Posts Categorized: Blog

I feel so privileged to be back at HMP Hewell with Helen Smith — and grateful to the YMCA for helping make it happen! After two years away I was a little nervous, but Helen’s built such great relationships across the departments that it truly feels like one big family. Hewell is like a town…

Last month saw the YMCA buzzing with laughter, friendly rivalry, and the occasional cry of victory (or despair!) as we gathered for our Games Night — a fun-filled evening brilliantly organised by Dave Knatt and Jody Tabberner. Colleagues, friends, and family came together to take part in a packed line-up of games including a brain-teasing…

Staff from across departments recently joined forces to tackle a thorny challenge at First Class Nursery — clearing dense bushes from the fencing and entrance in preparation for an exciting garden makeover. Working side by side, the team achieved great results while enjoying the chance to connect beyond their usual roles and routines. Though we…

I started at YMCA Worcestershire in the summer of 2023. Having been made redundant from a very corporate insurance job, I wanted to do something with more social impact, which led me into housing. I’d had various roles with local authorities, my last being Young Persons Pathway Worker at Worcester City Council, where I worked…

Our very own Redditch life coach, George Barnicoat-Cherry, recently took part in a remarkable fundraising challenge with Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA). Alongside his team, he swam the equivalent of the English Channel – 34km – in the River Avon near Tewkesbury. To make it even tougher, they completed all 680 widths in full PPE,…

This month, the YMCA Worcestershire family laced up their trainers, braved the mud, and joined forces to conquer the Wolf Run. Staff from across the organisation—including all three of our nurseries—came together to face a course packed with obstacles, icy water, and plenty of determination. Their efforts paid off, raising over £1,000 to support young…

My name is Marie, and I’m the Cleaning Operative at Foresters in Worcester. I’ve been part of YMCA Worcestershire for 12 years, starting back in 2013 as a volunteer cleaner when my daughter began full-time school—and I haven’t looked back since! From the very beginning, the residents and staff were so warm and welcoming that…

Staff and residents came together at Abbey Stadium, Redditch, for this year’s eagerly awaited YMCAlympics — a celebration of sport, teamwork, and community spirit under the blazing summer sun. Alongside the much-loved athletics classics of sprinting, shot put, and long jump, this year’s line-up featured a lively frisbee match and a short but mighty duathlon,…