December 2018 Newsletter YMCA North Staffordshire

YMCA NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE Newsletter December 2018

12 Days of Christmas Festive activities for young people in the run up to Christmas.

Are you ready?

YMCA GO! The countdown to Christmas is on and YMCA GO! will be bringing in the festive period in style by running fun and exciting activities in and around the city for its young members.

Christmas Jumper Day - Page 2

In this issue YMCA FC keep on winning - Page 1

Activities will commence on 10 December and conclude with the IGLOOW Roller Disco on 22 YMCA GO! is a project December. that delivers activities for Activities involve a visit to young people aged 10-18 Winter Wonderland, Ice Skating and ESCAPE Rooms throughout the year. to name a few.

Additionally, YMCA GO! will hold creative projects that encompass the festive theme, young people will be able to learn new skills as they design and produce their own merry masterpieces.

YMCA & NHS - Page 3 YMCA Remembers Page 4 Christmas Celebrations - Page 5 Young Person Editorin-Cheif. - Page 6

YMCA North Staffordshire

Newsletter Dec 2018

Monos Residential YMCA has a strong relationship with St. Joseph’s Tea Rooms and Monos, we have many visits throughout the year and the occasional residential.

Our last visit saw a group of young people and staff visit Monos for a two-night residential. The young people worked hard by volunteering and helping our hosts by cleaning the outside areas.

YMCA FC pose for a picture before their victory.

YMCA FC

Although the weather was bitterly cold, our hosts certainly knew how to warm us up with their kindness and hospitality. Indoors saw our volunteers coat the walls with fresh paint and then decorate the rooms and seating areas, in preparation for Christmas.

win again YMCA FC competes every Thursday in a football league that is held at Staffordshire

One delight that is very memorable of all of our visits to Monos is the homemade food.

We also run Staff away days to Monos and visits happen bi-weekly as part of our daily activities calendar for young people.

University.

YMCA FC trains twice a week under the leadership of Bernardo (YMCA GO!) who also acts as a player-manger on game day. The team is made up of young people, both men and women.

Young people of YMCA Their first two games North Staffordshire keep the ended in one defeat momentum going with two and one draw. However, victories on the bounce.

22 November saw YMCA FC gain a 7-1 victory (a record triumph for YMCA FC). The next gameweek also saw the team follow that record victory up with a 2-1 success meaning that YMCA FC is now up to third in the league. ‘Its coming home’ #TeamYMCA We will continue to report on YMCA FC in the coming weeks.

Did you know?

YMCA has a rich history with football. Firstly by being influential in the founding of premier league team Tottenham Hotspurs FC.

Young people volunteering at Monos

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Community Meal - Dec Street Chaplains will host December’s FREE Community Meal.

Chrismas Jumper Day On Friday 14 December thousands of people up and down the UK will start their day by pulling on a Christmas jumper and at YMCA North Staffordshire we will be doing the same in support of our friends at Alice Charity.

Each year staff and young people don Christmas jumpers and make a £1 minimum donation to our selected partner charity. Our friends at Alice Charity - for the second year running - are our chosen partners. The charity, “helps families within Stoke-on-Trent & Newcastle-under-Lyme with the right things, at the right time, in the right way, when no one else can.”

If you are visiitng YMCA on Friday 14 December please bring along your Christmas Jumper.

Music 4 Mental Health #IAMWHOLE Ed Sheeran and Ella Eyre lead the way as an array of stars perform for a good cause at Music 4 Mental Health fundraising concert.

The two stars fronted a roster of singers and musicians at the event, which helps raise money for YMCA and mental health charities the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and The Mix. Other stars to perform at the event included Olly Murs, James Arthur and Anne-Marie. Hosted by one half of pop duo Rizzle Kicks Jordan Stephens - a founding

Street Chaplains offer an essential service working in partnership with other local agencies to provide a non-statutory, visible and uniformed presence that offers reassurance, support to furthermore reduce the fear of crime within the city centre.

Our Community Meals offer Meat and Veg options plus dessert..

In December we host two Community Meals, so stay up to date by following us on Social Media to find out more.

Ed Sheeran poses for #M4MH picture

member of #IAMWHOLE. #IAMWHOLE, the innovative anti-stigma mental health campaign, was launched in 2016 in partnership with the NHS and YMCA as a direct response to the mental health difficulties being experienced by children and young people.

Mental health difficulties are costing young people their education, their employment prospects and without support, are costing them their lives.

Mental health difficulties among children and young people are common and can be both persistent and damaging. #IAMWHOLE calls on individuals to stand together, united as a movement, against negative stereotypes and language surrounding mental health by challenging others and themselves about the words they #IAMWHOLE takes use and learn more about the impact place on World Mental these stereotypes and insults can Health Day have.

One in eight children in England is living with a mental health problem, according to an NHS report

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YMCA North Staffordshire

Newsletter Dec 2018

Christmas at YMCA Over Christmas, we will host and run a number of festive themed events as the countdown to Christmas has officially begun.

Christmas is a magical time of year and at YMCA North Staffordshire we aim to make sure that Christmas is just as special for our young people. Over the festive period, our young people will participate in two full weeks of activities that incorporate trips and events plus in-house activities including movie nights, quizzes and much more.

There are many highlights at YMCA North Staffordshire over the Christmas period,

YMCA and NHS NHS leaders welcomed at YMCA where they will assist with the development and implementation of a new impact reporting system.

In November, YMCA North Staffordshire welcomed a cohort of senior NHS managers to work alongside us to develop our impact reporting. Our NHS colleagues work for trusts across the Midlands and are currently participating in a 12-month “Aspiring Senior Leaders Programme� led by the University of Birmingham.

events that include our annual Christmas Celebration at Staffordshire University, the Christmas Community Meal and our Christmas Service.

