Can you help us ?

We need a fridge for our unit, has anyone got a fridge they no longer want ?, please contact me if you have. Thanks John.

We need another fridge!

Do you have a fridge we could make use of at the office - our old one has broken and is very old. It needs to be a model that will fit under the worktop too. Call John or Sacha at the office thanks
Thanks to Sally and Ken who provided a fridge for the wrokshop too recently.  John Boon

Helping out BB Companies in Uganda

On 12th. April, 6 boxes of boys’ old uniform shirts, trousers, belts, ties, haversacks and lanyards, together with Staff hats, and various quantities of sweatshirts from Anchor Boys and Juniors, were handed over to Cambridgeshire Battalion staff, for onward transfer to Uganda by container ! These are all old uniforms we had left stored in the church loft for some years !

Take a look at the photo in the Gallery, due to be uploaded week commencing April 14th.
We are asking all boys and families in 2nd. Witham, to donate the following if you can, over the next few weeks :

pencils, pencil sharpeners, pens, erasers, rulers, drawing and note books and school white chalk for boards

These will also be sent out to Uganda to the two BB Companies, and the schools the children attend. If each family donate one or two things, that would be enough equipment for all the children in the village !!
We will keep you informed here of progress THANKS John Boon 12th. April 2008

New Boys’ Brigade UK and 125th. Birthday websites

Please take a look at the new BB UK website - lots of new things - vibrant and lively for all including boys :

http://www.boys-brigade.org.uk/

also because The BB UK celebrates 125 years this coming October - take a look at the website deidcated to it :

http://www.bb125.org.uk

You will be pleasantly surprised by all the information at both sites. We are looking into the new Seniors Challenge Plus with a view to introducing it here at 2nd. Witham

Return to Canoeing coming soon !

Three adult staff in BB - Tracey, Matt and Keith are undertaking canoe instructor training with Bradwell Outdoors Centre over the coming spring and summer months, so that we can return to canoeing on the river at Ulting and at Bradwell using Blue Whisper powerboat as a safety boat. Watch this space for further details of their progress. When their training is complete we will try to fund raise for buying indian open canoes too !  March 2008

The Jack Petchey Foundation Achievement Awards

From now on all boys and staff can nominate a young person of 11 years and upwards, for an Achievement Award from this Foundation.
Nomination forms are available for you to complete – the young person does not have to done something marvellous or outstanding, or be the cleverest, fastest or even the best looking – but they do need to exceptionally hard working or have done something really positive for other people or 2nd. Witham BB.
As a result 2nd. Witham BB will receive £300 to spend on the work of the Company and the young person is expected to be involved in the way it’s spent. 2nd. Witham will receive £2400 each year, thus enabling 8 young people a year to be voted on !

After six months, we will be able to nominate and vote on a leader too, for which 2nd. Witham will receive another £1000 !!!

PLEASE DO take part in the project as this will recognise achievement in young people, and be financially good for 2nd. Witham BB too.

Thanks John Boon February 2008

UPDATE 25th. April - KRIS WREN is the first recipient in 2nd. Witham - well done Kris - nominated by boys and staff in Juniors - he was awarded his certificate and badge on 5th. March - Kris helps out each week at Juniors and has done for some three years or so. Chris Adkins received the second award on 25th. April at Company & Seniors - Chris helps out at Juniors and does so regularly - voted for his role modelling and example - quiet nature and helpfulness. Thanks to you both !

Trustees Reception notes - 31st. January 2008

At last week’s Reception for Staff and Supporters, the Trustees outlined the next five years plan. This is reproduced below so that you are fully informed of what we are attempting to achieve.
John Boon will “retire” from the joint workload of fund raising and programming work in 2012. This role will be split into two as the load is too high now given our various programmes and facilities. This does not mean he will retire from working with young people at all.

The Future

As you will have seen form the recent Essex Chronicle article, from small beginnings – just four boys in September 1972 to now !
36 years in Witham
So many young people
So many memories
So many friendships
So many challenges

You are all the reason for our success, however that is measured !
You are the current and future generation of what we need to achieve.
Thank you all for what you do, whatever it is. It is all vital to our work and future.

What of the future ?

Where are we now and where do we need to be ?

You will see form the display Andrew has created, that he has spent the last five months of a 6 month project, looking into our place in the community,what part we play,how we can help others,what we need to change within 2nd. Witham. What we should keep and work more on.

An extension to this project is vital, but also subject to funding too. Some £12000. It would also provide employment for another person too.
Sacha now provides 10 hours per week administrative support to both Andrew and John, plus other work she undertakes on a voluntary basis, including all financial matters. As a Trustee group we are most grateful to her for her enthusiasm and versatility.

2nd. Witham BB is now a registered charity and has been for 4 years now.
With the weekly programme for all four groups, other specialist work such as hiking, CV writing, school homework, sports, weekends, camps, father & son get togethers and international visits, together with the Powerboat project, the ongoing work at Twinstead, and the new workshop facility, the organization and management of this Group needs to change to reflect the amount of work it takes to run and finance everything properly.
This our plan :

During 2008 attempt to identify the task required for :

1. Operating the complete programme over a year
2. The work required to fund raise the £50,000 - £60,000 it will cost to run the Group in one year. Create the strategic business Plan for the next 3 – 5 years.
3. Continue fund raising, particularly amoung “old boys” to purchase the new workshop facility – thought to be between £52,000 and £55,000.

During 2009 Provide for the Denmark and Canada trips
plus put in place the work required to identify the two full time staff who will be needed to undertake the programming and strategic work, from the point John “retires” from these dual roles in 2012. He will accept one of these roles, probably the strategic, but not both.
The 2012 organising group starts work – please offer to help if you can !

During 2010 ensure the fund raising is in place for one full time post, and then plan the change over ........

For 2011 the plans must also be put in place for the 2012 40th birthday celebrations.

2012

The change over takes place plus the 40th. birthday celebration weekend andyear long events

New craft co - leader for Anchor boys

Sadly from March 2008, we will no longer have either Ayshea or Rachael, as circumstances mean they are not in Witham at the time Anchor Boys is meeting.

We are pleased to say that Hanna - Chris’ girlfriend has joined us in the craft at Anchor boys and we are grateful to her for her time.

New BB website for young people - created by us My Spotlight - for you to put your achievements !

Take a look at :

http://www.myspotlight.co.uk

and see for yourself. If you want help, talk to either Andrew or John
Do take a look and tell us about what you’ve done that is good! It does not have to be something in BB - it can be at home, school, clubs with friends anything and anywhere !! Come on let’s have your comments !!  There’s lots on it already !!  Andrew and John January 2008

New Industrial workshop and storage facility in Witham

We have taken over a unit on Eastways from 16th. July, to house our workshop facility and undertake “dirty” tasks of maintenance and car re- building, starting in hopefully October time. Eventually we hope to buy this unit and Lorne has begun to contact supporters, to help raise the £52,000 we need to buy and £5000 to refurbish it.
We would like to thank John May, Graham Dawson, Matthew Summers and Chatsworth Electrical for setting up the power and water supplies, and for the costings for a first floor storage area. Warrick Chipperfield has replaced the windows now and so the unit is now up and running as at October 2007.
This is bold move forward for us so if you can help in any way, please let John know.
Thanks too to Witham Town Council for sponsoring this project financially. 12th. October 07