What Activities and Age Groups Does The Boys' Brigade Offer?

The Boys' Brigade (BB) is a Christian youth organisation in the UK and Republic of Ireland, and its programme is split into four age sections: Anchors (5–8), Juniors (8–11), Company (11–14), and Seniors (14–18). Each section has its own programme and awards, with adventure, competitions, outdoor opportunities, and a faith journey running through all ages. If you are looking for a group for a child in that 5–18 range, the sections below show what each stage involves.

Age sections at a glance

The section names and age bands come directly from the BB website, which lists "5-8 years", "8-11 years", "11-14 years", and "14-18 years" as the four entry points.

What the programme includes

Across the sections, the BB programme is built around several strands:

• Programme and awards — each age group has its own programme and awards, so children progress through recognised stages rather than a single undifferentiated activity list.
• Adventure and outdoor opportunities — the site highlights outdoor opportunities and summer adventures as part of the offer.
• Competitions — national competitions are listed, including Juniors International Team Games and Top Team Challenge.
• Faith journey — the BB describes itself as a Christian youth organisation, and the faith journey is a named part of the programme.
• Personal development — the Seniors section includes the President's Badge, King's Badge, and DofE (Duke of Edinburgh's Award), which are progression and recognition routes for older members.

Summer adventures and national events

Summer adventures are listed as a distinct part of the programme, alongside national competitions and outdoor opportunities. These sit outside the weekly section programme and give members something to aim for beyond regular meetings.

How to find out what a specific group does

The national programme sets the framework, but the weekly experience depends on the local group. The BB website provides a "Find a Local Group" tool, and there are separate information pages for parents and carers. If you want to know what a child would actually do week to week, the local group is the place to ask — the national site tells you the age bands and programme strands, not the timetable of a particular company.

Quick answers

• What ages can join? 5 to 18, across four sections.
• Is it only for boys? The organisation is The Boys' Brigade; the site also links to the Girls' Association as a separate body.
• What do older members do? Seniors (14–18) work towards the President's Badge, King's Badge, and DofE.
• Where do I start? Use "Find a Local Group" on boys-brigade.org.uk, then check the parents/carers information.