Christmas Tree is kindly donated by Bishops Offley Christmas Trees

Our Christmas Tree has been kindly donated

by Staffordshire based business Bishops Offley Christmas Trees. This is the second year running Our Christmas Message that they have donated video will be released 21 a tree which is the major Dec. attraction in any home.

committed staff undertake with children, young people and families across Stoke-on-Trent and beyond.

The challenge we set our partners was to work with us to develop a new impact reporting system during their two-day placement. Working with young people, the executive team and the Campus Manager, the NHS has helped us to develop an excellent new measurement tool which we will use as we continue to roll out the implementation of our asset-based delivery model. We would like to extend our thanks to our NHS colleagues and we look forward to building on our relationship with the various NHS Trusts moving forward.

Have you seen the 22,000 doves at Lichfield Cathedral?

As our organisation grows, we are determined to prove the impact of the work our

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YMCA Remembers NHS leaders at YMCA

YMCA at the Cenotaph.

In honour of those who sacrificed themselves to secure and protect our freedom, thousands gathered in central London on Remembrance Sunday to pay their respects.

Do you have a story for YMCA?

This included over 20 staff and volunteers from YMCAs across the UK who took part at the Cenotaph, which commemorates the contribution of British and Commonwealth servicemen and women involved in the two World Wars and later conflicts.

During this time, more than 38,000 YMCA volunteers supported troops, the wounded, their families and prisoners of war, with 38 YMCA volunteers losing their lives.

YMCA at the Cenotaph

YMCA North Staffordshire is looking to publish monthly newsletters. This will help you to communicate your good work and efforts.

For more information about YMCA’s work during the war, visit: www.ymca.org.uk/history

Please speak with the Communications Team and get your message to a wider audience than just your department. We are looking for stories, upcoming and past events, introductions, news and much more.

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YMCA North Staffordshire

Newsletter Dec 2018

Christmas Service YMCA is to hold a special Christmas service on Tuesday 18 December.

Come and join us for this special service including readings led by our Chaplain as well as carols that will be sung by Waterside Primary School. Christmas is a family occasion and our service will bring the community together to share the festive joy.

Christmas Service will be held at YMCA

Tea, Coffee & Mince Pies will be available after the service .

11am Tuesday 18 December

Christmas Celebration Our end of year Christmas celebration will be a night to remember.

2018 has been a momentous year for YMCA North Staffordshire. We can reflect and appreciate many highlights that we are proud of, from the events we have held to the summer that was easily our busiest, to the young people and families that have engaged with YMCA and our campus.

Our Christmas Celebration event is a special event we host for the sole interest of our young people and staff. The celebration night is the time when staff and young people come together and truly celebrate the end of another year of YMCA work.

Christmas Celebration, 2016

YMCA has played a pivotal part in the lives of many people in Stoke and North Staffordshire for over 100 years, and as YMCA enters its 175th year we aim to celebrate 2018 in style.

10 awards will be handed out during the course of the night, celebrating the achievements of young people and staff.

Young Leader of the Year, Young Achiever of the Year, Outstanding Community Contribution are just some of the coveted A Photobooth will be in action awards to be awarded out once again - staff by far take the on the night.

goofiest selfies.

Our Christmas Celebration will once again be held at LRV, Staffordshire University.

We will be sharing all that happens on the night via our social platforms.

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Y-Active Community Groups Y-Active is your community leisure centre - Paul, Sports Manager NHS Community Learning Disability Team accessing YMCA weekly.

Patients take part in rebound therapy, trampoline gait clinic, wellbeing and exercise.

These pathways of treatment aid our patients, enabling engagement in community activities and personal skills in addition to personal needs.

Having the facilities at the YMCA also enables our patients to access the gym and sports activities which they would not have experienced. The transition when discharged is always available for patients and their carer’s.

The Early Intervention Team are just one of the groups that we provide regular access to facilities. This teamwork with a wide age group ranging from 14-64 suffering with early psychosis looking to support them and their families. This team are open in their aims to not only raise awareness but challenge stigma surrounding psychosis. It’s in their efforts to promote social inclusion that the YMCA Activity Centre plays an important part by providing a regular opportunity for them to become involved in a sport, notably badminton.

Y-Active Leisure Centre has facilites for everyone.

Adam Henderson: This month’s Editor-in-Chief Hello, I am Adam. My life journey has taken me to France and back, however, now that I am here, this is the place where I have discovered myself.

discover and learn about Berlin, I have climbed Ben Nevis recently, to name just some of the opportunities I have had.

Adam, right - Berlin, 2018

Most recently I have started playing football again with I was born in England, but at the age of 6, my YMCA FC, I play in goal and I absolutely love it, we lost the first family and I moved to France and I spent the game, but, we are unbeaten in the last three games. I am looking forward to Christmas, it will be my first Christmas in England since I majority of my life there, 13 years in fact. I came back to England in early 2018 and with was 5, I will be spending Christmas with some family and friends in hardly anywhere to go, I found myself in Stoke Plymouth.

YMCA has changed my life, where I “Climbing Ben Nevis and applying for accommodation at YMCA. I can easily say, without YMCA, I do is easily the most was nervous at first but after my first couple not know where I would be. of days I was making friends, friends I know I challenging and enjoyable will have for many years. My life has changed From myself and all the young people task I have ever done.” at YMCA North Staffordshire, Merry so much since being at YMCA, I have been to Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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Next Month...

As we look forward to 2019, we are already planning on delivering another exceptional year. Make sure you join us, you won’t want to miss it.

Keep up to date Like us on Social Media.

www.ymcans.org.uk 01782 222376

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YMCA North Staffordshire Edinburgh House Harding Road University Quarter Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3AE