YMCA Steps Project wins CHC's Pat Chown Capturing Creativity award

The YMCA Steps Project was honoured to receive the Pat Chown Capturing Creativity Award in November 2015 for our work with mental health service users in partnership with Cardiff and Vale UHB. It is a privilege to support our service users and help them move forward on their journey towards independent living so to be recognised for this work by Community Housing Cymru was very special.

As part of the award, we were given the opportunity to nominate another charity to receive a donation of £1000. After consulting with staff and residents at the YMCA, we chose the FAN Charity. They support 16 FAN groups in Cardiff which give people a chance to come together, develop their speaking and listening skills and build friendships. The groups are attended by people of a whole variety of different nationalities and are a great place for people to improve their English and find a sense of community in a new country and city. The YMCA also benefits from the support of the FAN charity in the running of a FAN group at the hostel for our residents.

YMCA staff and residents were privileged to attend another local FAN group on Tuesday along with John Chown in order to present the donation. We were able to take part in the actual meeting and witness first-hand how important and beneficial the group is for those who attend. The donation given in memory of Pat Chown will be spent on advertising and promoting the FAN groups so that more people can benefit from the incredible service that FAN offers.

 

Andrea Reynolds, Cardiff YMCA Housing Association