Author: Ross Duthie

Awards Celebrations 2024Awards Celebrations 2024

We had a wonderful evening of celebration at tonight’s Buchan Battalion Queen’s and President’s Badge evening at Rosehearty!

We were enjoying ourselves so much we forgot to get the big group photo of everyone at the end. But don’t worry; we have hundreds more photos to share over the coming days!

Thanks to all for attending tonight, including our Chief Guest Hon. Mrs Kate Nicolson DL who presented all the certificates. Thanks to the 1st Rosehearty for hosting the 2nd Annual Awards evening!

DUNCAN LEEL – 40 YEARS SERVICEDUNCAN LEEL – 40 YEARS SERVICE

It’s not often Duncan Leel is left speechless, but this is something our Battalion President Marc Thomson achieved on Friday night when he surprised Mr Leel with a 40 years service certificate.

Duncan Leel first became an officer of the 1st New Pitsligo in 1983 before transferring to the 1st Fraserburgh about a decade later. Duncan has now been Captain of the 1st Fraserburgh for 18 years and has served in a variety of Battalion positions including President, Vice-President, Secretary and Training Convener.

As well as receiving his certificate from the Battalion President Captain Leel was also presented with a gift from his Company to a mark the occasion.

Al in the Battalion congratulate Duncan on this magnificent milestone of service.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH GOLD AWARD – MARCUS STUARTDUKE OF EDINBURGH GOLD AWARD – MARCUS STUART

Congratulations to Marcus Stuart of the 1st Fraserburgh who has achieved his Gold Duke of Edinburgh after a great deal of hard work and dedication.

Marcus, who achieved his Queen’s Badge last year, was presented with his award certificate by Moira Givan. It is hoped that his badge will be awarded at the Palace of Holyroodhouse soon.

This is the first Gold Duke of Edinburgh awarded to a member of his Company for many years. Ruary McDonald, 4th Fraserburgh, also recently achieved this high award.

Well done Marcus!

QUEEN’S BADGES – 1st FraserburghQUEEN’S BADGES – 1st Fraserburgh

Congratulations to Brody Tocher and Jon Anderson of the 1st Fraserburgh who have been presented with the Queen’s Badge, the highest award in the Boys’ Brigade.

Brody’s badge was presented by Battalion Secretary Yvonne Duthie whilst Jon asked that his dad present him with his badge.

Well done to both recipients who put in a great deal of work for the badges. They should be the last recipients of the Queen’s Badge in the 1st Fraserburgh and the Buchan Battalion before the award becomes the King’s Badge.

CROSS COUNTRYCROSS COUNTRY

Well done to all the Boys who took part in the Scottish Cross Country!

Buchan Battalion came first in the Intermediate group taking home the Dunlop Trophy for the very first time!

Liam B (1st Rosehearty) came third in the individual Intermediate event improving his qualifying time.

All ran very well on what turned out to be a sweltering day at (Dunblane) and should be proud of their efforts and medals!

DUKE OF EDINBURGH GOLD – RUARY MCDONALDDUKE OF EDINBURGH GOLD – RUARY MCDONALD

Ruary McDonald, 4th Fraserburgh was awarded his Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award this morning at the Joint Church Service at Fraserburgh West Kirk.

Congratulations to Ruary in gaining the award for which he volunteered for 12 Months within the Brigade ⚓️, did Cooking/Baking 🥧for his skill and Badminton 🏸for his Physical for 6/12 Months, did his Gold Expedition in Glen Clova, Cairngorms ⛰️for 4 days/3 nights and a residential on a yacht ⛵️with Ocean Youth Trust on the West Coast for 5 days/4 nights.

Ruary will attend the Gold Presentation at Holyrood, Edinburgh in July where he will be presented with Certificate by Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh

SERVICE AWARD – LT LYNNE BRUCESERVICE AWARD – LT LYNNE BRUCE

At our Parents’ Night we surprised Lt Lynne Bruce, OIC of Anchors, with the brand new 1st Rosehearty Service Award to mark her 5 years as an Officer with the Company. Lynne has made a massive impact in the Brigade over the past 5 years which the Captain believed merited recognition.

