Family Fun Day 2026

We'd love to see you at our Family Fun Day! Join us for a brilliant afternoon of fun while helping to support the work we do with children, young people and families across our community.

📅 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟯𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁

🕚 𝟭𝟭𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝟮𝗽𝗺

📍 𝗬𝗠𝗖𝗔 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹 & 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱, 𝟮𝟵𝟰 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁, 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹

🎟️ 𝙆𝙞𝙙𝙨' 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 £5 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧!

Your wristband includes:

🎈 Unlimited access to our inflatables and bouncy castles

🎧 Silent Disco taster sessions

🎮 Esports, VR and gaming taster sessions

🌈 Sensory play experiences

Taster sessions are available on a first come, first served basis.

🐻 We'll also have a very special guest making an appearance during the day... we think they're one of the UK's most recognisable bears! Make sure you come along and say hello! 💛

There's plenty for everyone to enjoy, including:

🚒 Fire engine

🎨 Glitter tattoos

🎟️ Tombola

🎁 Prize games

✂️ Crafts

👕 Vinted pop-up shop

🌭 Hot dogs

☕ Tea, coffee and home baking

💛 𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙪𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙞𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙮?

We're still looking for:

🎁 New or unwanted gifts for our adult and children's tombola.

🧁 Donations of home baking, which can be dropped off at the YMCA on the morning of the event.

Every penny raised helps us continue supporting local children, young people and families.

Creating Spaces Where Every Child Belongs

At YMCA Bellshill & Mossend, we often talk about creating spaces where children, young people and families feel supported, included and valued. For me, nowhere is that more important than in our work with children and young people with additional support needs through Y-Connect and the wider ASN support we provide across the organisation. 

Over the last few years, we have seen a huge increase in the number of families looking for support that is flexible, understanding and accessible. Many parents and carers tell us they feel exhausted from constantly having to explain their child’s needs, fight for support, or worry about whether their child will be accepted in community spaces. That should never be the norm. 

One of the biggest lessons we have learned is that inclusion is not about creating a completely separate world for children and young people with additional support needs. It is about adapting environments, listening properly, reducing barriers and making community spaces work for everyone. Sometimes that means sensory-friendly activities, smaller group sizes or more flexible approaches to participation. Sometimes it simply means creating an environment where families do not feel judged. 

Y-Connect was developed because we recognised that many traditional activities did not work for every child. Families were telling us they wanted spaces where their children could play, explore and interact without pressure or unrealistic expectations. They wanted somewhere they could attend without fear of being asked to leave because their child was overwhelmed, distressed or communicating differently. 

What started as a relatively small programme has become one of the most important parts of our work. Every week we see children build confidence in ways that might seem small to others but are hugely significant for families. A child joining a group activity for the first time. A young person feeling comfortable enough to communicate with staff. A parent staying for a full session because they finally feel understood rather than anxious. These moments matter. 

What is also important is recognising that ASN support should not sit in isolation. It should run through the whole organisation. We try to make that part of our culture rather than a standalone service. That means our youth work staff learning how to adapt sessions. It means understanding sensory needs when planning activities. It means thinking differently about communication. It means accepting that behaviour is often communication and responding with empathy rather than punishment. 

There is also a wider issue that needs discussed more openly. Many community organisations want to improve ASN provision but simply do not have the resources, training or sustainable funding to do it properly. Too often, funding only supports short-term projects when what families really need is consistent, long-term support they can rely on. 

Community organisations are increasingly filling gaps that families experience elsewhere. That can be positive because local organisations are often trusted and relationship-based, but it also creates pressure. Sustainable ASN provision requires trained staff, suitable spaces, specialist equipment, smaller staff-to-child ratios and ongoing development. None of that comes without cost. 

Despite these challenges, I remain incredibly hopeful. 

I believe community-based ASN support has the potential to change lives when it is built around dignity, flexibility and relationships. I believe families deserve spaces where they feel welcomed rather than accommodated as an afterthought. I believe children and young people with additional support needs should have the same opportunities to connect, learn, play and thrive within their communities. 

Most importantly, I believe we need to keep listening to families themselves. They are the experts in their own experiences. Some of the best changes we have made at YMCA Bellshill & Mossend have come directly from conversations with parents, carers and young people telling us honestly what works and what does not. 

Y-Connect is still developing and learning. We do not claim to have all the answers. But we are committed to continuing to adapt, improve and respond to the needs of the families who walk through our doors. 

For us, ASN support is not an add-on. It is part of building a fairer, more inclusive community where every child and young person has the opportunity to belong. 

CEO Blog - From Pressure to Progress: 7 Years In

Some roles ease you in. This wasn’t one of them.

Some journeys start with a clear plan. This didn’t.

And sometimes, the hardest years are the ones you learn the most from

When I stepped into my role at YMCA Bellshill & Mossend seven years ago, the early days were full on. There was a lot to deal with. Big decisions, real pressure, and very little time to find your feet.

Those first few years tested me.

There were moments where it felt like everything needed attention at once. Funding uncertainty, operational challenges, making sure services kept running, and trying to build something stronger at the same time. It was demanding, and at times, relentless.

But what those years taught me has stayed with me.

I learned quickly that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about making the best decision you can with what you have in front of you. It’s about staying focused when things feel uncertain, and keeping people at the centre of every decision.

I also learned the importance of backing yourself. There were times when it would have been easier to step back or play it safe. But real progress came from facing it head on, thinking differently, and being prepared to take a risk when it mattered.

Over time, things began to move forward.

We moved from reacting to planning. From short-term fixes to longer-term thinking. We became clearer about who we are and what we are here to do.

Today, we are in a stronger place. We’ve built services that people rely on. We’ve created opportunities for young people, supported families, and developed a model that is more sustainable. We are thinking like a social enterprise, not just a charity, and that change has opened new doors for growth.

What I’m most proud of isn’t just what we’ve achieved, but how we’ve done it. With a team that has stayed with us, trusted what we’re building, and kept going even when things have been tough. Low staff turnover doesn’t happen by chance. With partners who believe in what we’re trying to achieve. And with a community that continues to trust us.

Seven years in, I don’t see this as a milestone to stand still. It feels more like a checkpoint.

There is still more to do. More people to reach. More ways to strengthen what we offer. And more opportunities to think differently about how community organisations can grow and sustain themselves.

If the first few years were about getting through, the next chapter is about building something stronger.

Now it’s about growing, strengthening, and making bigger impact.