Last weekend, the 1st Bletchley Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Association, with whom we are partnered, turned 100! 

Back in 1976, Ron Staniford, then Captain, wrote a history of 1st Bletchley in celebration of the 50th anniversary. At the end of the book he writes:

… one can envisage that someone will be writing a further chapter of this history, to celebrate the centenary of the 1st Bletchley Company in the year 2026.

Ron Staniford OBE, Company Captain

Well 50 years later, this new chapter has now been achieved and celebrations were certainly held! Over the last weekend, memories were shared, band instruments were played, old and new connections were formed, awards were given, prayers and songs were offered, and cake was eaten. 

How to best capture the spirit of these celebrations? I think Gareth, Brigade treasurer and one of our deacons, helpfully summed this up for us: “100 years of working with thousands of young people and impacting their lives forever. Just to think of this is awesome! And without God’s help impossible.”

Last weekend was a chance to pause and give thanks to God for the work of the BBGA, the leaders & volunteers He has sustained and the young people whose lives have been shaped by an organisation rooted in the Christian faith over the last century. 

A special thanks go to all those who made this centenary weekend possible. We are grateful to Mark, Ruth, Nick, Gareth, Sue, Martin and Dennis who were involved in all the planning and preparation.

Although the weekend is over, the work of the company continues. 1st Bletchley are also expanding their own website with archive material over this centenary year – so watch this space.

Thank you to all who came and made this a centenary to remember! 

Below is a summary of the two days. You can also visit the 1st Bletchley website to view all the photos and videos of the day by clicking on this link.

Centenary

Saturday 26th September, Past Members Event & Exhibition

On Saturday we kicked off our centenary celebrations with our Past Members Event & Exhibition. We welcomed back past members from across the UK and it was great to observe the buzz of people chatting, sharing memories and catching up with one another; for many it was the first time they had seen each other in years.

The exhibition in the Youth Hall and Assembly Room was wide-ranging including camp memorabilia, badges, photo albums, Ron Staniford’s OBE and an opportunity to try on past uniform. The centrepiece was the huge timeline on the wall showcasing our 100 year history.

There was also the chance to try out various band instruments. At several points throughout the day, former members gathered together to pick up their old instruments. It was a pleasure for the rest of us to watch them play!

Thank you to all who came, it was fantastic to see so many faces old and new.

Sunday 27th September, Centenary Service

On Sunday we held our centenary service in association with Spurgeon Baptist Church to round off a weekend of celebration. It was lovely to welcome back those who attended our exhibition yesterday, as well as those who came for the first time today. The service was streamed online so we also had members of the congregation who joined from around the world!

We were delighted to be joined by local dignitaries and representatives: The Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, Lady Howe, The Mayor of MK, Cllr Paul Trendall, the President of the West Anglia Battalion, Rob Cianter and the Bletchley Division Commissioners of Girlguiding Buckinghamshire.

Also present were a mix of ex-members, former officer and chaplains, volunteers and current members of the company.

The service was led by Mark Churchill, Company Captain, and was centered around our motto which is to be found in Hebrews 6:19:

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.

Hebrews 6:19

Between the hymns/songs, Bible readings, prayers and the sharing of memories, it became clear that underpinning all the work of 1st Bletchley over the last 100 years was the hope which was to be found in Christ Jesus.

In her speech, Lady Howe remarked:

Through changing generations and activities its purpose has remained constant, helping young people grow in confidence, character and faith.

From its inception until today, it is this purpose which has remained at the centre of all that we have done over the last century.

The centenary was also an opportunity to celebrate the tireless work of two special people:

• Ruth Jones was presented with a retirement gift by Lady Howe for her devoted service to 1st Bletchley, having led the Anchor Section since its inception in 2001. We thank Ruth for being such a stalwart of the Company and an inspiration to many. We wish her well for her retirement.
• Mark Churchill was presented with a special recognition award by Lady Howe for 25 years of faithful service as Company Captain. Since 2001, Mark has enriched 1st Bletchley with his stoic leadership, including pulling the company through the Covid-19 pandemic. We thank Mark for his devotion to seeing young people grow over the years.

Hayden and Junior, who are in the Senior Section, were presented with special Bibles by the Mayor to mark their final year with us at 1st Bletchley. We thank them for their service and wish them well for the future.

The service concluded with a blessing from the current Company Chaplain, Rev Mung Hatzaw and was followed by the cutting and sharing of the centenary celebration cake, accompanied by tea and conversation.