1st Barnet Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Association awarded seven King’s Badges in exceptional year of achievement  

Seven Barnet winners of the King’s Badge – the highest award in the Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Association – were honoured at a special service at Barnet United Reformed Church after an official presentation at Guildhall in the City of London.

The award of as many as seven King’s Badges is an unprecedented achievement for the 1^st. Barnet Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Association whose members have previously won a total of only four over the preceding 50 years.

They were congratulated on their success at a prize giving evening where awards and certificates were handed out by Dan Tomlinson, Labour MP for Chipping Barnet, and Martin Russell, representative Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Barnet.

Alan King, the brigade captain, said that in the 50 years that he had been with the brigade only four members had won what was the Queen’s Badge and is now the King’s Badge.

“We have usually secured one of the badges every ten years or so. Therefore, to get seven awarded in one year is very rare and very special for our brigade.”

Mr King said the success of the seven was down to the fact that they had worked together as a group and had taken part in every activity the brigade had to offer.

“Almost half of them joined as five-year-olds and they have been dedicated members for the last 12 to 15 years.”

Mr Tomlinson (above, left) added his congratulations to the King’s Badge holders and paid tribute to the work of Alan King and all the other volunteers.

“It is people like you Alan, and the people who run the brigade, who make our community stronger. As an MP there is nothing that I can do which can compare with the work you do day in and day out to make our community even stronger.”

Among the other awards was the presentation by Martin Russell of the Deputy Lord Lieutenant’s certificate of appreciation to colour sergeant David Hay who had been a Boys’ Brigade member for over 12 years.

He congratulated David for an outstanding contribution to the brigade which included over 400 hours of voluntary service with the junior section.

Earlier in an address the minister, the Reverend Dominic Grant, said the presentation of awards was a testament to everything which united the world-wide fellowship of Boys’ Brigades and Girls’ Associations.