Welcome to the Manchester Battalion of the Boys’ Brigade in the United Kingdom.

Every week, the Boys’ Brigade works with thousands of young people, including many of whom without any association with the Church. We are proud to say that at present, this weekly number has risen to over 60,000 children and young people in over 1,500 companies (groups) from the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

The Boys’ Brigade facilitates a balanced programme of activities for youngsters between the ages of 5 and 18. Immaculate care has been taken to ensure that these programmes help volunteer youth leaders work in a relevant and creative way whilst making a positive contribution to a young person’s life and the sharing of Faith.

The Manchester Battalion is the second largest Battalion in the country. Our website will give you more information about the Battalion, joining a company and volunteering with us, so why not have a look around our site. We currently have 24 companies in the Manchester and District Battalion. Find the one nearest you by using the Company locator.

The Boys Brigade Objective

“The advancement of Christ’s kingdom among Boys and the promotion of habits of Obedience, Reverence, Discipline, Self-respect and all that tends towards a true Christian manliness.”

Our Motto - ‘Sure & Steadfast’

The motto is taken from the bible, the book of Hebrews, Chapter 6, Verse 19.

The Boys’ Brigade celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2008 and we are still forging ahead with pride, carrying forth the efforts of our founder Sir William Alexander Smith. Our Object, “The Promotion of habits of Obedience, Reverence, Discipline, Self-Respect and all that tends towards a true Christian manliness”, as instilled in us by our founder has been upheld throughout the years.

The only thing that’s evolved is how we’ve promoted our Object. We’ve recognised the influences surrounding young people today and appreciate that they are not always positive. Young people, influenced by these negative forces, tend to lose perspective and this has become detrimental to themselves as well as their families and the community as a whole. The solution is to harness the energy and enthusiasm of youth and channel it purposefully in a positive direction.