Post by Administrator on Aug 22, 2013 23:07:25 GMT
In 1844 the first association to be called a Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) was formed in London by George Williams, a farmer's son, and a small group of men.
In 1851, the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London proved to be a milestone in the YMCA's history as publicity leaflets distributed at the time helped to develop links with other countries.
As war swept across Western Europe in 1914, the British YMCA decided to be where the troops were. It extended its work across the Channel to support the troops putting up hundreds of huts at home and abroad - including the platforms of railway stations - and supplied the troops with refreshments, recreation and writing materials. The women serving in these huts were mostly volunteers who paid their own expenses to be working for the YMCA in France and Belgium. They would ask the young soldiers 'Have you written home lately?' The impact was vast.
Thousands worked for the YMCA and their work was as dangerous, at times, as the troops. Some hundreds of men and women lost their lives on the Continent serving in this way. After the war the country recognised their contribution to the war effort by dedicating a window to the YMCA in Westminster Abbey.
The huts were brought back to England and developed into a network of community clubs for men, known as Red Triangle Clubs, where between the World Wars, the YMCA, again responding to the needs of the time. The association promoted activities amongst the unemployed to help the distress in many areas of great deprivation. The activities were mainly aimed at giving people something to do - games, drama, and music. Because of the high unemployment in certain areas they also promoted sending boys to work on farms in the British Commonwealth countries, particularly Australia and Canada. Later, when the emigration laws changed, boys were encouraged to work on British farms. This was seen as a great benefit at the time. In addition, the National YMCA had its own Dept. of Employment and found jobs for some 38,000 men during this period of mass unemployment.
In the years between the two World Wars the YMCA reacted to rising unemployment with two initiatives. In 1932, British Boys for British Farms was launched which placed unemployed young men as agricultural workers on farms. An Employment Department was also established, which found jobs for 38,000 ex-servicemen.
The Second World War saw the YMCA using second-hand vans to take refreshments to those fire fighting in our blitzed cities and, later, when the Battle of Britain passed its climax, going abroad with the troops. When the Allies were in retreat from Dunkirk the YMCA left 3 vans behind on the beaches. Back in Dover the YMCA was there providing for the troops as they wearily returned to 'Blighty'.
The British YMCA, concerned as Christians for all men, became involved with German prisoners of war by setting up a 'University of the Air'. This was helpful to German clergymen, youth workers and teachers in preparing them for life after the war was over.
Other YMCAs across the world worked in similar ways with the POW's in their countries.
The 6th June 1944 was both the 100th Anniversary of the YMCA and D-Day. The service at Westminster Abbey was marked at its end by the thunder of thousands of aircraft blackening the sky as they went to bomb the Normandy beaches in preparation for the Allied invasion of northern France.
In 1851, the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London proved to be a milestone in the YMCA's history as publicity leaflets distributed at the time helped to develop links with other countries.
As war swept across Western Europe in 1914, the British YMCA decided to be where the troops were. It extended its work across the Channel to support the troops putting up hundreds of huts at home and abroad - including the platforms of railway stations - and supplied the troops with refreshments, recreation and writing materials. The women serving in these huts were mostly volunteers who paid their own expenses to be working for the YMCA in France and Belgium. They would ask the young soldiers 'Have you written home lately?' The impact was vast.
Thousands worked for the YMCA and their work was as dangerous, at times, as the troops. Some hundreds of men and women lost their lives on the Continent serving in this way. After the war the country recognised their contribution to the war effort by dedicating a window to the YMCA in Westminster Abbey.
The huts were brought back to England and developed into a network of community clubs for men, known as Red Triangle Clubs, where between the World Wars, the YMCA, again responding to the needs of the time. The association promoted activities amongst the unemployed to help the distress in many areas of great deprivation. The activities were mainly aimed at giving people something to do - games, drama, and music. Because of the high unemployment in certain areas they also promoted sending boys to work on farms in the British Commonwealth countries, particularly Australia and Canada. Later, when the emigration laws changed, boys were encouraged to work on British farms. This was seen as a great benefit at the time. In addition, the National YMCA had its own Dept. of Employment and found jobs for some 38,000 men during this period of mass unemployment.
In the years between the two World Wars the YMCA reacted to rising unemployment with two initiatives. In 1932, British Boys for British Farms was launched which placed unemployed young men as agricultural workers on farms. An Employment Department was also established, which found jobs for 38,000 ex-servicemen.
The Second World War saw the YMCA using second-hand vans to take refreshments to those fire fighting in our blitzed cities and, later, when the Battle of Britain passed its climax, going abroad with the troops. When the Allies were in retreat from Dunkirk the YMCA left 3 vans behind on the beaches. Back in Dover the YMCA was there providing for the troops as they wearily returned to 'Blighty'.
The British YMCA, concerned as Christians for all men, became involved with German prisoners of war by setting up a 'University of the Air'. This was helpful to German clergymen, youth workers and teachers in preparing them for life after the war was over.
Other YMCAs across the world worked in similar ways with the POW's in their countries.
The 6th June 1944 was both the 100th Anniversary of the YMCA and D-Day. The service at Westminster Abbey was marked at its end by the thunder of thousands of aircraft blackening the sky as they went to bomb the Normandy beaches in preparation for the Allied invasion of northern France.