Local Burton MP Jacob Collier Appointed Parliamentary Patron for YMCA England & Wales
Local Burton MP, Jacob Collier, has been appointed Parliamentary Patron for YMCA England & Wales. Last month, Jack Chesterman & Caroline Foster presented him with a certificate to welcome him to the role whilst at Westminster Abbey. The parliamentary patron programme is there to create advocates for both the national YMCA and local YMCAs within […]
My reflections from World Council, by Andy
In July, Andy, our Operations manager went to Denmark for the YMCA World Council. They had an amazing time meeting lots of other YMCAs and listening to a fun-packed programme of speakers and attending events. Here is Andy’s write-up: Denmark was an amazing place. It was very clean, organised and everyone I met was just […]
Batonbearer Paul Laffey
Wonderful to see our CEO Paul Laffey along with some inspirational people complete their section of the baton relay for the commonwealth games in uttoxeter this morning! Paul said: “It was a huge honour to be nominated to be one of the Batonbearers for the Commonwealth games. I felt quite emotional running through my local park in […]
YMCA Burton CEO selected as a Commonwealth Games baton bearer
The Commonwealth Games baton relay started in October 2021 on an epic journey across all 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth and this coming week the baton comes to Staffordshire. YMCA Burton CEO Paul Laffey was nominated and then selected to take part in the relay as a baton bearer and will complete his […]
Save the date!!!!!!
It is time to SAVE THE DATE! Sleepout 2022 is coming to you on Friday 28th October!!! Join us for an evening under the stars at Pirelli Stadium and this year, XTREME is BACK Tickets will go on sale in September, to register your interest, email: fundraising@burtonymca.org and we will let you […]
Volunteering on Outreach
Outreach is a vital service that enables us to find people who are sleeping rough in Burton and across East Staffordshire. Rough sleepers tend to bed down late at night and then leave quite early in the morning to avoid being found or spotted. Our team go out early in the morning to try and […]
YMCA Burton celebrates 135 years of work in the local community
This year, we are celebrating 135 years of work in the local community. We have planned some events to mark this special occasion and one of them was a heritage walk, curated especially to take in the sites of special interest within the YMCAs history. The walk, which is around 4 miles in length takes […]
YMCA Burton’s new Youth Ambassador
YMCA Burton are so pleased to announce we have a new Youth Ambassador called Craig. For those of you who don’t know, YMCA’s across the country look for inspiring young people who are aged 18 to 30 to join the YMCA Youth Ambassador programme. These might be residents, volunteers or staff and during this wonderful […]
Brewers in Ghana Team 2022 – My African Adventure by Lee
Brewers in Ghana Team 2022 – My African Adventure by Lee I was delighted to be selected to join the Burton Albion Community Trust trip to Ghana which was generously sponsored by Richard Winterton Auctioneers. After a very early start and several flights later we arrived in Accra in Ghana late in the evening […]
End of YMCA Burton Easter Campaign
This year, YMCA Burton’s Easter Campaign focused on raising money for their Foodbank. Whilst the Foodbank relies on donations made by members of the public, businesses, schools, colleges, churches, and community groups; there are still other costs that need to be met such as buying additional food, storage, carrier bags and utility costs. Currently, an […]
Fashion & Shopping event
We had a fantastic evening at our Fashion and Shopping event. A lovely venue, lots of amazing models, rails and rails of gorgeous clothes and a never ending raffle – all makes up for a wonderful evening raising funds for our Foodbank. Thanks to everyone who came along and to our brilliant volunteers – we […]
Stop, Look and Listen
This months guest blog has been written by Grace, our Chaplain STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN As I write this, I hear war and rumours of war! I see millions of people being displaced out of their homes due to war, not just in Ukraine but all over the world. Millions have lost the comfort […]
YMCA Burton 135
This year, our YMCA celebrates 135 years of service to our community. 135 years! To give you a context of that time, Queen Victoria was on the throne and construction of Tower Bridge was just beginning. When YMCA first started in Burton-on-Trent, our first office was on Union Street. In the early 1900s […]
YMCA Burton issues record number of foodbank parcels
YMCA Burton has issued a record number of foodbank parcels this January. 344 parcels where given out which equates to around 4,700 meals. Each foodbank parcel contains enough food to feed someone three meals a day for three days. The parcel contains items such as soups, noodles, pasta, pies and tinned vegetables, as well as […]
More of the same, please.
