YMCA Black Country Launch Community Cycle Challenge to Help Local People

YMCA Black Country Group will be joining other YMCAs across England in a mass cycle challenge, ‘Tour de Y’ to get more people active and raise vital funds to support local community projects. And they want the entire community to get involved too.

YMCA Black Country Group is working with the Black Country BeActive Partnership and the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, and is calling for people from right across the Black Country to take part in the YMCA Tour de Y challenge, taking place at 10am on Saturday 19th July at Sandwell Valley Park, West Bromwich. The 3 mile cycle ride will start at Sandwell Valley farm, giving participants the chance to enjoy some of the scenery Sandwell has to offer, as well as spending quality time, keeping fit with their family.

Steve Clay CEO of YMCA Black Country Group said: "We are really excited to be taking part in the YMCA Tour de Y cycle challenge. We hope lots of people from the local community will get involved, either by taking part, stewarding or sponsoring the event. These types of community events provide a great opportunity to help people get active, while raising money to support local projects along the way.”

James Connolly, Business Development Officer for Black Country BeActive Partnership said, "Black Country BeActive Partnership are keen to support innovative and imaginative ways to encourage participation in sport and physical activity. The money raised from Tour De Y will go towards helping young people gain sport and fitness qualifications. These qualifications will empower and enable them to create and run their own sports clubs for their local communities.”

This is the second year of Tour de Y and it aims to build on the £25,000 that was raised for local YMCAs and local YMCA projects in 2013.

To find out more about Tour de Y or to register visit ymcabc.org.uk/TourDeY or contact Grace Heeley / Luke Tyler on 01902 371 550

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Editorial Contact: Grace Heeley, Marketing & Communications Officer
01902 371 556 / grace.heeley@ymcabc.org.uk

Editors Notes

YMCA Black Country Group
• YMCA Black Country Group is one of over 120 independent local associations which make up the YMCA Movement in England employing more than 4000 staff and 5500 volunteers!

• The YMCA is an innovative local charity which employs 250 people and provides a wide range of services across the Black Country and South Staffordshire, including:

o Day Nurseries: YMCABC Day Nurseries have over 25 years experience, quality and reputation, with 3 day nurseries across West Bromwich and Wolverhampton, providing care and education for a total of 180 children aged from 6 weeks to 5 years.

o Housing: The YMCA provides a wide range of housing options to homeless young people, designed to suit their individual needs, helping them grow into independent young people who will thrive in their community. YMCA work hard to ensure that all residents develop a sense of belonging and have the opportunity to contribute to the YMCA and to the wider society.

o Health & Fitness Facilities: Based on Carters Green, West Bromwich, our fitness centre with two fully equipped gyms and friendly, qualified instructors provide a fitness facility with individually tailored programmes and health assessments to improve health & fitness. YGym provides fitness facilities for people of all ages and abilities.

o Learning & Skills: YMCA Black Country Group is a Matrix accredited centre and has a well-established history of delivering training and skills development courses. Our friendly and enthusiastic team are experts in understanding the learners’ and individuals’ needs. Our packages are tailor-made to suit the individual.

o Community Work: The YMCA prides itself on working with people of all backgrounds, ages and ethnicities. We work with our local communities to provide a number of activities to encourage people to socialise, stay healthy and give something back to their community.

o For more information, please visit www.ymcabc.org.uk

Black Country BeActive Partnership
The Black Country BeActive Partnership is one of 49 County Sports Partnerships (CSPs) in England working to provide opportunities for people to participate in sport and physical activity across the Black Country.   The team and its partners aim to work together for all in the Black Country through PE, Sport and Physical Activity to inspire a generation to be active.

The Black Country BeActive Partnership is a division of Black Country Consortium Ltd.  Black Country Consortium Ltd (BCC Ltd) is a diverse, economic development, intelligence and strategic team working with partners from public and private sectors to steer and support the delivery of the Black Country Strategy on Growth and Competitiveness.  BCC provides strategic support, advice and on occasion leadership across the interconnected key areas for growth within the Black Country

For more details on the work of the Black Country BeActive Partnership please visit www.blackcountrybeactive.co.uk

YMCA
• Founded in 1844, YMCA in England is made up of 121 member YMCAs working to ensure that young people have opportunities to thrive and contribute positively to their communities.

• YMCA operates in over 530 different communities in England impacting upon the lives of over 500,000 people every year.

• Every night YMCAs provide over 9,000 beds for young people. YMCA is the largest voluntary sector provider of safe, supported accommodation for single men and women aged between 16-30 years old.

• YMCA enables nearly 24,000 people every year to engage in education, skills and training to enable them to improve their opportunities in the job market.

• YMCA is the largest voluntary sector provider of health and wellbeing services promoting physical activity.
• For further information please visit http://www.ymca.org.uk