UK Awards 1968-1982
Overview
The Haynes report of 1964 had resulted in the total reorganisation of The Boys’ Brigade in the UK including modernisation of the Company Section awards program. The certificates, a prominent feature of the previous awards system were abolished, and 24 activity awards were introduced, two target awards for the new recruit, as well as the introduction of cloth sports colours awarded for participation in sporting competitions. The regulations for the Queen’s Badge, the highest award were toughened, making it harder to achieve, as well as the introduction of the President’s Badge. The modern uniform design of the badges which became known as ‘barrel badges’ was changed from metal to plastic in the mid 1970s’ due to pressure over costs of the metal badges. Following a restructuring of the awards system again in 1982, the ‘barrel badges’ were abolished. however, the design of the President’s and Queen’s Badges remained the same until 1994.
The story in detail
Following the publication of the Haynes report in 1964, the whole Boys’ Brigade programme, and consequently the award structure, of the Company Section of the BB had been under review. The interim report of the new proposals was approved by Brigade Council in 1967. Whilst the program had been approved for implementation in the 1968-69 session, approval was given for the old scheme to continue alongside with the new scheme for a period of two years. Delays in finalising the design of the new badges, together with manufacturing problems meant that some of the metal badges were only made available as late as 1971. By 1974, alternative plastic badges using the same design, but with colour stickers was being considered, and these were introduced from the mid 1970s in a bid to cut costs. The 18 awards pamphlets produced to support the awards were not all immediately available, and were released over a period of 5 years. Even though there were difficulties in resourcing the programme, Companies moved over to the new awards scheme, Leader training was held countrywide, and the it was widely promoted in the BB Gazette and Stedfast Magazine.
The Stedfast Mag of April 1968 eagerly reported on the new awards scheme: This means that now in operation is an entirely new programme for Boys entering the Company Section, called Target I and Target II, with appropriate badges: and that next session (commencing September 1968) will be a much wider and entirely modernised series of badges.
The two target badges were designed to bridge the transition between Junior Section and Company Section, and be awarded after two consecutive 3 month periods, the requirements included attendance at Bible class, regular attendance at the Company meetings, basic BB knowledge, as well as participating in interest and physical activities.
The previous awards programme, comprising 15 badges and 44 certificates at varying levels and structure, was streamlined into a programme of 24 awards, each in 3 stages, stages 2 and 3 being indicated by coloured inserts. The Stedfast Mag elaborated of the new awards: The old Arts and Crafts badge has tended to have thrown into it everything that did not fit anywhere else. All “physical” subjects, such as judo, have been looked after under other awards and the remainder divided into three headings: “Arts,” “Crafts” and “Hobbies.” It was further noted that there will be little change in the buglers, drummers, pipers and band awards, with the award spread conforming to the standardised three year programme.
The Campers badge was modernised to include not only the traditional BB camp at first stage, but in subsequent stages, the different forms of light weight camping. It was anticipated that in certain of its aspects, this badge would link in with the Expedition awards, but allowing the Boy to take the camping aspects without the walking or cycling requirements of the Expedition badge. The Expedition badge was more closely aligned with the Duke of Edinburgh Award, with the second stage of this award being equivalent to the DofE Bronze, and the third stage being equivalent to the DofE Silver.BB GAzette
For the first time, a drill badge was included in the awards program. The previous Seniors Proficiency Certificate and the NCOs Proficiency Star, which had been largely drill awards, were abolished in favour of a three stage drill award. The first stage, covered elementary and squad drill, with subsequent stages covering advanced drill, both in theory and then in practice. First Aid, previously a five stage award, was aligned with the uniform 3 stage award system and Boys were encouraged to take the appropriate St. Andrew, St. John or Red Cross certificates. Physical activities included awards for Swimming, Life Saving, Athletics, Canoeing, Sailing and Physical recreation were introduced, with the required assessments and standards laid out in the regulations. For all other sporting activity, a system of Colours was introduced and a Boy gaining three Colours, was eligible for his Sportsman’s Badge. Service badges were also streamlined, with only one Service badge awarded for regular attendance worn on the left arm with interchangeable numbers, showing the years of service.
Previously there had been some concern that the Queen’s badge was too easy to obtain, and the standards were second place to the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. A new award was introduced which took most of the standards from the previous Queen’s badge. The President’s badge introduced in 1968, required regular attendance, together with a certain number of specialised badges, either to second or third stage. The Queen’s Badge required a further two years of service, and further advanced levels of badges and service at a community level.
The quality and design of the badges was controversial, perhaps having been exacerbated by the resourcing problems in the early 1970s, and by the late 1970s’ the Brigade was looking to change the awards program again. In 1982, a new simplified program of 5 badges, complimented with ‘credits’ replaced the ‘barrel badges’ of the 1970’s.
