I don’t have to tell you that Christmas is looming, along with the end of term. As we head into the Christmas break I’d like to share a number things with you for the new year. Firstly, when we start again! This will be Tuesday 10th January, 2012 (Amicus will make their own arrangements).

Family Services

We’ve already had the first of the new format Family Services and I want to remind you of the dates for the coming year; 15th January, 25th March, 6th May. Please don’t forget that these services are intended to be family oriented, shorter and finish with an invitation to lunch. January’s service will finish with a winter barbeque! So please put the dates in your diaries and bring the whole family along.

Half Terms

There appears to be some confusion with half terms and when we do or don’t meet. The problem seems to be rooted in the changes at the Premier Academy. Please find below the Tuesdays in 2012 when we will not be meeting.

• 14th February – Half Term
• 3rd & 10th April – Easter
• 5th June – Half Term

So with all of the information imparted, it just leaves me to wish you all a peaceful and blessed Christmas!

Mark Churchill, Captain.

The challenge to our Young Engineer (Matthew) was to build a Meccano© tower crane with rotating jib, working trolley and hook. In the photo you can just make out the chain-driven trolley mechanism and the hook with cable drum. The hook stays at a constant height wherever the trolley is placed along the jib. The driver’s cab even has a seat and control levers!  The fun part was getting one of the movements powered by a 40-year old Meccano steam engine.

(www.meccanouk.co.uk)

… when it comes to parachute games ! When the Anchor Boys and Junior Section get together they love playing ‘Cat & Mouse’ among other ‘chute games.

Check out Action Kids for Schools for some ideas.

As part of their Challenge+ programme, Seniors designed a Milton Keynes version of the traditional Monopoly (c) board.

(http://www.hasbro.com/monopoly/en_GB/)

A small portion of the board. We decided to keep the four railway stations – Milton Keynes Central, Bletchley, Wolverton and Fenny Stratford – but replaced the Water and Electricity squares with “The Point” and “Xscape”. Rather than use street names, we chose local areas in Milton Keynes. There are over 100 of these, so apologies if the 22 selected didn’t include yours.

Last Saturday saw the 1st Bletchley join forces with our sister Girls’ Brigade company to put on a combined awards and talent show. With the theme for the evening being talent we appreciated the many skills of our members both in performance and the recognition of their efforts in gaining awards throughout the last session.

I was pleased to be able to award a number of service badges that can only be earnt by attandance both on a Sunday and parade night. The girls’ awards were presented by the Milton Keynes GB District Commissioner, Rachel Allen. Joining her as guest of honour was our very own Bill Bond.

There was some sneakiness going on before the event. Let me explain. Bill has now retired from work and has decided to retire from Boys’ Brigade. OK, you say, very nice. Nice doesn’t begin to describe the contribution Bill has made to our company since joining as a boy (I’ll leave you to do the arithermatic). He has been captain twice in our company’s history and touched the lives of many. Thanks to the sneakiness many of them attended the evening to catch up on old times during the post show BBQ. Bill was presented with a special silver version of the campers badge that he had as a boy and, in part, recognises his contribution to MK Summer Camp, but then that’s another story.

My apologies for the lack of photographs from the BBQ, Circus Skills, face painting, crafts and XBox games, we were just too busy enjoying ourselves !

Mark.

Whilst our older members attend MK Camp during the summer holidays our younger members had the opportunity to attend the Battalion Camp held at BBHQ in Feldon in July. Did you know that this year is a celebration of 125 years of BB camping?

Whilst at the camp the battalion held a number of battalion competitions to close out the session. Congratulations to out members as they came back with not one, but two trophies!

The Anchor Boys won the potted sports competition.

Potted Sports Winners

… and the Juniors won the ‘triathlon’.

Triathon Winners

Well done to all who took part !

In Milton Keynes we’re lucky to have a fixed orienteering course spread out through a number of local parks. Last night the Juniors (some pictured below) attempted a small course in Campbell Park.

Here’s what the Junior Section will be getting up to  over the coming weeks;

Well the wedding day has come and gone, but the memories remain. I managed to get our boys to jot down their thoughts of the day.

The best bit about the wedding was the royals on the balcony. We were very lucky because we got to  lead the public down the Mall. We also got a shot of the public kiss on the balcony.

At 1.30 p.m. the Lancaster bomber, Spitfire and Hurricane fly across London.

We were also at the very front of Horse Guards Parade and got a super view of the cars and carriages. It will be a time I will never forget.

Lucas Churchill

The day started very, very early as I had to wake up at around 6 o’clock in the morning. Our train to London was due for half past 7, so we had to drive pretty quick to get there on time. After our 30 minute journey we arrived in London and rushed out to catch an underground train to the centre. Then we finally had a chance to sit down and have breakfast in McDonalds. A Mcmuffin and a hot chocolate woke me up properly and it was then time to get to our reserved places in the Horse Guard’s Parade.

We got there after a long trip of walking through central London. After we arrived we realized that we had been incredibly lucky to have been invited by BB. They had given us an amazing place to sit and watch the procession to and from Westminster Abbey as we were only around a metre from the soldiers after they lined up along the road. We took some amazing photos and videos of the newly weds and then we got an amazing invitation. We got to lead the procession down the Mall! We walked down to Buckingham Palace and watched the kiss and the flypast, then we went to Green Park and ate our lunch. Our captain Mark Churchill said we should try and make a day of it, so we went to the science museum and had dinner at Pizza Hut. It was a day to remember!

Thomas Lingard

… now available in the links section.