Planet BB Needs You February 25, 2010
Posted by Phil Groom in Books, Knockabout, Watching.Tags: Boys' Brigade, Christian Book, David Chant, Planet BB
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Planet BB - The Boys' Brigade Around The World
I confess that I know next to nothing about the Boys’ Brigade. I know that it exists and the odd snippets I hear tell me that it does a lot of great work with young people all around the world.
But the reason for this post is that my friend and fellow bookseller, David Chant, has this book coming out fairly soon. It tells the story of the Boys’ Brigade around the world and its aim is to help raise funds for the BB in parts of the world where things are somewhat tougher than we have them in the UK: places like Africa, where organisations like the BB are a real God-send to young people.
Trouble is, David’s in a bit a trouble. He’s just celebrated his 100th birthday (born 23rd Feb 1910, according to his facebook profile, and I always believe what people write on their facebook profiles) so you’d think with that wealth of life experience he’d have life sorted. Maybe he has; but his publishers haven’t and they’re getting a tad nervous about demand for the book. Which means if you don’t put in an order for it, instead of it raising funds for the BB, David’s going to end up subsidising it. That’s gonna take a hefty chunk out of his pension, and he’s already having to subsidise his day job out of it; rumour has it the Aussies have made him take his hammock down from in the office and are expecting him to work for a living.
So do yourself, David and the world of the Boys’ Brigade a favour, please: if you’re a BB member or a fan, or know someone else who is, head on over to your nearest bookshop — ideally your nearest Christian bookshop — and order a copy.
Planet BB: The Boys’ Brigade Around The World
Compiled and edited by David Chant
9781858583334 | £12.95
Brewin Books Ltd
Phil's Boring Blog 
You need a hammock when you are a Centurian! To be honest, the hammock disappeared in 1998 when Wesley Owen moved my office to where I can be seen! Thanks to Phil for supporting Planet BB and bringing it to the attention of the wider world. I was talking to him after midnight, and this blog hadn’t been done then. Does he ever sleep?
Due to the problems in the trade, Planet BB didn’t materialise in late November as originally scheduled. Since February, a lot of orders have piled in making it it now viable. Late March/early April is the plan 🙂 The Planet BB Facebook groups have about 3000 members from every corner of the globe. I get messages everyday from Singapore, Malaysia etc. In fact BB Malaysia has ordered 100 copies recently (and Koorong 50 for the Australian shops!)
Planet BB has taken up 14 months of my free time. Every evening, day off, holiday has been spent compiling/editing/plugging the book. When the publication was delayed, one of our planned first recipients of the royalties — http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=166148605830 — asked me if any money would likely to be forthcoming so they could put on a Christmas party, get AIDS/HIV testing for the children/decorate the centre. I put out an appeal (or 2!) and was blessed with £300 which I sent to pay for the party. I contacted agencies working in Uganda that secured funding for the Aids programme. So Planet BB is making money and helping children in need already!
There will be BB Companies near every bookshop in the UK. I know there will be a great demand for it. Sadly, UK folk are waiting to see it as they know it will be in the shops (but I do already have well over 100 individual orders at my shop). Overseas orders have been flying in (Indonesia, Australia, US, Singapore, Hong Kong etc) as they know direct from the publisher will be the only way to get copies. The publisher is still a bit jittery after the Christian booktrade troubles, and it looks like I will be asked to put money up front. This is something I do not have a lot of (working in the book trade!) so it is imperative bookshops order copies from Brewin Books.
We have plans to help a BB Company in Ghana, and Thailand. And money will be sent direct to Global Fellowship to use in their current BB projects. Please help the project by ordering copies, and advertising it around your local BB & GB Companies. We have already had adverts in The BB Gazette, Birmingham Battalion newsletter, and dozens of similar publications around the world.
Thank you for your anticipated very large orders 🙂
Link now corrected in your original post too…
I hope the link above now works!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=694514154&ref=name#!/group.php?gid=166148605830&ref=ts
Nope I seem to be doing something wrong!
It should be Facebook group
CHRISTIAN CHILDREN’S CENTRE – NANSANA, UGANDA
please look it up
Correct link below: looks like you’ve somehow mixed up your profile link with the group link:
Your profile: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=694514154
Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=166148605830
Sorry for not coming back sooner.