At 21 I suddenly found myself homeless. One day my mum told me to pack my bags and just leave. I had £96 in the account and didn’t know what to do. I decided to walk into town and speak to the local council. Eventually, with help from a social worker, I found a small…
June was a wonderful month, celebrating our therapeutic horticulture work with young people across YMCA Exeter. BBC Radio Devon recorded two short pieces. And it was fabulous to host Gardeners’ Question Time on Tuesday 18th June. If you were one of the 250 people who joined us for the evening, we hope you had a…
Superhero mum-of-three describes what it was like to train and run the London Marathon. “I decided to run the London marathon because every year I watch it on the TV and think it looks like an amazing challenge. The training was really hard. I ran mostly on my own and wasn’t much fun in the rain and…
On bank holiday Monday, eight-year-old Phoebe, Eleni, Jubilee and seven-year-old Amelie set off in double kayaks, surrounded by a safety crew, to cover just under a mile along the Exeter canal. Finishing at Double Locks, the exuberant crew celebrated raising over £1,00 to support young people at risk of homelessness in Exeter. The adventurous quartet raised…
We were delighted to have a strong team of seven runners take part in the Great West Run on Sunday 26th May. Two YMCA Exeter residents, John and Daria, plus staff members and wonderfully committed supporters. Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate, Will Aczel explains why he decided to run for YMCA Exeter: “At a time when homelessness is…
YMCA Exeter’s Volunteer Coordinator, Sue Wilson, shares an array of successes as she looks back on the first year of our new Ambassador programme: Last Spring we launched our YMCA Exeter Ambassador programme. The scheme was borne out of the Lighthouse Training Programme which YMCA Exeter residents have the chance to work through and complete. We wanted…
YMCA Exeter is excited to announce its plans for a ground-breaking Supported Housing Pathway, securing stable accommodation for the young people of Torbay and Plymouth. The new plans will see 83 homes established for young people at risk of or facing homelessness. With over 40 years of experience delivering long-term affordable housing for young people…
It was great to welcome BBC Spotlight to our Lighthouse cafe on Wednesday. Thank you to YMCA Exeter residents, Lewis and Chas* for sharing your thoughts on the Autumn statement. *name changed YMCA Exeter welcomes the new changes that the government has announced today to raise the minimum wage, to increase benefits by 6.7% and to…
It’s a big thank you from us and a fond farewell to the Rt Rev. Robert Atwell as he stepped down from his role as Bishop of Exeter during a beautiful service of thanksgiving at Exeter Cathedral on Sunday 17th September. “Bishop Robert has been a constant support to YMCA Exeter over his seven years of…
It’s wonderful to be able to take a break from talking about potential funding cuts and let you into some breaking news. It’s been a little over a year since we opened Sidwell Studios – our first step in tackling the massive need for housing for young people in Exeter and Devon. It’s a rewarding…
