3rd Shotts Boys' Brigade

03/09/2026

We had a fantastic first night back at BB. Our numbers have swelled significantly especially in our Anchor Section with lots of new boys along for the first time.

Please find the write up from both sections below as well as some pictures:

Anchor Section

What a fantastic first night back! It was brilliant to welcome our returning boys, along with so many new faces. The boys gelled extremely well, and you’d have thought they had known each other for years!

We also began our new lesson series, “Things Jesus Said.”Today we looked at Matthew 4:19, where Jesus called the fishermen to follow Him and become fishers of men. We talked together about what it means to be a follower of Jesus today and how we can put that into practice in our everyday lives. The boys engaged really well with the discussion and shared some great thoughts.

We had plenty of fun along the way too, with games including Flapping Fish Races and Follow the Leader, which fitted perfectly with our theme!

It was a brilliant start to the new term, and we’re looking forward to all that’s ahead. ⚓🐟

Junior Section

We had a great first night back.

First Andy led the boys in a 'blind obstacle course' where the boys took turns being blindfolded before their partner led them through the course, giving instructions to avoid the obstacles.

The boys then changed places so the guide became the one blindfolded.

After all the boys had went through the obstacle course (with a slight change for the last boy), we thought about how it was important to listen to and follow the instructions from your 'guide' as you progressed through the course.

We thought about How it is important to follow Jesus as He guides us through life.

The final boy was instructed before he began to 'reverse' the instructions he was given by his guide (in this case Andy)- if Andy said turn left then turn right and so on.

This reminded us that if we don't follow Jesus then things will inevitably go wrong in our lives.

We then had our Bible lesson, which is the first in a series where we will be looking at some of the things Jesus said.

This evening, we were looking at Jesus calling the first disciples, telling them "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew Ch 4 V 19)

We thought about how it was important that we not only know about Jesus, but that we know Him personally and follow Him.

We thought about some of the ways in which we demonstrate that we follow Jesus, and about some of the reasons why people might choose not to follow Him.

After this, the boys then completed a little worksheet that they took home with them which show ways in which Christians can show that they follow Christ.

Some of the suggestions were particularly encouraging- including prayer, faith, kindness and charity.

All in all, a great first night! We can't wait to see friendships forming and growing, new skills being learnt, confidence being boosts, new experiences had and increased knowledge of a God who loves us enough to send His Son to the cross of Calvary so that we might be saved from the penalty of our sins through faith in Him.

A few of our boys weren't able to come this week - we look forward to welcoming them next week!

God is good.

19/08/2026

Following our registration night last night, we’re delighted that 6 new boys will be joining 3rd Shotts Boys’ Brigade when we return in September!

It’s great to see our BB continuing to grow, and we’re really looking forward to welcoming them all.

There’s still time to register! If you were unable to make it along last night but would like your boy to join us, simply email:

📧 [email protected]

There’s no pressure to commit straight away - all new boys are very welcome to come along for a couple of weeks, meet everyone and see what BB is all about before deciding.

18/08/2026

Reminder - Registration night is tonight!!

We’re delighted to be getting ready for another new term at 3rd Shotts Boys’ Brigade, and we’re looking forward to welcoming back our returning boys as well as plenty of new faces!

📅 New Term Starts:
Thursday 3rd September

📝 REGISTRATION NIGHT
📅 Tuesday 18th August in the small hall
⏰ 6.00pm – 7.00pm (come anytime within the hour)

We ask parents/carers of both returning and new boys to come along on registration night to complete registration ahead of our first night on 3rd September.

🖐️New boys

If your son is coming for the first time this year, registration night gives you the opportunity to meet some of the Officers and ask any questions.
If you'd like your son to have a trial week or two before committing, please come along to registration evening anyway and we'll organise a trial for you.

All boys of primary school age are very welcome!
If your boy falls outside this age range but would like to get involved, please get in touch - we’ll be very happy to chat about what options may be available.

BB is a great place for boys to explore the Christian faith, have fun, make friends, serve the local community, learn new skills and be part of something positive each week.

Al queries:
📧 [email protected]
📞 07990 336608

Please share the word and let other local families know. We’d love to see lots of new boys joining us for the year ahead! ⚓💙

12/08/2026

We’re delighted to be getting ready for another new term at 3rd Shotts Boys’ Brigade, and we’re looking forward to welcoming back our returning boys as well as plenty of new faces!

📅 New Term Starts:
Thursday 3rd September

📝 REGISTRATION NIGHT
📅 Tuesday 18th August in the small hall
⏰ 6.00pm – 7.00pm (come anytime within the hour)

We ask parents/carers of both returning and new boys to come along on registration night to complete registration ahead of our first night on 3rd September.

🖐️New boys

If your son is coming for the first time this year, registration night gives you the opportunity to meet some of the Officers and ask any questions.
If you'd like your son to have a trial week or two before committing, please come along to registration evening anyway and we'll organise a trial for you.

All boys of primary school age are very welcome!
If your boy falls outside this age range but would like to get involved, please get in touch - we’ll be very happy to chat about what options may be available.

BB is a great place for boys to explore the Christian faith, have fun, make friends, serve the local community, learn new skills and be part of something positive each week.

Al queries:
📧 [email protected]
📞 07990 336608

Please share the word and let other local families know. We’d love to see lots of new boys joining us for the year ahead! ⚓💙

27/07/2026

Our Officers will soon be meeting to plan and prepare for the year ahead at BB, so keep an eye on our page for updates, registration details, and all the latest information.

We're always delighted to welcome new faces! There will also be trial weeks available, giving new boys the opportunity to come along, see what BB is all about, and decide if they'd like to join.

