Company

Company membership includes teams of voluntary leaders, selected by the local Church, and girls of all ages, from 3 – 18 years old.

District

Companies are grouped together in local areas to form Districts. Officers from local Companies are appointed to run the District, providing activities and events for girls and leaders where they can meet, have fun, compete and share friendship.

There are 15 Districts in Northern Ireland:

Each District is co-ordinated by an officer in charge called a Commissioner, supported by others including an Assistant Commissioner, Secretary and Treasurer. Districts elect officers to represent the views of members in that District on NI level decision making teams.

Northern Ireland level

Girls’ Brigade NI is run by volunteers for volunteers. A number of local representatives are elected to a NI level council, called ‘Brigade Council’, to lead the organisation in terms of its vision and direction. Brigade Council meets 3 or 4 times each year to discuss and debate issues regarding the ministry and strategic direction of GBNI. As the Council is made up of representatives from each Girls’ Brigade District, the views and opinions of local members are channelled directly to the decision makers in the organisation.

While the Brigade Council provide leadership and vision for the organisation, it is the role of the Executive Committee to govern the organisation and to lead the organisation along the path that Council have set. The Executive meets on a monthly basis, making decisions about the strategic operation of the organisation. The day-to-day running of the organisation will be delegated to HQ staff.

For practical reasons, the Executive works with sub-groups that are set up to focus on various aspects of Brigade work. These include Executive, Spiritual, Training, Activities, PE, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and Programme Teams. These Teams meet regularly throughout the year providing a valuable service to all GB Companies. Volunteers from the membership are elected into key positions to lead up the work of the organisation.

Northern Ireland Office Bearers

Patron GBNI Lynda Bryans	Director GBNI Chloe Hemphill

President Mrs Margaret Ming	Vice President Marbeth Coulter

Chairperson Rev Colin McClure	Chaplain Mrs Doreen Draffin
Youth Representative Alison Campbell	Youth Representative Jolene Bell

• GBNI President: Mrs Margaret Ming - St Andrew’s Presbyterian Bangor GB
• GBNI Vice-President: Marbeth Coulter – Ballynure Presbyterian GB
• GBNI Chairperson: Rev Colin McClure – 1st Larne Presbyterian GB
• GBNI Chaplain: Mrs Doreen Draffin – Whitehouse Presbyterian GB
• Honorary Treasurer: Sarah Farquhar
• Mrs Latifa McCullagh – Maghergall Presbyterian GB
• Mrs Johanne Tinsley – Joymount Presbyterian GB, Carrickfergus
• Lyn Campbell – Castlereagh Presbyterian GB
• Carolyn Pauley - Hazlebank Presbyterian GB Coleraine
• Claire Rush - 1st Carrickfergus Presbyterian GB
• Alan McDowell – external member
• Richard Wilson – external member

Youth Representatives on Executive Committee

• Alison Campbell - Castlereagh Presbyterian GB
• Jolene Bell - Trinity Presbyterian Omagh

You can email your youth reps with your views on any GB issues which they can then feed into the GBNI Executive Committee: youth @ gbni.co.uk

GBNI Headquarters

Staff at Headquarters provide a range of services to members including resources and information for leaders, administrative support, co-ordination of training, events and other activities. Through our Supplies department uniforms, awards, resource materials and various gifts are sold.

Staff Team

Girls’ Brigade Internationally

Girls’ Brigade is working in 60 countries and islands around the world, each working towards the same aim. Girls’ Brigade around the world is organised into groupings called ‘Fellowships’. There are 5 Fellowships:

• Africa
• Asia
• Americas/Caribbean
• Europe
• Pacific

Girls’ Brigade NI belongs to the European Fellowship, along with England & Wales, Ireland, Palestine, Romania and Scotland. For further information on GB internationally, visit www.gbic.org or use the country links

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