Boys' Brigade: Youth organisation in NI considers split from UK and Ireland

The Boys' Brigade (BB) in Northern Ireland is considering a split from the organisation in the rest of the UK and Ireland.

The move is due to differences over finance, governance and some "cultural differences" on faith matters.

The Boys' Brigade is one of Northern Ireland's largest youth organisations.

In a joint statement, it said talks were taking place "to ascertain the best governance arrangement for both parties in the future".

The Boys' Brigade consists of more than 11,000 boys and has 2,500 leaders in about 260 churches across Northern Ireland.

Many BB companies in Northern Ireland are connected to Presbyterian churches, though a significant number are part of churches in other Protestant denominations.

Formed in 1883 in Glasgow, the Boys' Brigade is also one of the biggest uniformed youth organisations in the world with hundreds of thousands of members in 60 countries. Its patron is the Queen.

The first Northern Irish company was founded in 1888 in Donegall Pass in Belfast and there are now about 80 companies in the city.

The Boys' Brigade in Northern Ireland is currently part of the organisation in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

But BBC News NI has learned that the BB in Northern Ireland is considering whether to "part company" and "become an autonomous organisation".

In a policy document ahead of an AGM on 12 September to make a decision on the way ahead, the BB in Northern Ireland outlines a number of reasons why it wants to separate.

'Very existence in Northern Ireland at risk'

In the document, there is apparent criticism of the way the Christian "mission" of the organisation is being fulfilled elsewhere in the UK and Ireland.

"The environment in Great Britain is culturally different to that in NI, especially regarding the relationship with the church," it said.

"A core component of the object of the Boys' Brigade is 'Advancing Christ's Kingdom', however, the implementation of this object is not clearly defined in the five-year strategy for BB UK & RoI.

"The new vision, mission and values of BB UK and RoI appear to be receiving greater effort, promotion and exposure than the object of the Boys' Brigade.

Boys do various activities at Boys' Brigade

"The Boys' Brigade in Northern Ireland does not hold doctrinal positions but respects those held by every denomination with which we partner.

"If BB UK and RoI does not respect those positions, the very existence of the Boys' Brigade in Northern Ireland is at risk."

However, the document does not give details of which "doctrinal positions" are the subject of dispute.

More money sent than received

Elsewhere, the document said that the brigade in Northern Ireland sends substantially more money in fees to the organisation in the UK than it receives back in return and that it has "no meaningful say" in how money is spent by the organisation in the UK.

Concerns are also raised about current governance arrangements.

"There is a risk from the direct impact of policies being introduced by BB UK and RoI that have had no local input and could damage Boys' Brigade in NI," the Northern Ireland document said.

It also said that "specific needs" of BB companies in Northern Ireland are "consistently not considered" in initiatives and training.

The document again, though, does not give details of which specific policies it is referring to.

The vice chair of the Boys' Brigade Executive in the UK, David Aubrey QC, has written to the organisation's president in Northern Ireland, David Blevins, to express concerns that the proposed move could be "detrimental to the movement as a whole".

But in an email to captains and chaplains of Boys' Brigade companies in Northern Ireland on 20 August - also seen by BBC News NI - Mr Blevins said the UK organisation was "mistaken" in its "belief that Northern Ireland will never vote for autonomy".

"It is not too late for the brigade to respect regional differences but we must be prepared to go, if necessary," he wrote.

'Internal matter'

When contacted, the Boys' Brigade in UK and the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland, sent BBC News NI a joint statement.

"There are discussions taking place between the Boys' Brigade UK and RoI and the Northern Ireland District of the Boys' Brigade," it said.

"Those discussions are to ascertain the best governance arrangement for both parties in the future and nothing more.

"This is an internal matter and neither party will make any further comment until those discussions conclude.

"The Boys' Brigade family remains united in its Christian mission."