If you'd like to be added to our BB mailing list, simply click the link below and select 'General Info' or 'BB'.

https://form.jotform.com/261736158657064

05/07/2026

Spaces still available for our Holiday Club starting tomorrow!

100% free including lunch!

Our hall is set up and we're ready to go for our 2026 Holiday Club!

There are still some spaces left!!

Fancy being a Detective for the week??

The registration form can be found below. 100% free of charge and lunch is included!!

https://form.jotform.com/252254184536357

18/06/2026

Here are a few additional photographs from our Annual Display a couple of weeks ago.

We're also grateful to the Wishaw Press for featuring the Display in this week's edition. Unfortunately, due to an administrative mix-up, last year's photographs were used in the article rather than this year's. This was simply an oversight and was not the fault of either our company or the newspaper.

We are hopeful that the correct photographs will be published at a later date and will keep everyone updated if and when that happens.

05/06/2026

What a fantastic evening we enjoyed at our 2nd Annual Display for the revived 3rd Shotts Boys' Brigade!

As another session draws to a close, we are incredibly proud of all of our boys. Last night they did an outstanding job of showcasing some of what they have been learning throughout the year, demonstrating not only new skills and abilities, but also confidence, teamwork, perseverance and character.

Our Highland Games-themed display, organised by one of our Officers, Sean Chalmers, provided plenty of laughter, fun and friendly competition. The boys threw themselves into every challenge with enthusiasm and determination. Special mention must go to Grayson who, despite breaking his thumb just hours before the display, persevered throughout the evening with remarkable courage and determination.

The evening began with an impressive marching display, with the boys proudly demonstrating their coordination, discipline, listening skills and teamwork. The programme from last night is among the pictures below.

We were delighted to welcome Mrs Simpson, Head Teacher of Stane Primary School, as our Guest of Honour, along with Mr O'Donnell . We are grateful to them all for taking the time to support the boys, celebrate their achievements and for their kind words.

One of the highlights of the evening was recognising the boys' hard work through the presentation of awards and badges. This year alone, over 60 badges were awarded which is significant given the size of our company. At 3rd Shotts BB, badges are not given automatically; they are earned through commitment, participation and effort. We firmly believe that this is what gives them their value and significance. Every badge represents a challenge accepted, a new skill learned, a step taken outside a comfort zone, or a lesson learned from God's Word.

Looking back over the year, we have watched the boys grow in so many ways. We have seen friendships develop, confidence increase and teamwork flourish. From learning new skills and taking part in community projects, to visits to Rosehall and Morningside Care Homes, supporting the Shoebox Appeal, participating in Remembrance events and exploring the Bible together, it has been another full and rewarding year. At the centre of BB is always the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is that He died on the cross of Calvary, taking upon Himself punishment for our sins before rising again on the third day so that, through faith we might be saved from the penalty of our sin and have peace with God.

We would like to publicly thank our award sponsors whose generosity enabled us to recognise and celebrate the boys' achievements:

Mary Cook
Russell Wilson Heating Engineer
Transat, Shotts
Phil and Naomi Geary
Martin Phillips
Yvette Geary
LOL No. 9
Ness Gallagher Solicitors
Mica, Shotts
Piuthar Café, Shotts
RBP 319
Craig Bailee (Bee Electrical)

A huge thank you must also go to our Officers and helpers:

Martin Phillips
Sean Chalmers
Andy Allan
Jim Williams
Naomi Geary
Janice Whitefield
Yvette Geary
Edith Ross
Morag Forsyth

Each person brings something unique to the Company and gives far more than simply their time each week. Their commitment, enthusiasm and care for the boys is the foundation upon which the Company is built.

We also want to thank our friends at Dykehead Mission Hall, and especially John McPhee for their generosity in allowing us to use their excellent facilities both for rehearsals and for the display itself. It is a wonderful example of churches working together for the good of young people in our community.

Finally, we thank all those who support the Company through prayer, practical help and encouragement throughout the year. We appreciate your support and certainly don't take it for granted.

Above all, we once again thank God for His faithfulness and goodness. As our opening hymn reminded us God is faithful at all times and all circumstances.

Three years ago, the idea of restarting 3rd Shotts BB was little more than a conversation. Today, we look back with thankful hearts at all God has enabled us to do and all that the boys have achieved.

BB is now finished for the season - If you would like more information or wish to register your interest for next term, please contact:

📧 [email protected]

There is a selection of photographs below and a highlights video will follow in the coming few days.

Phil

26/05/2026

3 sponsorship slots remain for our BB Awards which will be given next week. Every penny goes towards providing an exciting and varied programme for local boys.

Details below:

As our Annual Display approaches, we are once again inviting local businesses and individuals to sponsor one of our Annual Awards.

A sincere thank you to the businesses who have already kindly agreed to support this year’s awards.

Sponsors will have their individual or business name printed in our Annual Display Order of Service and acknowledged across our social media platforms.

Please note that last year, interest in sponsorship exceeded the number of awards available, so if you would like to support the work of 3rd Shotts BB in this way, we would encourage you to get in touch as soon as possible.

For full details, please email:

[email protected]

14/05/2026

Great night at Boys’ Brigade tonight!

We started with our 3rd lesson in our weekly series looking at the Holy Spirit.

Tonight we heard about Samson and how the Holy Spirit gave strength and courage for God’s purposes.

The boys really enjoyed exploring Samson’s exploits and thinking about how just like Samson, the Holy Spirit helps believers persevere today.

Still inspired by Samson’s feats, we then carried on preparations for our upcoming BB Display Night — this year with a Highland Games theme!

Tonight’s training included:
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Arm-over-arm pulling
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Welly boot throwing
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ‘Stone’ to shoulder challenges

Safe to say there was plenty of effort, encouragement, laughter💪

We’re looking forward to putting it all together for Display Night.

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty. - Zechariah 4:6