Uniform might seem like a small part of Girls’ Brigade, but it carries a much deeper meaning. It helps express belonging, identity and a visible commitment to our Christian principles. It is not simply about looking smart. It is about helping girls feel part of a community where they are loved, welcomed and encouraged to grow in confidence and faith.
As Girls’ Brigade prepares for an exciting new chapter, we are also beginning to think carefully about what our uniform could look like in the future.
In early 2027, Girls’ Brigade Scotland will merge with Girls’ Brigade England & Wales to form Girls’ Brigade Great Britain. This is a hugely positive development and an important moment of unity and shared purpose. The change will bring a new logo and branding, followed in time by a new uniform. As this work begins, three principles will guide every decision: affordability, sustainability and comfort.
Affordability
Affordability matters deeply to us. Many Girls’ Brigade groups serve communities where families are facing significant financial pressures. Some groups even provide food for children before their activities begin. We never want uniform to become a barrier to taking part, which is why any changes will be introduced carefully and compassionately.
There will be a long transition period, and nobody will be expected to purchase new uniform immediately. Girls and volunteers will be able to continue wearing their existing uniform until it no longer fits or is no longer suitable to wear.
Sustainability
Sustainability will also be central to the development of any new uniform. Caring for creation is part of our Christian calling. We want to choose clothing that lasts, washes well and is produced responsibly. A sustainable approach also supports affordability, reducing the need for families and volunteers to replace items unnecessarily.
Comfortability
Uniform should help girls feel relaxed, confident and ready to participate. It should never make them feel restricted or self-conscious. Comfort and accessibility will therefore be important considerations as the new uniform is developed.
Alongside our everyday uniform, Girls’ Brigade also has a formal uniform for occasions when girls and volunteers represent the organisation nationally. These include events such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Youth Affairs, the Cenotaph and Royal Garden Parties. In these settings, uniform becomes a powerful symbol of Christian youth witness, with girls and young women standing tall, confident and visible in public life.
The conversation about uniform also leads to a bigger question: why is Christian uniformed youth work still relevant today? Young people are searching for belonging, purpose and hope. They are growing up in a world shaped by digital pressure, comparison culture, loneliness and uncertainty.
Christian uniformed youth work offers something different. It provides a place where children and young people are known by name, loved without condition and encouraged to discover who God created them to be. Our badgework is rooted in biblical principles, with Scripture woven throughout the programme. It helps girls explore faith while developing practical skills, confidence, friendships and resilience.
The importance of this work can be seen clearly in the challenges facing girls today. Girls are being targeted by the beauty and tanning industries at increasingly young ages. One in three girls aged between 11 and 16 feels unhappy with her appearance, while 90% edit photographs before posting them online.
Poor body image can be linked to anxiety, self-harm, disordered eating and withdrawal from sport, leadership opportunities and community life. Girls’ Brigade England & Wales is responding through Stronger Girls: Confident in My Own Skin, a national programme supporting girls across the country.
Through our new Healthy Body Image Badge, which was co-designed with girls, members learn how beauty marketing works, how to recognise altered images and how to challenge unrealistic standards. The sessions explore identity, self-worth, digital wellbeing and how to support friends who may be struggling. They also give specific attention to the experiences of disabled girls, neurodivergent girls and girls from minority communities.
As a Christian organisation, we explore these issues through the understanding that every person is made in the image of God. By the end of 2027, 5,500 girls will have benefited from the programme.
As we prepare to become Girls’ Brigade Great Britain, we pray that our programme and our uniform, whatever shape it eventually takes, will continue to represent hope, community and Christian witness.
Uniform may change over time, but what it represents remains constant: a place to belong, an opportunity to grow and a community in which every girl is valued.
