Ross Duthie, Author at Buchan Battalion Boys' Brigade

QUEEN’S BADGE AWARD – STEFAN BUCHAN, 1st ST COMBSQUEEN’S BADGE AWARD – STEFAN BUCHAN, 1st ST COMBS

18 July 2021| Ross Duthie|

The President and Executive of the Buchan Battalion wish to congratulate Stefan Buchan of the 1st St. Combs Company who was presented with his Queen’s Badge yesterday by Brigade Vice President, Alison Chambers.

Stefan received a glowing report from his Company Captain, Sandy Gavryluk, with the Queen’s Badge Advisor adding that Stefan had given 40 hours service to the BB and an astonishing 90 hours voluntary service to the community as part of the award. Only 30 hours for each were required for the badge.

Stefan is a credit to his Company and a credit to the Brigade and we were delighted to hear that he plans to continue helping his with his Company in the new session! Well done!

BRIGADE VISITOR TO ROSEHEARTYBRIGADE VISITOR TO ROSEHEARTY

14 July 2021| Ross Duthie|

All at the 1st Rosehearty Company are looking forward to welcoming Alison Chambers, Brigade Vice-President, to our village on Saturday 17th July!

Alison is coming to Rosehearty to present Jack Irvine with his President’s Commendation alongside other young men from around the Battalion who will be receiving higher Brigade Awards. We believe Alison will be the highest ranking official from the BB to ever visit our village in our entire 98-year history.

Alison is a leader in the Airdrie, Coatbridge and District Battalion where she has served as the Battalion Training Convener. She currently serves as a Queen’s Badge Co-ordinator for Lanarkshire District Fellowship and was appointed a Brigade Vice-President last year.

The forecast says the sun may even make an appearance as we look forward to this special day!

Mini Bus Booking SystemMini Bus Booking System

9 June 2021| Ross Duthie|

This is just a reminder since we have recently had a few requests about how the Battalion Mini Bus Can be booked.

To Book out the Mini Bus head to https://bus.buchanbb.org.uk/ and login with the Details Provided.

On the dashboard you should see a button that says Reserve, click this and it will let you fill in a booking form.

Once you have submitted your booking request it will then be sent to be approver, you will be notified once it has been accepted.

We have a step by step Booking Tutorial Available to view at https://bus.buchanbb.org.uk/tutorials/make-a-booking.pdf

If you have any questions, please email bus@buchanbb.org.uk or send us a message on Facebook.

900 Likes on our Facebook Page900 Likes on our Facebook Page

8 February 2021| Ross Duthie|

Our Facebook page now has a magnificent 900 like!

The more people that follow our page, the more people know about the wonderful work our Battalion does for young people in the north east of Scotland!

Thank you for following us and stay tuned for more exciting times ahead as we gradually emerge from this lockdown in 2021!

If you haven’t liked our page yet, you can head to our page at https://www.facebook.com/buchanbb

BUCHAN BATTALION VAULT – UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES & VIDEOSBUCHAN BATTALION VAULT – UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES & VIDEOS

17 January 2021| Ross Duthie|

We are looking to create a Digital Vault of old Battalion Photos, Videos, Newspaper Articles, Really anything about the Battalion.

This Archive will be made available to View after content has been organised and added to the site. We are Currently Requesting if anyone has anything they wish to add to the Vault, to submit it via the methods below.

What we are looking for?

Photos from Past Battalion Events
Videos from Battalion Events
Scans/images of Articles about the Battalion
Anything you think should be added to the vault

Feel free to send in anything/as much as you want. The more images we receive the more complete the vault will become.

How to Submit Items to the Vault?

There are a few ways that items can be submitted

Upload via this link https://rossduthie-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/ross_ross-duthie_com/Eh_4Q-Ol2BVCpvP0VwPAxfwBe-sC8ERlV1hdJwgucuPIKw
Email it to vault@buchanbb.org.uk

Make sure after uploading images to send an email to vault@buchanbb.org.uk informing us of what you have uploaded so we know how to categorize it in the Vault.

When Uploading please try to keep your file as easy as possible to organise, i.e. upload folders/zip files for each different event or name the files to what the event was, this will make it easier to identify which event the images come from.

We hope that the vault develops with lot’s of photos and videos in it. If you have any questions about the vault please email vault@buchanbb.org.uk . The vault will be available to view once we have started to populate it.

Looking Forward to seeing all the uploads!!

Thanks,
Buchan Battalion Boys’ Brigade

NEW APPOINTMENT – QUEEN’S BADGE ADVISORNEW APPOINTMENT – QUEEN’S BADGE ADVISOR

1 January 2021| Ross Duthie|

As of today Michael Strachan becomes the new Queen’s Badge Advisor for the Buchan Battalion. Our outgoing Queen’s Badge Advisor, Lt Andrew West of the 1st Fraserburgh, has held the post since 1997 and has seen hundreds of boys achieve their Queen’s Badges – the highest award in the Boys’ Brigade. Mr West was very thorough and always inspected Queen’s Badge books in great detail before his candidates were able to attend completion courses. This is part of the reason, along with his dedication, his candidates have always enjoyed a very high success rate. We thank Mr West for his 23 years in the post which has elevated our Battalion’s reputation in the North Scottish Area and beyond.

