side football 1^st Greenisland were the winners. This year the Junior and Anchor Boy sections held a combined Carol Service which was a great success.

Congratulations are due to Anchor Boys Joel Cathcart of 2^nd Carrickfergus and David Black of 1^st Mullaghdubh who won the battalion colouring competition. Joel brought further reward to himself and the battalion by winning the NID final.  2^nd Carrickfergus Company won our battalion fun and games night and went on to win the NID competition.  A number of our Officers have already undertaken training in preparation for the time when we will be able to have P1 Boys in our Anchor Boys.  Other companies should consider ensuring that are prepared to be able to cater for the young recruits when the insurance situation is clarified.

Last year we looked at the “Facing the Future” document. Arising from a series of working groups a number of changes to the way the NID is governed have been proposed. Our President has spoken to the councils about these. We are now part of the Northern Area comprising of the 6 Northerly Battalions and the Battalion Secretary has been elected as the Battalion representative to the NID Executive.  Mrs Gwen Law has been elected to the Anchor Boy Committee as presently constituted and will continue as our representative when the new committee is formed. If we are to have greater representation on these new committees then we need more officers willing to accept posts at NID level and thus making themselves known to a wider number of people. We are one of the biggest battalions in this area and yet we have almost the lowest number of officers elected unto these new committees. While we accept that changes in the governance of the NID were necessary we hope that these new structures will now allow the NID to bring forward new ideas and help for the officers who are giving devoted service at the company parade night and thus ensure that the Boys within our care have the best of everything that will allow us to advance Christ's Kingdom among our Boys and to lead them towards a true Christian manliness and a place in our Father's Heavenly Kingdom.

The Executive wish you all a time of rest and reflection, especially those who will be going to camp or organising a holiday weekend for the boys, and it is our hope and prayer that we will all return next session renewed and energised to serve our Master in the days ahead.

For and on behalf of the Battalion Executive

Frank Picton

Battalion Secretary