This months blog has been written by Peter O’Reilly, our Mediation Officer So, 2022 is here and we are looking forward to continuing to provide our mediation support to families. Our three volunteer mediators and myself are all looking forward to being allowed to assist as teenagers and parents / carers work together to find […]
The Christmas to-do list
This months Blog is by Grace, our Chaplain here at YMCA Burton. As I drive around doing my rounds as a chaplain, I ask myself, what am I expecting or looking for this Christmas? Or perhaps, I am not looking for anything or even expecting anything at all. As I was just beginning to […]
Sleepout 2021 total
All the sponsorship money has now been collected and we can now reveal the final total raised for this years Sleepout is…. £29,238!!!! Thank you to all who took part – we have loved seeing you all again in person and virtually and thank you to the sponsors and donators – you are […]
Winning YMCA of the Year
Words by CEO Paul Laffey: The Youth Matters Awards are hosted annually by YMCA England & Wales. These prestigious awards celebrate local YMCAs and the work they do within their local communities. There are 101 YMCAs working across 740 Communities in England & Wales. This year, Burton YMCA was nominated for three top […]
Award winning YMCA Burton
A number of staff and volunteers attended the Annual Youth Matters Awards Ceremony hosted by YMCA England & Wales on Friday 5th November. Over 350 people gathered in a Central London Hotel representing YMCAs from across England & Wales. The host for the event was Paul Sinha one of the masterminds from “The Chase”. He very […]
Getting ready for the Sleepout
Sleepout is happening this month! On the 29th October, over 100 people (hopefully) will be either sleeping at Pirelli Stadium or joining us virtually. This will be Burton YMCAs 13th Sleepout and this will be the 6th one I’ve been involved in. It’s always a busy but exciting time. The sign-ups, the stories […]
New blog post by new Chair, Charles
This months blog post has been written by our new Chair: Charles Pidsley. Now that I have been Chair of the Board of Trustees for six months, the management team have decided it should be my time to write the Blog! I have never written a blog before but I have thought and prayed […]
New vacancies!
We currently have the following vacancies: -Support and Engagement Worker -Positive Move On Worker -Night Support Supervisor -Night Support Worker Please send an email to Maxine at maxine.bennett@burtonymca.org for more details, https://www.burtonymca.org/work-for-us/ #Charity #CharityJobs #CharityWork #YMCA #YMCABurton
Boxes, Bubble wrap and breakfast
This months guest blogger is Paula Senior from our Fundraising & Partnerships at YMCA Burton: YMCA Burton Sleepout – Have you heard of it? Let me explain what it is and why my everyday thoughts are currently centred around Boxes, bubble wrap & breakfast for our Sleepout in October. Back in 2013 I was […]
YMCA Burton is calling on community for support after being nominated or three top prizes at national youth charity awards
We are celebrating after being nominated for the following awards: YMCA of the year Family work project of the year for our Mediation and Counselling services COVID Community Hero for the work done by YMCA Burton Staff member Tom Foster. We will be attending the highly anticipated return of YMCA’s Youth Matters Awards in November, […]
Support at YMCA Burton – by Support worker Sarah
July’s months guest blogger is Sarah, one of our lovely support workers here at YMCA Burton. “Winter 2017 saw incredibly cold weather with the beast from the east hitting Britain February 2018. I met a man who was street homeless in Swadlincote who was fortunate enough to be offered a room free of charge […]
Tom Celebrating 25 years of service
Our Tom is celebrating 25 years of working at YMCA Burton today!!! For all those that know him, they will understand what an amazing man he is – always so thoughtful and helpful and super knowledgeable about everything! Thanks for all that you do for us Tom! #Charity #CharityWork #CharityWorker #YMCA #YMCABurton
We need your vote!
