The BB in Northern Ireland originally decided to become a separate body in 2022
By Robbie Meredith
BBC News NI education correspondent
The Boys’ Brigade (BB) in Northern Ireland has finalised the terms of its split from the organisation in the UK and Ireland.
A new organisation called the Northern Ireland Boys’ Brigade is to be established.
But companies from County Donegal will be able to remain in the Northern Ireland body as part of the agreement.
The final decision to set up the new organisation is expected to be approved at a meeting on Monday.
The BB in Northern Ireland originally decided to become a separate body in 2022.
The split with the BB in the UK and Ireland is due to differences over finance, governance and some “cultural differences” on faith matters.
With about 11,000 boys and 2,500 leaders in about 260 churches across Northern Ireland, the BB is one of NI’s biggest youth organisations.
It is connected mainly to Presbyterian churches, as well as some other Protestant denominations.
LGBT issues
The first BB company in Northern Ireland was set up in Donegall Pass in Belfast in 1888, five years after the organisation was founded in Glasgow.
There are now about 1,200 companies in the UK and Ireland as a whole, and many more in other countries across the world.
BBC News NI understands that stances on LGBT issues accounted for some of the “cultural differences” with the BB in the UK and Ireland.
But a spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Boys’ Brigade said it did not hold a “doctrinal position” on LGBT issues.
“That is a matter for each church denomination with which we partner,” they added.
According to the terms of the split agreement, seen by BBC News NI, the Northern Ireland Boys’ Brigade “would not actively seek to form companies in the Republic of Ireland”.
But the agreement with the BB in the UK and Ireland means “Donegal companies will be part of the Northern Ireland Boys’ Brigade”.
The Northern Ireland BB will also pay a “fixed annual fee for five years” for intellectual property to continue using the BB anchor emblem, logo, uniform and the “Sure and Steadfast” motto.
The organisation in Northern Ireland will continue to take part in UK-wide award and activity schemes for “an initial period of five years”.
The decision for Northern Ireland to become an “autonomous organisation” was previously approved by an overwhelming majority of companies.
As a result the vote on the final split agreement is also expected to be approved at the Monday’s meeting.
But some members of the BB who have contacted BBC News NI have been critical of the move, saying it creates a “BB Irish Sea border”.
