BBs

This past weekend we made a short trip to stay with my parents. Needless to say, a visit to grandma and granddad's house went down well with the girls and they had a great time. The main motivation for the visit, though, was that on Saturday there was a celebration for 25 years of 1st New Deer Boys' Brigade.

I was a member almost from the time that the BBs started in New Deer, and ended up an officer, leading the company section (that's the older ones) for a couple of years before I finished so I could concentrate on my PhD. I can't speak highly enough of the good experiences and many happy memories that it gave me. Particularly in later years the expedition work, but also the chances to give leadership a go, and making some good friends. The BBs is at its core a Christian organisation and also played its part in seeding my faith.

It was a bit odd to catch up with guys I've not seen for years - particularly the boys I'd led who are now men themselves - but a great night. I took a few pictures before people started arriving; I didn't think to take any later on as I was busy catching up with people, but there was a good crowd: all those chairs were full!

There were lots of "memory" pictures of us in much more youthful times, including one of my favourite local press pictures of all time - not so much for me, but for Needsy (his surname is actually "Needs" not Neeps!)