Mr West is succeeded in the post by Capt. Michael Strachan of the 1st Rosehearty Company. Mr Strachan has some big shoes to fill and was delighted to accept Mr West’s kind offer of any advice or assistance if ever it was needed going forward. It may be of interest to note that Mr Strachan himself was awarded the Queen’s Badge back in 2005, Mr West being his Queen’s Badge Advisor!

We wish Mr Strachan every success going forward. Further details will be sent to Captains by Battalion Secretary, Lt Yvonne Duthie.

Image: Mr Andrew West (left) and Mr Michael Strachan (right).

Summer Adventures WinnerSummer Adventures Winner

9 August 2020| Ross Duthie|

Well Done to Everyone who participated in the Summer Adventures Leaderboard, and a special Well Done to 1st Rosehearty Boys’ Brigade who won overall.

There was great fun had by all 55 Participants from 7 Companies from across the Battalion!!

All participants have been sent out a certificate by email!!

Everyone who entered did a great job with many Under and Over 11’s getting a full 20/20 activities complete

Make sure to look out later in the week for the Montage to see what everyone got up to!!

Well Done everyone who participated!!!

Henry Duthie MBE – Guard of Honor – 20th JuneHenry Duthie MBE – Guard of Honor – 20th June

17 June 2020| Ross Duthie|

The funeral of Henry Duthie will take place on Saturday 20 June at Alexander Buchan & Sons at 10am. This is restricted to invited guests.

The hearse will travel from Alexander Buchan’s around 10.30am and travel up Watermill Road to pass by Gallowhill Terrace, along West Road and up over Dennyduff Road past the West Church and down to the trafic lights, turning right heading to the roundabout at Tesco’s before heading to Kirkton Cemetery.

The Boys’ Brigade have been asked to form a Guard of Honour from the gates at the Cemetery back towards Lidl’s and depending on numbers back towards roundabout ensuring we adhere to the social distancing rules.

All Boys’ Brigade members past and present who would wish to pay their last respects to the great BB man should be in uniform (past or present). Please be in the area to form the guard of honour by 10.30am on Saturday.

Martin Dunbar
Captain, 4/5th Fraserburgh BB

HENRY FOWLIE DUTHIE MBE 1923-2020HENRY FOWLIE DUTHIE MBE 1923-2020

16 June 2020| Ross Duthie|

All in the Battalion were saddened to learn of the passing of BB stalwart, Henry Duthie MBE.

Henry Duthie was a founder member and Lieutenant of the 4th Fraserburgh Boys’ Brigade in September 1952. He would soon become Captain of the 4th Fraserburgh taking over from Joe Ironside circa 1953/54. Henry would remain Captain of the Company for 32 years.

During his time as Captain of the Fourth he was Area President of the Fraserburgh District in the late 1960’s, Vice President of Buchan Battalion 1970-74, before becoming President 1974-79. He stayed on as Vice President from 1979-84.

Henry was also Training Officer/Convener 1980s-c.1993 and was bestowed an Honorary Life Member 1994. Henry was also an Honorary Vice President of the North Scottish Area and has been for many years.

Henry was awarded an MBE 31/12/1992 and presented to him by the Queen in 1993.

We remember Henry for his many years of dedicated service to the Boys’ Brigade in Fraserburgh but also in Buchan area and beyond. Henry also known as “Mr Fraserburgh”
during his time as Chairman of Fraserburgh 400 in 1992 and he did a power of work for the youth in the town. He was also a founder member of the Fraserburgh Junior Arts in 1953 and was involved in the Fraserburgh Heritage Centre.

For those boys who attended the 4th Fraserburgh they would have been one of “Henry’s loons” and a great many young men will remember fondly their time in the BB with Henry as their Captain.

BBatHome Online Service (31/5/2020)BBatHome Online Service (31/5/2020)

28 May 2020| Ross Duthie|

Our vision is that young people may experience “life to the full”. (John 10:10)
Join with the BB Family and Friends in Worship
Connect to one another in fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ
We are grateful to Bo’ness St. Andrews Church and the 2nd Bo’ness BB Company who are hosting this service for us. Connect to http://www.standonline.org.uk/ and press the live button and you will be with us in fellowship. There is also a chat facility to chat before the service starts and if you wish to send greetings from yourself or your company, The BB in Scotland would be pleased to hear from you. If you are unable to join on Sunday afternoon, a recording will be available on the Bo’ness St Andrews website subsequent to the event.
#BBATHOME is an important way that The Boys’ Brigade is continuing to make our vision of living life to the full a reality for our members. #BBHOMESERVICE is the opportunity to unite in a special BB Service. The BB in Scotland invite you to be part of this service not an observer but a participant in our shared worship. This service is particularly suitable for Company and Senior Section Boys and all BB Officers, Leaders and Friends of the Brigade.
Much of the service is led by Company Section Boys from various areas of Scotland. Music is being provided by The Central Band (Scotland) with additional BB musicians. Please feel free to share with BB members past and present at home and abroad, with the families of our members, with your local Churches and if you have a Church of Scotland Guild locally please encourage our friends and partners to share with us.
The means of communication may be “virtual” but OUR worship and fellowship is REAL.
Join in worship with your BB Family that is part of the family of God the Father, and Jesus the son whose kingdom we seek to advance.
Derek
Rev Derek Gunn
Chaplain, BB Scotland

Author: Ross Duthie