Exclusive:Women fight unholy war against Girls' Brigade Scotland over 'heartbreak' of 'ageist' policies
One group of women are fighting back against the Girls’ Brigade Scotland edict.
An unholy row has broken out between mature members of Girls’ Brigade Scotland and the management of the organisation over "ageist" policies.
Women who have been leaders in the Christian youth charity for decades are now fighting to overturn a system they claim is causing “heartbreak”.
Girls’ Brigade Scotland introduced rules that ban any woman over the age of 65 from becoming a group leader and mandate leaders resign in the year they turn 70. While the organisation says the policy is necessary for “succession planning” and dealing with “capability issues”, one local group has decided to defy the rules.
Members of 5th Motherwell Girls’ Brigade say the policy is ageist, unnecessary and is causing turmoil for women forced to leave and the girls left behind.
Women calling themselves the Golden Girls have now started a petition to see the rule withdrawn - and a battle of words between supporters and the organisation has broken out on social media.
Caroline Gordon, a chaplain and former member of 5th Motherwell Girls’ Brigade, said: “This is a challenge to an outdated and irrelevant policy that clearly they have no interest in discussing. Quoting scripture to make a point is both cowardly and dangerous.
“There are many scriptures exhorting us to honour our elders and indeed women elders, widows, and orphans. There is zero mention from the chaplain about the emotional impact their policy is having on many women through their organisation.
“There is no comfort being offered to those so deeply affected by this policy. That includes the many parents who have reached out devastated that their girls will lose the influence of these terrific women.”
On Facebook, the organisation said the policy, which was first introduced in 2016, was to “prepare Companies for the future by allowing new Leaders to progress through the organisation”.
It also, Girls’ Brigade Scotland said, was needed to “maintain the health and safety” and “address difficulties with providing insurance cover for Leaders above certain age thresholds”.
The organisation’s National Chaplain, Reverend Jonathan Fleming, also took to Facebook to counsel those embroiled in the row to “reflect Christ” in how they argue online.
“Disagreement is allowed. Disrespect is not,” he said.
Critics of the succession plan say women in their 70s are far fitter than in previous generations and well able to cope with the rigours of company events.
Some women have given decades of service to Girls’ Brigade Scotland, but have quietly complied with the policy.
Mrs Gordon asked Girls’ Brigade Scotland to consider the “depth of pain and sorrow” the “so-called succession planning” was causing to women who have volunteered in the organisation for decades.
Between them they have more than 150 years service.
“For those who served in the most deprived parts of Scotland they brought stability otherwise unheard of,” she said.
“These women created self-esteem where there was none, they nurtured before that was a word, mitigating against the many adverse experiences faced by so many of their girls.”
In Motherwell, particularly, the chaplain said there were women in North Lanarkshire who have achieved success in life because of Girls’ Brigade leaders.
“Nobody was left behind when the steel works closed and money disappeared,” she said. “Every girl somehow made it to camp. We had our uniforms.
“The model of 5th Motherwell Girls’ Brigade should be written about and exemplified.”
Caroline Goodfellow, chief executive of Girls’ Brigade Scotland (GBS), said it was “paramount that members are safe”. She said the policy had been in place for ten years and reviewed previously.
“It is crucial to the future of GBS that we encourage new leaders to grow through our organisation,” Mrs Goodfellow added.
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