YMCA Cheltenham

17/06/2026

Safe to say our very first YMCA Cheltenham Danceathon was a day to remember!🕺

From the first beat to the final song, Sunday's participants danced their way through an incredible 170 minutes of energy, fun and community spirit – all to celebrate 170 years of YMCA Cheltenham and raise vital funds for our community. 🎉

A huge thank you to everyone who took part, supported and helped make the event so special. Your energy and enthusiasm helped raise an impressive £300 so far, all of which will go directly to supporting people across Gloucestershire who rely on our services!

14/06/2026

12/06/2026

What a fantastic Family Fun Session at Caridas House! 🎉

Hosted last month, the session brought families together for a morning full of pizza making, crafts, garden games, and planting in the sunshine. 🌱

Millie Barnes, who hosted the session, said “It was a fab turn out! LOADS of pizzas made, some lovely crafts, games in the garden, and the children had the best time planting the cucumber plants, onions, and blackcurrant bush. They were particularly excited to tell us about their plan to take it in turns to water the plants each day and were eagerly discussing what they might make when it comes to harvesting!” 💬

Moments like these are what community is all about! 💛

11/06/2026

We are hiring! 🚨

We're searching for a Contact Centre Manager and Contact Centre Bank Workers! If you're a dedicated, passionate individual, eager to lead with purpose and ready to help drive our mission forward to improve the lives of children and adults across Gloucestershire, these roles could be for you. 👀

It is an exciting time to join our organisation, as we celebrate 170 incredible years of continuous service to communities across Gloucestershire. That's almost two centuries of meaningful and transformative work alongside generations of families and individuals to support those most in need.

If you're motivated, compassionate, and committed to making a positive impact across Cheltenham, follow the links for more information:

Contact Centre Manager 👉 https://ymcacheltenham.com/vacancies/contact-centre-manager/

Contact Centre Bank Workers 👉 https://ymcacheltenham.com/vacancies/contact-centre-bank-workers/

10/06/2026

🌟 Community in Action! 🌟

Last week, our YMCA Connect Community Manager, Linda Grice, joined The Cheltenham Foodbank (Trussell Trust) at Morrisons to collect an incredible donation organised by Bethesda Scouts (45th Cheltenham) in partnership with SEWA Day.
The group came together around shared values to support local families and strengthen the community through hands-on teamwork, raising over £900 before spending the evening in-store selecting essential items for those in need. 💛

The donations were shared between Feed Cheltenham and Trussell Trust Food Bank.

A special shoutout to the Scouts — you’ve done something truly brilliant, and we’re so proud of the difference you’re making! 👏

Thank you to everyone involved for your generosity, teamwork, and compassion. Together, we are building stronger, more connected communities. 💙

10/06/2026

04/06/2026

Dan’s marathon journey just levelled up! 🏃‍♂️

We’re excited to share that Dan Ponting from ElijahWillow ltd has added another incredible challenge to his fundraising journey for YMCA Cheltenham! 💙

Those of you who have been following Dan's story will know that he has already completed the Generali Genève Marathon, with plans to also run the Brooks Munich Marathon in October. If that wasn't enough, Dan is also adding the Helsinki Marathon in Finland to his international line-up.

Training for and participating in even one marathon is no small feat, so taking on three races in three different countries is an incredible show of dedication and commitment, and we couldn't be more grateful! 👏

Every mile Dan runs and every penny donated will help raise vital funds to support our work across Gloucestershire, providing essential services and support to those who need it most.

If you’d like to cheer him on and help Dan reach his fundraising target, you can donate to his JustGiving page here:
👉 https://www.justgiving.com/page/dan-ponting-elijahwillow-7?newPage=true

Let’s get behind him as he takes on his next big challenge! 💪

03/06/2026

Staff Training Update ✨

Last month, our wonderful preschool team took part in a full day of Makaton training!

Makaton is a language programme that uses signs (like hand gestures), symbols (such as pictures), and speech to help support communication and understanding, particularly for people with learning or communication difficulties and those around them.

This valuable training helps us to better support all children within our setting, ensuring everyone feels included, confident, and heard! 💙

We’re so proud of our staff for their commitment to continuous learning and providing the very best for children in our care.👏

02/06/2026

Bringing our history back to life! 🕰️

YMCA Cheltenham has been a cherished part of the Gloucestershire community for 170 years. As we celebrate this amazing - and rare - milestone, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the people, memories, and moments that have shaped who we are today. 💙

So, we’re inviting you to contribute to our '170 Stories for 170 Years' collection. Whether you’ve used our services, worked or volunteered with us, or participated in any way – you are part of our story and we couldn't do this without you.

👉 Share your story with us here:
https://ymcacheltenham.com/170-stories-for-170-years/