Boys' Brigade

Telford Case Study

Ash Robinson, now leader of the 1st Telford Boys’ Brigade (BB), first contacted BBHQ in February 2024 to explore starting a new group. Having grown up in the BB and previously served as a leader in Northern Ireland, Ash recognised that while some BB groups existed near Telford, there was no provision in the town centre to serve local boys. Rather than joining an existing group, Ash felt called to establish a new BB group within his own church.

Following discussions between Ash, the church, and the BBHQ Ministry Team, it was agreed that the vision of the Boys’ Brigade closely aligned with the church’s mission to see Jesus known in Telford. The BB was seen as a key part of a relational pathway between the church and the local community, particularly through existing links with schools. Once approved by the church council, BBHQ supported the church through the new work process, including safer recruitment, registration, and leader training.

An in-person training day in October 2024, delivered alongside another new Telford group, resulted in seven leaders being fully registered and trained. All leaders were drawn from the church community and shared a strong commitment to both the BB and church vision. BBHQ also supported the group financially, alongside a BB grant, enabling the purchase of uniforms, badges, awards, equipment, and publicity materials. This ensured the group was well resourced ahead of its launch on 19 November 2024.

On its opening night, ten boys attended, eight of whom were aged 10+. Weekly subs were set at just £1, with church support and fundraising covering remaining costs to keep the group accessible, particularly given levels of deprivation in parts of Telford. The group followed the BB’s balanced programme, offering a wide range of activities and opportunities to work towards badges and awards.
During its first year, the group enabled young people to attend significant events, including VE Day 80 commemorations in London and the Boys’ Brigade Unite Camp, attended by ten young people and three leaders. These experiences helped build confidence, community, and a sense of belonging to the wider BB family.

The year concluded with the group’s first awards evening on 1 July, celebrating achievements in a packed church. By this point, the group had grown to 26 boys and 11 leaders. Building on this success, the church also launched a Girls’ Association in June 2025, which quickly grew to eight girls and three leaders.

Ash remains committed to growing the group, engaging locally and nationally, and inspiring other churches to use the Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Association as effective ways to reach and support young people in their communities.