Girls’ Brigade gives hope in Manchester 

The members of 6th Manchester Girls’ Brigade group have been busy making 125 hearts to place around their city to commemorate last year’s bombing at Manchester Arena

The group members, aged 4 to 14, made 125 of the hearts marking the fact that this year is also Girls’ Brigade’s (GB) 125th anniversary. 6th Manchester is based at Brownley Green Baptist Church in Wythenshawe.

Leader Donna Curtis-Robbins said, ‘We had 12 girls making the hearts, which we cut out of felt and then stuck smaller card hearts to before decorating them with gems and buttons. In the middle of each one is the Manchester bee with the words hope, strength, and peace.’

The craft idea originally came from one of Donna’s work colleagues who explained that she was making a few hearts for #AHEART4MCR. Donna added, ‘My colleague explained to me that these hearts are placed around Manchester Arena and that area for people to take to spread love and give hope. I loved the idea.

'I dropped the hearts with the lady from #AHEART4MCR and she’ll put them out in Manchester on the 22 May with all the others that have been made by people around the country. I’m also planning to take some of the girls to Manchester on the day to collect a heart each as well.’

The idea of giving hope links to GB’s anniversary project called #WeAreGB125 in which GB groups are being set three challenges to Give Hope, Build Hope, and Celebrate Hope.



GB’s Director Jules Murdy said, ‘The Give Hope challenge, which 6th Manchester have taken part in, is all about blessing local communities by encouraging every GB group to engage in at least 1 social action activity such as supporting their local food bank, raising money for charity, litter picking and caring for the local environment.

'Through engaging in these activities a great opportunity is provided to share Jesus’ love in both word and action which is what GB is all about!’