Last week, our beloved facilities manager, Tom Foster hung up his keys and retired. After 28 years with the YMCA, we believe this was very well-deserved! We asked him a few questions about his time here with us… — 1. We threw a surprise party to celebrate your retirement, what that mean to you? I […]
My first Sleepout event
This months Blog post has been written by Isabelle, our Fundraiser: “This year, I helped organise and host my very first Sleepout with the fantastic fundraising & comms team at YMCA Burton. As I’m also relatively new to the organisation, there’s still a lot of scope to learn and develop on my journey in fundraising, […]
Celebrating our 15th year of Sleepout
As I am writing this blog the late summer heatwave has ended and it is certainly getting colder and rainier. Over the 15 years we have held Sleepout we have had all kinds of weather – from the dry and unseasonably mid, the foggy one, the one where the rain came in horizontally and we […]
‘Timing is everything, and God’s timing is not always the same as our timing.’
Our CEO Paul Laffey was honoured to give the Opening devotion at this years YMCA England and Wales National Conference at Nottingham. Paul, who is also a member of the National Board drew inspiration from Stormzy’s “Blinded by Your Grace Pt2” to highlight the challenges faced by young people and communities, emphasizing the importance of resilience and […]
Joy comes in the morning
A blog by our Chaplain, Grace: As we journey through Lent this year, there are so many aspects of the final journey of Christ that comes to my mind. One aspect that always hits me is the kiss of betrayal that Judas gives Jesus. Mark 14:44-47 says, Now the betrayer had arranged a signal […]
The Foodbank
For the Fundraising and comms team at YMCA Burton the last quarter of the year is always super busy. As usual we are planning Sleepout and Christmas Campaign and 2022 was no different, what was different was the fact we got to go and meet so many people and collect donations in person. Something we […]
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 […]
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’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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]