NOTTINGHAM'S first Boys' Brigade company is returning to the city after a 12-year absence.
The Boys' Brigade was set up in Glasgow in 1883 and the first brigade in Nottingham was set up in 1888.
The 1st Nottingham Boys' Brigade ran for more than a century until 1999, when it closed due to lack of numbers.
But now it is restarting again along with a Girls' Association section, thanks to renewed interest.
Brigade captain Ruth Lancastle said: "We decided that we needed to get some youth work going and that it would be a good opportunity to restart, and bring in both boys and girls.
"We'll be having a marching band and I think we've got quite a bit of excitement among the children already."
The brigade is being recreated in the year of the 125th anniversary of the Boys' Brigade in Notts.
The company will be running from St Andrew's Community Hall, in Chestnut Grove, off Mapperley Road, Nottingham, on Monday nights, with three sections for different age groups.
Derek Richardson, 81, joined the company when he was 15 and went on to become an officer and only left when the organisation disbanded. Mr Richardson, of Leonard Avenue, Sherwood, said: "It helps youngsters to be brought up into the world, to teach them different sports and organisations and to listen to other people.
"In those days it kept quite a lot of youngsters off the streets because most nights there was something that we organised and we regularly paraded to church once a month."
Mr Richardson described playing football, cricket and a similar game called puddocks, as well as several memorable boys' camps.
He said: "It was a good experience. We were at a camp at Sutton-on-Sea in the 50s when they the gales came.
"All our tents were flattened and we were put up in the school. The next morning we went back to put the tents up again and one of the senior boys' tents had moved two feet and his feet were still sticking out of the end – he'd slept right through it!"
Nikola Voce, secretary and leader of the youngest section, the Anchors, said: "We're certainly planning to do residentials and day trips.
"We just want children to come along and have a look at us – you don't have to commit, so you can come and try us out."
Two children who are already excited about joining are ten-year-old Emily Clarkson Webb and her sister Hannah, eight.
Hannah, who attends Carrington Primary School with her sister, said: "I definitely want to play the drums in the marching band.
"I'll be enjoying having fun, playing games, going on residential trips, and sports."
Organisers are appealing for any old photos of the 1st Nottingham Boys' Brigade (St Andrew's) – do you have any? Send them in to newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk.
