Our News
Posts Categorized: Our News
Touching Base: What membership at a YMCA St Paul’s Group gym has meant to one of our members
“It’s not often we get the chance to leave positive feedback or thank the people that have helped us along our journey of life, but I cannot express enough praise and gratitude for the most amazing trainers I have had at YMCA Walthamstow.” Safa’s membership at YMCA Walthamstow began shortly after Christmas last year. She...
He is Risen! A message for Easter Sunday from our lead chaplain Nicki
On Good Friday I began my message with: “Here at YMCA we hold tightly to our Christian foundation and build on these values to ‘transform communities so that all young people can belong, contribute and thrive.’ ” So many of the people, young and old, who come through the doors of our centres (whether gyms,…
Understanding God in the Darkness: a message from our Lead Chaplain Nicki
Here at YMCA we hold tightly to our Christian foundation and build on these values to ‘transform communities so that all young people can belong, contribute and thrive.’ So why does understanding God in the darkness matter? Throughout the bible, beginning in Genesis chapter 1 where “the earth was without form and void, and darkness…
“I love my choir and I tell everybody about it!”
YMCA Choir UK began life as a small community choir six years ago. It has grown in success and by June 2019 there will be seven community choirs across YMCA St Paul’s Group in Surbiton, Wimbledon, South Ealing, Walthamstow, Roxeth Gate, Hayes and north Kingston, with ambitions to see community choirs set up with YMCAs…
“The Duke echoed a lot of our views and values at YMCA”
We were proud to host the YMCA Mental Health Champions conversation with the Duke of Sussex this month at YMCA South Ealing, chaired by YMCA St Paul’s Group trustee, Gerald Chifamba. The YMCA Mental Health Champions programme aims to improve the mental health of young people aged 11-21 and offers three key services: a peer…
Duke of Sussex joins in with a children’s ballet session
When the Duke of Sussex visited YMCA South Ealing on Wednesday 3 April, he dropped into the children’s ballet session to meet young dancers and their families. There were 11 children, aged 5 to 7 in the class who performed two routines for him, led by ballet teacher Jade Groves. It was a very special…
Speaking about mental health with the Duke of Sussex
Gerald Chifamba is one of our Trustees at YMCA St Paul’s Group. He welcomed the Duke of Sussex to a meeting at YMCA South Ealing on Wednesday 3 April, and chaired the discussion that took place with five Mental Health Champions. “The Duke of Sussex was passionate about the importance of speaking openly and frankly…
Duke of Sussex visits YMCA South Ealing to meet with residents
The Duke of Sussex visited our YMCA South Ealing hostel for a mental health event on Wednesday 3 April. He met with two of our residents and our housing manager to talk about their experiences, along with mental health champions who have participated in YMCA England & Wales’ pilot project. The Duke also attended a…
“Our residents are our focus”
Kerry Oldfield-Spence is the Housing Manager at YMCA South Ealing. She was joined by the Duke of Sussex on 3 April for a conversation about mental health with two of her residents, Jade and Rory. He was keen to hear about their experiences and what it was like to live at a YMCA hostel. It…
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