Birkenhead YMCA
On 11th February the Rt Hon Frank Field MP visited the Birkenhead YMCA. Always a keen champion against poverty and low pay, Frank took the opportunity to spend time talking to residents and listening to their issues and frustrations of life at the harsher end of society.
Customers at the YMCA were delighted that Frank found the time in his busy schedule to come and talk to them and have a look at the work they are doing to get back on their feet and into mainstream society once more. Since he was elected Member of Parliament for Birkenhead in 1979 Frank Field has been a tireless campaigner and displayed a unique attachment to his constituency and homeless persons are just as important to him as other members of the community of Birkenhead and Wirral.
He met with a number of residents with a range of different problems – Anthony told him of his frustrations at not being able to get into work due to being trapped in the benefits system for a number of years. Anthony is far from work-shy and has spent many hundreds of hours working on Birkenhead YMCA training and voluntary work initiatives to help him gain more experience and greater employability skills. He has tried to get into work but has struggled to break out of the cycle of no job = no property = no prospects. "It can be very hard and frustrating" Anthony said. Frank was pleased to hear however that there is a glimmer of hope for Anthony because he was recently accepted by the highly successful Wirral Borough Council Housing Priority Panel and this will help him as a starting point to achieve his dream of independent living.
During a tour of the building Frank met a number of residents, one of whom has suffered for a number of years with chronic drink problems and has found the help he needed from specialist agencies on Wirral however he fears that with changes in funding will these support organisations struggle to help people like him or even survive?
The YMCA's highly talented artist George Gardner showcased just how gifted some homeless people can be when he gave Frank a glimpse of some of the artwork he has selected for his own personal exhibition which will be held in the spring. Frank was impressed with Georges work and spent some time listening to his life-story and hearing how art and creativity had helped him combat a number of personal issues. George now runs art workshops at the BYMCA which he hopes will encourage and inspire others to get as much out of their creative talents as possible.
Birkenhead YMCA works in partnership with a wide range of organisations in the delivery of meaningful services to its customers and one such organisation that they have embraced is Intuitive Recovery. It was through this organisation that George met Tracy Lyons who is the organisations tutor for Wirral who has run a number of workshops in the YMCA. Tracy's work and style of delivery is based on her own personal struggles a number of years ago and she has had a big impact on a number of YMCA customers – Tracy herself says "I will never use again and have been given the opportunity to teach IR to others. Life is great and tomorrow is even better".
Frank was delighted to present George with his Certificate of Achievement from Intuitive Recovery.
Chief Executive Nigel Hughes commented "Frank Field has done a lot to help and support the work of Birkenhead YMCA and visits such as this not only give us an opportunity to meet with him and discus local issues but it also gives our customers the chance to meet him as their MP and know the value of his work in Parliament".