We have been selected as one of the charities to vote for in the Asda Green token giving campaign this month. Instead of the usual green tokens you get given in-store, you can now vote online so we would appreciate a little vote from you if possible! https://www.asda.com/green-tokens/store?store=4230… Thank you! #Charity #CharityTuesday #AsdaGreenToken #YMCABurton #YMCA […]
Reflections on My Years at Burton YMCA
It seems a long time ago when I was first invited to observe a Board Meeting with a view to becoming a Trustee. It was November 1989 and I was 38 with a young family of 3 daughters. Little did I realise that I would stay for nearly 32 years but I look back with […]
Help us by nominating us!
You could help us win £1,000 – simply click on the following link: https://www.ecclesiastical.com/movement-for-good/– Then click on: “Nominate a Charity”– Type in our charity number: 1077798– Select “Poverty” in the drop down boxThen fill out your details and submit! You might be the winning vote! Thank you
Dying Matters week – featured guest blog by Grace Evans
Our Chaplain Grace, who has recently suffered a bereavement has written this moving Blog piece for Dying Matters Week. “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust” was all I could hear in between my stifled sobs as I watched my beloved dad being lowered down to the ground. As he lay dying, I could not […]
YMCA BURTON ZOOM QUIZ NIGHT
We have just announced details for our next online event! Please join us for our online zoom quiz on Tuesday 18th May. Teams of up to 4 players (You will all need to be in the same room/garden to play. (Lockdown rules due to change 17th May) No fee to register but an opportunity to […]
YMCA Burton’s longest member of staff retires
Kath Stokes has been working as an ancillary team member since YMCA Burton since 1988. She has helped change the lives of hundreds of residents and rough sleepers who have come through its doors. She joined the Charity shortly after it opened the first Housing Project in the town for young people called Milton House. […]
Kath Stokes – Retiring
My name is Kath and I have been asked to write a blog. At first, I thought “What’s that?” – me being one of the oldest members of staff and probably the longest serving, I wasn’t brought up with technology – you just ask my colleagues! As I near retiring, this blog felt like a […]
YMCA pays tribute to Lord Frank Judd
It is with great sadness that YMCA learns of the passing of Lord Frank Judd. Lord Judd was the President of YMCA England between 1996 and 2005 and was a passionate advocate for young people. He spoke hundreds of times in Parliament about the need to provide positive support and interventions in young people’s […]
Shops re-open!
Our Four shops have all re-opened now! Anti bac gel, one way systems and social distancing measures all in place so please do pop along and see our friendly staff and volunteers – they have missed you dearly!
Looking ahead
I must confess, I have avidly read and followed every single bit of the development, production and implementation of the vaccines. So, why has this fascinated so many including myself? The rollout of the vaccines in Britain has certainly been impressive and once again science is leading the way forward to perhaps a more normalised […]
Overdue investment and further funding cuts risk leaving youth services stranded at crisis point
New analysis by YMCA England and Wales shows that Local Authority spending on youth services in 2019/20 in England was £372.12m, a further reduction of 6% year-on-year. This means that since 2010/11 funding for youth services has been cut by 73%. Not only do these continued cuts come at a time when demand for youth […]
Read our latest blog!
Read our latest blog by our Chaplain Grace here Grace talks about the tradition of Pancake day and new beginnings #pancakes #pancakeday2021 #Charity #CharityBlog
New beginnings
NEW BEGINNINGS – by Chaplain, Grace Palmer Since, we are living in rather strange times, I would like to talk about Easter before Good Friday and then perhaps make our way towards pancake day-Shrove Tuesday. EASTER signifies new beginnings. Even the nature speaks of it. The daffodils, the crocuses and the nature wakes itself […]
27,045 meals were given out by our Foodbank during 2020
27,045 meals were given out by our Foodbank during 2020 – thank you everyone who helps to support it. If you need to access our foodbank, it is open seven days a week and available from our Reconnect building. Click here for more details on our Foodbank #Foodbank #Charity
Fading Shadows In Growing Light
This month’s blog has been written by our Mediator Peter O’Reilly…. So, 2020 is behind us; and even if there is shadow stretching into the present, its strength is fading as the light of what is possible grows. 2021 was getting off to a promising start, even before it came. In late December, two […]
January update from YMCA Burton
Just a little update from us…. – We are still open for food parcels – We are still open for rough sleepers winter provision (call 0800 1303415 for details on how to access this) – We are still open for Food donations only – Our furniture shops are currently closed and cannot […]