Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade
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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. It was founded in 1891 as 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 Brigades amalgamated in 1978 to form the Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade.
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.
The Brigade is split up into sections. These correspond the members age:
Martins (Named after Saint Martin). 4 to 7 years of age. Y Team (Previously YTC). 7 to 10 years of age. JTC (Jump to the Challenge). 10 to 13 years of age. Seniors. 13 to 21 years of age.
Members can become leaders and continue to contribute to the CLCGB for a long time.
[edit] What Happens In Brigade
Members do badge work which will earn them an award at the end. These activities may include helping the environment, learning about faith and life skills. Badge work also incudes sport and each February, battalions are invited to take part in uni-hoc 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 in present in each medal section.Uni-hoc is much like hockey, however is played with a puck, and plastic hockey sticks.There is also an athletics competition in which regiments compete for the trophies.
Many Brigade companies in the United Kingdom also have a marching band, with instruments such as: drums, bugles, cymbals and glockenspiels. There is a National Band Competition for the bands to compete in which takes place annually around May time (most recently held in Hinckley).
Members are also encouraged to attend church at least once a month and there is a brigade prayer:
'Heavenly Father, bless and guide with your spirt 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'
