1st East Kilbride Girls’ Brigade win prestigious award

Nov 25 2009 by Lynda Nicol, East Kilbride News

AN EAST Kilbride Girls’ Brigade company has won this year’s Lanarkshire Youth Organisation Award.

The 1st East Kilbride Girls’ Brigade Company, who meet in the West Kirk, were presented with the trophy at the annual Lanarkshire Champions Awards ceremony organised by Supercounty (New Lanarkshire Limited) to pay tribute to the county’s ‘Unsung Heroes’.

The event was sponsored by Airdrie Savings Bank.

Supercounty chairman Ian Livingstone said: “This is a special occasion for everyone in Lanarkshire as we pay tribute to Lanarkshire’s ‘Unsung Heroes’ for all their hard work and dedication.

“We salute these people and groups of people who work quietly and unselfishly, often behind the scenes, helping others and contributing to and improving not only one community but improving the image of Lanarkshire.

“These tributes also serve to remind us that without the army of ‘Unsung Heroes’ making a worthwhile contribution to our communities, Lanarkshire would find it much more difficult to prosper.”

The Girls’ Brigade is a world-wide Christian uniformed organisation for girls and young women.

Their motto is ‘Seek, Serve and follow Christ’.

The organisation has 13,700 members in 300 companies across Scotland, including 59 in Lanarkshire, five of them in East Kilbride.

Brian Miller, a director of New Lanarkshire Limited which runs the Supercounty Lanarkshire Civic Pride Campaign, said: “The 1st East Kilbride company is all about getting out, getting involved and making a difference.

“The Girls’ Brigade seeks to help girls learn life skills in a safe and secure environment while fulfilling its aim to teach girls self control, reverence and sense of responsibility, operating under the key elements – spiritual, physical, educational and service.

“The girls take part in various activities, they conquer challenges, they gain confidence while learning new skills – and everything is achieved through having fun.

“But all this would not be possible if it was not for the dedication and commitment of the leaders.

“Not only are the leaders allowing these girls the opportunity to learn through fun but they are shaping these young girls into young women and creating responsible and caring citizens.”

Company captain Suzanne Shields said: “It’s a great honour to receive this award. It was so nice to be nominated.

“When we heard someone had written in to say ‘we were inspirational’ we were surprised – but always very much delighted.”

The Support to Youth Organisation Award this year went to the Lanarkshire Association of Burns’ Clubs for its work among county schools.

The association encourages schools to honour the memory of Robert Burns and his work among kindred societies, strengthening the bond of fellowship and keeping alive the old Scottish tongue.

Brian Miller said: “A large part of their effort is aimed at school pupils where they encourage and stimulate the teaching and study of Scottish literature, history, art and music with a highly successful programme of project work, competitions and festivals.

“In addition to verse speaking, written, singing and instrumental competitions, the small band of dedicated hard-working voluntary officials also arrange three festivals celebrating Burns and youth.

“The work undertaken by the committee is huge and cannot be underestimated: their dedication, effort and passion is very apparent in supporting young people across Lanarkshire while keeping the memory of Robert Burns well and truly alive.”

Association president Archie Cowie said: “I was absolutely amazed we received this award and I am privileged to accept this on behalf of the Association – because of all the work put in by other people, especially Bob Dalziel and Kay Blair.

“More than 2000 schoolchildren take part in our various schools’ competitions every year which is absolutely amazing and we want to keep that going across Lanarkshire.”

REWARDING TIME: Suzanne Shields, captain of the 1st East Kilbride Girls’ Brigade Company, at the Supercounty awards ceremony with, from left, Jim Lindsay, general manager of sponsors Airdrie Savings Bank, Supercounty chairman Ian Livingstone, North Lanarkshire Provost Tom Curley, Lord Lieutenant Gilbert Cox, Supercounty director Brian Miller and South Lanarkshire Provost Russell Clearie.