YMCA Humber joins forces with YMCAs worldwide for anniversary basketball world challenge

YMCA Humber is calling on the local community to come together and support its basketball challenge on Saturday 3 June, in the run up to the organisation’s 173^rd anniversary next week.

YMCA Humber, which runs three housing projects and youth services working with over 500 young people every year, is offering a chance for people to get involved in the sport for the annual YMCA World Challenge. This will see YMCAs in 119 countries empower young people through basketball in celebration of the global charity’s birthday.

YMCA is using basketball, which was invented at YMCA Springfield College in the USA 125 years ago this year, to bring together young and old on the day to show that sport is more than just good fun, and at its best serves local communities and empowers young people.

Jonathan Byrne, Events and Marketing Lead, said: “Throughout the decades, we’ve had great innovations at YMCA including volleyball, futsal and, of course, basketball.

“Sport has been a vital part of YMCA since our early beginnings in 1844, so it’s a fitting tribute to our founder Sir George Williams to get as many people as possible involved in basketball as part of our world challenge.

“We will be holding a shooting hoops competition on Cleethorpes Seafront (near the Leisure Centre), where we will be seeing who can throw the most hoops in 60 seconds over the course of the day.”

Founded in 1844 by Sir George Williams, a worker in the drapery trade in London, YMCA now operates in 119 countries, supporting or working with 58 million people every year.

In England and Wales alone, YMCA works in 740 different communities impacting upon the lives of more than 630,000 people every year.

YMCA Humber’s World Challenge event will be held on Cleethorpes Seafront (near Cleethorpes Leisure Centre) on Saturday 3 June from 10am until 4pm. The activity costs 50p per person with all funds going to YMCA’s work with young people in local communities.

To find out more about YMCA Humber’s events and activities for this year’s anniversary basketball world challenge, visit www.ymca-humber.com or contact the Events and Marketing Team on 01472 359 621.