The now re-energised Anguilla Boys’ Brigade is making its presence felt in the community as it continues to expand its membership on the island. This was evident as a large group of uniformed youngsters paraded from a section of the South Hill main road to the nearby Bethel Methodist Church where they participated in a mass rally.
The President of the Anguilla Boys’ Brigade Island Council, Reverend Lindsay K. Richardson, spoke to The Anguillian newspaper about the event. “We are just going through a process of reviving the Boys Brigade,” he explained. “The 2nd Anguilla Company at Ebenezer [in The Valley] was revived may be three or four years now. They have been doing things on their own, without much help, until the decision was taken to revive the [1st] Company at Bethel and the 4th Anguilla Company at Zion, North Hill.
“It is an interdenominational organisation because even though we are based at the Methodist Church, a number of the members are from the Christian Fellow Church and other Churches. The Boys’ Brigade is one of the oldest organisations for boys and was started on October 4, 1883, by its founder, Sir William Alexander Smith from Glasgow, Scotland. We are looking forward to celebrating the 133rd Anniversary in October this year. We are hoping that by then we wou
ld have expanded the Boys’ Brigade to West End by reviving the [3rd]Company there.”
Reverend Richardson went on: “The boys are all excited. They have their uniforms and the officers were enrolled this morning [Sunday, May 15]. On June 17 we will be enrolling the 2nd Anguilla Company and the Officers at Ebenezer. We are just trying to see how we can reach our boys.
“The object of the Boys’ Brigade is the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom among boys and the promotion of obedience, reverence, discipline, and self-respect – all that tends towards a true Christian mannerism. We are very pleased that we have the Regional Coordinator for Boys’ Brigade, Mr. Walter Stewart, from Trinidad as the guest speaker.”
Asked whether it was unusual for Methodist Ministers to be leaders of the Boys’ Brigade, Reverend Richardson replied: “Of course not. I believe the President of the Island Council before me was Reverend Joseph Lloyd. The Reverend Dr. Clifton Niles was a Regional Trainer and Coordinator for the Boys’ Brigade and did that fulltime while serving as a Minister. The Reverend Dr. Wycherley Gumbs is the Chaplain of the Boys’ Brigade in Anguilla. The Methodist Church and the Ministers have been very heavily involved and perhaps there is not a Methodist Minister who has not been in the Boys’ Brigade. Her Excellency the Governor is the Patroness and we have invited her to accept that honour and responsibility. The Governor has been the Patron of the Boys’ Brigade throughout the years.”
Mr. Stewart, the Regional Boys’ Brigade Coordinator, stressed that the Boys’ Brigade was one of the largest youth organisations for boys in the region. “It helps to develop the holistic man from infancy up to adulthood,” he added. “The boys, by their own behaviour and attitude, can change their home, community, church and school.”
