Capt. Michael Batten receiving the award from Porirua Mayor Jenny Brash

The letter that accompanied the nomination for this award was written by the late Bruce Young QSO who was president of the 29th Wellington at the time. He wrote as follows.

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I have known Mike for a period of over 35 years. 25 of these working with him as an officer
of the 29th Wellington Boys' Brigade Company.

He formed this company in conjunction with the Plimmerton Presbyterian Parish, shortly after his arrival in Wellington in the 1960's. It started with a handful of Boys 12 years old and after a few years a Junior (Team) Section Boys 8 - 11 was started and later still The Anchor Boys catering for Boys 6 - 8 years.

The Company grew rapidly reaching its peak in 1983 when there was 115 Members. This now provided for Boys from the age of six to eighteen years.

Conducting a programme for so many boys with such a wide age group required many and versatile leaders. Mike was in charge of them all and as Captain very skillfully blended the Company together in an efficient and acceptable way.

The programme provided for the Boys was very wide ranging with Badges and Certificates covering Citizenship, First Aid, Crafts, Physical Recreation, Hobbies as well as the various outdoor activities such as Tramping, Camping, Canoeing, Seamanship to name a few.
Mike wisely bought in trained instructors from the community when the Company Officers lacked the required knowledge. A high standard was set and maintained.

The proof of the suitability of the programme for the Boys was shown both in the number of Boys who stayed to their eighteen year age limit and the number who returned later to give leadership back to their Company and Church.

After the first 6 'foundation years' the Company trained Boys to the high standard needed for the 'Queen's Award'. From then on hardly a year went past when there was not a Senior Boy present at Government House for the Award Ceremony. The year in which 6 Boys
represented their Company and their City of Porirua was one that we will never forget.

Apart from the Company weeknight programme Mike organised many Intercompany Sports and Outdoor activities such as Tramping, Canoeing, Camping and Conservation training. These
required much of Mike's time as they had all to cater for the various age levels.

Thanks to Mike's efforts the Company is well known for its Community Service. Many Senior Citizens benefited from the trailor loads of firewood, felled by the Senior Boys, then split and delivered to their wood boxes. The youngsters of Paremata also benefited by the Company Boys who assisted in the upkeep of the playground equipment at Ngatitoa Domain.

Mike Batten shared his leadership skills with other officers of the Wellington Battalion by making himself available for training courses as required.

With Mike's enthusiasm for running film evenings the Company raised many hundreds of dollars as donations to the work of the Boys' Brigade in the Pacific. This concern for others was
shown in a very practical way when in 1980 a work party of 20 Leaders and Senior Boys went to Tonga to repaint the dormitories of the Tupou Boys College. Mike Batten and several of the Company Boys played a very active part in this effort. Senior Boys also contributed to
Rotary - Boys' Brigade work party ot Fiji in 1990.

Mike continues his work in the Boys' Brigade Company at Paremata, oversighting the three sections, Anchor Boys, 6-8; Team Section, 8-10; Company Section, 11-18 years.

How thankful we are for people like Mike Batten who have given, without thought for themselves, to the young folk of Porirua. Great encouragement comes from time to time when an ex member writes to say how much Brgade has done for him.

I wish Michael Batten well as he continues his unfailing service to the Youth of Porirua. He more then deserves any Award that is presented to him.


Bruce Young
Hon Vice President
The Boys' Brigade in New Zealand

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Boys' Brigade Object - "The advancement of Christ's Kingdom among boys, and the promotion of habits of Obedience, Reverence, Discipline, Self-respect and all that tends toward a true Christian Manliness."