Last weekend, we were excited to attend this year’s Nottinghamshire County Show — a great opportunity to connect with our local community and share more about the work we do with young people and families across the area.
The sun shone, and the YMCA stand was alive with activities from painting rocks, soft archery, digital art and Gaga pit. It was a brilliant chance to meet new faces, reconnect with familiar ones, and spread the word about how we are helping to build brighter futures for the young people in Newark.
A taste of what we offer at YMCA Newark and Sherwood
Those who attended were given a taster of what we offer through our ChangeMakers Programme, Youth Programmes, and Camp Williams Summer Camps!
From team sports and outdoor adventures to arts, music, and hands-on workshops, our programmes are designed to engage young people in ways that are both fun and meaningful.
These activities help build confidence, encourage teamwork, and give young people the space to discover new skills and passions. Whether it’s trying something new, stepping out of their comfort zone, or simply making new friends, every experience plays a part in helping them grow and reach their full potential.
ChangeMakers
It was great to bring our new programme, ChangeMakers, to the Nottinghamshire Show alongside our excellent youth offerings. We had people from all ages taking part in our pebble painting with the theme being what mattered to our community. Many wished for their rocks to go home and take pride place on a shelf or garden showing how much to meant to be a part of the activities.
ChangeMakers is an initiative to give 11-16 year olds a platform to make the changes that they’d like to see in their community. Projects are youth-led, but are supported by partners from across the Developmental Assets project in and around Newark. You’ll be helped by staff and volunteers during weekly sessions to make your ideas real and put change into action.
A particularly heartwarming moment came from a family who joined in the pebble painting activity. Their son, who is non-verbal, immediately took to the activity. His mum shared that he had been asking all day to “see that lady,” referring to Holly, one of our team members who leads the ChangeMakers initiative and was helping run the activity. She was delighted to see how much he loved painting the rocks and appreciated the calming, welcoming environment we had created. It was a beautiful reminder of how inclusive and supportive community activities can make a difference.
All donations on the day taken will go towards scholarships which will allow local families with financial constraints to be able to enjoy these exact programmes and activities that take place here at YMCA Newark and Sherwood.
Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday – we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!