Well done Lynne and thank you for all that you do.

The Captain’s remarks can be read below:

“The backbone of this Company is service. I am proud that all of our members, one way or the other, find ways to serve the 1st Rosehearty and to advance it. This is certainly true of our young people, but it is equally true for our officers – each and every one going above and beyond to serve our young people.

Tonight, though, I want to recognise and give thanks for the service of Lynne Bruce.
As this session comes to a close, it marks Lynne’s 5th session in the 1st Rosehearty and in the Brigade itself. She first came forward in August 2019. At that time we had only just got the Juniors up and running but the long-serving Officer-in-Charge of the Anchors – Mrs Maria MacLennan – was retiring. We had nobody to lead the Anchors, the important trunk of the tree that is a BB Company.

That was until Lynne stepped forward. With no previous BB experience her rationale was clear; she wanted her own boys to benefit from the BB and if nobody else was willing to step forward to keep it going, she would.

She had her work cut out for her. When she stepped forward, she probably didn’t expect to be automatically appointed the Anchor’s Officer-in-Charge. I am also certain that she saw through my own lack of experience in Anchors work when I suggested that there was no right or wrong way to run a section but just to do what she thought worked. Whatever she did though, it seems to have worked well and we have one of the most successful Anchors sections in the Battalion. Battalion Champions in 2024!

Of course, we never did get through a first normal year; the pandemic saw to that. With Lynne, Marc and our leaders onside as we entered the pandemic, we tackled it head one and probably came out of it stronger than when we went in. No small part of this was some of Lynne’s ideas where the 1st Rosehearty had BBatHome, even before BBatHome became an actual thing.

When we were able to meet again our Company had grown to three sections, and along with it our officer base, with a Girls’ Association to boot, with Lynne being an officer across all three sections. Lynne has poured in a great deal of time, service and dedication to this Company over the past five years.

At Battalion level too Lynne has made a massive impact. It did not take long for Lynne’s enthusiasm to be noticed at the Battalion and she was quickly appointed to the Battalion Executive. Seeing that she could make a difference, and perhaps spurred on by an obviously unequal offer to the Anchors, she took the chair of the Anchors committee. In that capacity she has been the driving force for ensuring the Anchors get more out of the Battalion. Particularly with not just more competitions, but new competitions. Under her leadership the Anchors now have more equality with the other sections in the Buchan Battalion.

Her service to this Company too is also immeasurable. Lynne is the master of the fundraiser and has led much of our fundraising efforts over the last five years. As she will attest, I’m not a cheap Captain to keep! She will always put the young people first and attends most competitions across all sections – usually with a car full of kids and often a Captain in tow. This Company simply owes her an immense debt of gratitude for all she has done in a relatively short space of time.

I recall recently another Captain in our Battalion secured for himself a new leader. When he spoke to me of this leader he told me how he hoped “she might be their Lynne Bruce”. You know you’ve made it in the Boys’ Brigade when you are recognised as a standard in your own right!

In the Boys’ Brigade, Long Service – or in fact any service for leaders – is first recognised only after 15 years. They like to equate it equivalent to a life service. However here at the 1st Rosehearty we don’t do problems, we do solutions!

I have commissioned and established a new award within the 1st Rosehearty Company. The first is an award for leaders, which will be awarded by the Captain on their completion of five years service. As is clear, Lt Lynne Bruce should not only be celebrated for the quantity of years she has given, but for the quality of her work which has greatly enriched this Company and the lives of the young people within it.

It is with great pride that I call upon Lynne Bruce to come forward to accept the first 1st Rosehearty Service Award for five years service.”

PRESIDENT’S BADGES – 1st RoseheartyPRESIDENT’S BADGES – 1st Rosehearty

This evening the 1st Rosehearty was proud to see three members receive the President’s Badge – the second highest award in the Boys’ Brigade & Girls’ Association.

Well done to Eimantas, Liam and Katie who have put in a great deal of work to get to this point including voluntary service, an overnight residential and a BYS Course.

On the day His Majesty was confirmed as the new Patron of the Boys’ Brigade we are incredibly proud that all three now become King’s Badge Candidates!

Well done all! You should be proud of yourselves!