Twenty young men from the Paisley and District Battalion of The Boys' Brigade were recently honoured with the Queen’s Badge – the highest award within the Brigade – in a special ceremony that marked the end of an era.
Renfrewshire’s Provost, Lorraine Cameron, was on hand to present the prestigious certificates, praising the dedication and commitment shown by the young men to their local communities.
Addressing the recipients, Provost Cameron said: “What an achievement. You should all be incredibly proud of yourselves.
“This award is not only a testament to your hard work but will serve you well in your future careers, whether in employment, further education, or university.
“A Queen’s Badge on your CV is always impressive and certainly worth a second look.”
The Queen’s Badge recognises significant personal development, leadership and voluntary service. For this group, it also represents a historic milestone as the last ever recipients of the Queen’s Badge, which next year will transition to the King’s Badge.
David Love, president of the Paisley and District Battalion, hailed the group as the ‘Last Queen’s Men’. Speaking at the event, he said: “Over the course of 141 years, the Queen’s Badge has evolved, but the values it instils in young men have remained constant.
“These recipients have shown incredible commitment to developing themselves, taking on responsibility within the Brigade, and serving others in their communities.
“They’ve done all this while balancing the pressures of school exams and decisions about their future, which makes their achievement even more remarkable.”
Training Convenor Stewart Digney echoed these sentiments, highlighting the scale of the contribution made by the boys.
“As part of their Queen’s Badge work, these young men have contributed to over 75,000 hours of voluntary service across the UK,” he said.
“Each of them has committed at least 30 hours, with many going well beyond what was required, continuing their work with local charities and organisations.”
A spokesperson for the Paisley and District Battalion added: “It’s truly inspiring to see how much these young men have given back to their communities.
“For the young men and their families, the ceremony was a celebration of dedication, service, and the values that have underpinned the Boys’ Brigade for generations.
“As the baton passes from the Queen’s Badge to the King’s, these young men will carry forward the legacy of service with pride.”
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