Londonderry YMCA Heritage

03/06/2026

Join Us for Our First Meeting tonight!

Do you or someone you know have a passion for local history?
We are delighted to launch our new voluntary Community History Group!

When: First Wednesday of the Month, launching this Wednesday, 3rd June.
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Where: Londonderry YMCA

What we will be doing:
Sharing stories and collecting oral histories
Maintaining the archive & viewing our exhibits
Digitising your own collections (bring your old photos, videos, and objects, and we'll help you preserve them!)

Whether you are a local historian or just curious to see what we have in the archives, we would love to welcome you to our group!

01/06/2026

Do you or someone you know have a passion for local history?
We are delighted to launch our new voluntary Community History Group!

Join Us for Our First Meeting!
When: First Wednesday of the Month, launching this Wednesday, 3rd June.
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Where: Londonderry YMCA

What will be doing:
Sharing stories and collecting oral histories
Maintaining the archive & viewing our exhibits
Digitising your own collections (bring your old photos, videos, and objects, and we'll help you preserve them!)

Whether you are a local historian or just curious to see what we have in the archives, we would love to welcome you to our group!

28/05/2026

We were delighted to have met with Mark Patterson last week to show him our fabulous new exhibit and archive!

If you want to view the exhibit you can arrange this by contacting Lisa Dunn general secretary or come along on from 7pm to 8pm on the first Wednesday of the month when it is open to the public!

Listen back to the interview here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002wv83?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

21/05/2026

Thank you and goodbye 💔

It is with very heavy hearts that we are writing this today to mark the end of our time on the Heritage project. We had hoped that we would find more funding to continue on from our 1 year project but it wasn't meant to be.

This project has meant so much to us. We have thoroughly enjoyed learning more about Londonderry YMCA and getting to connect with so many people and hear all their wonderful stories.

From raves and discos, to cricket and rugby, drama productions and youth club sessions, the YMCA has seen it all. We hope that our project and all the resources created have done justice to all these memories and showcased just how important the YMCA has been to so many people.

Londonderry YMCA has been a part of so many people's stories and it is part of ours now too.

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us and our little project over the last year. We are going to miss our project more than any words could ever say.

Until next time,

Catherine and Hannah ❤️

P.S. We care too much about the heritage work to say goodbye forever! We have set up a voluntary community history group to keep these incredible stories alive. We will be meeting on the first Wednesday of every month from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. We'd love for you to join us for our first meeting at the YMCA on the 3rd of June. See you there!

20/05/2026

The Londonderry YMCA hosted its highly anticipated Heritage Project Celebration and Exhibit Launch, marking a major milestone in preserving 169 years of community history

19/05/2026

🎉 What an incredible afternoon of history, memories, and celebration! 🎉

On Saturday, 16th May, we gathered to celebrate the grand finale of our year long Heritage Project. It was a beautiful afternoon of reminiscing and reflection, marking the culmination of a year of hard work, dedication, and community connection.

✨ Special Guests
We were absolutely honoured to welcome some fantastic guests to help us celebrate:

Mr Mukesh Sharma (Trustee & Deputy Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and NI Committee Chair) – thank you so much for sharing such kind words! We were also delighted to welcome Lara and Ellen, two of NI's future heritage leaders.

Deputy Mayor Niree McMorris – thank you for attending and celebrating this special milestone with our community!

📜 What We Achieved Together
This project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery Players!

Thanks to this vital funding, we have successfully preserved our rich 170 year legacy:

📦 Preserved Legacy: Hundreds of historic documents, photos, trophies, and artefacts have been safely archived.

🗣️ Voices of the Past: Dozens of oral histories have been recorded.

🏛️ Permanent Exhibit & Archive: Now officially open for in-person visits at Londonderry YMCA!

🌐 Website Resources: You can now explore featured segments and our brand-new podcast series directly on our website.

❤️ A Massive Thank You!
This project truly took a village, and we have so many people to thank:

To Everyone Who Attended: Thank you to our former and current staff, volunteers, and members across the generations who joined us. It was wonderful to see so many eras of the YMCA family under one roof. We hope you enjoyed looking back through the years as much as we did!

To Our Incredible Heritage Committee: Thank you for your guidance, dedication, and invaluable support in helping us bring this project to life and preserving our legacy for generations to come.

🤝 Shoutout to Our Business Partners
We extend our deepest gratitude to the local businesses and specialists whose expertise and support made this project a reality:

Ian McKenzie Creative
Sean Madden Conservation
Gillian Lindsay Photography
Oak Print and Graphics Oak Print and Graphics
RK Fires and Stoves
Keith Buchanan
Raymond Curry
Partridge Peartree
Flossy Treats Flossy Treats
McMullan Foods

🌐 Missed the Event? You Can Still Explore!
If you couldn’t make it, you don't have to miss out. Check out the website to explore highlights, or contact us to arrange an in-person visit to see the full archive and exhibit.

👉 Visit the Website: www.londonderryymca.net/heritage
📧 Email Us: [email protected]
📞 Call Us: 02871301662

19/05/2026

17/05/2026

Step Into the Archives – The Final Episode is LIVE! 🏛️🔊

Following our wonderful celebration yesterday, we are proud to release the final piece of the Your Story, Our History series.

Episode 16 is a guided audio tour of our new Heritage Exhibit at Drumahoe. Narrated by our Heritage Committee, this episode provides a factual overview of the milestones, themes, and history that have defined the Londonderry YMCA for nearly 170 years.

Whether you visited us at the launch event or are listening from afar, this tour is designed to bring the records of our past to life.

👉 Listen to the final episode here:
creators.spotify.com/pod/show/londonderry-ymca-ysoh

A massive thank you to everyone who shared their stories, attended our events, and helped us build this living archive. While the podcast ends here, the exhibit and archive are now a permanent part of our centre for the community to enjoy.

Our history is your story.



This project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery Players!

16/05/2026