Seasons Greetings From all at YMCA

We have just enjoyed our annual Carol Service at St Nicholas’ Church and it got our festive season off to a lovely start, we were treated to a beautiful performance from YMCA Sefton Nursery Choir and team members from YMCA’s across the region all gave readings or reflections about our work and this time of year. For a lot of us, the most moving moment cam from Ste Foley who read a poem about his experience of homelessness. With Ste’s permission we share it here for you:

There I used to sit, on a cold and frosty night.

With no-one to love me or hold me tight.

Embarrassment and cold would set about my body

Nobody knew how bad I felt

My friends, my family, not anybody.

Being homeless isn’t nice you know

Going from a lovely dry warm home

To living life in a sleeping bag on the pavement

Whether its raining, sunny or even when its about to snow

Life is uncertain in so many ways

My attitude downbeat, my health had seen better days

People would walk in by, some would stop and stare

Don’t get me wrong, there are some compassionate people and others just don’t care.

For this did not matter to me as i had to keep one thing in mind

What was to apply to accommodation that of every kind

I did my mainstay assessment and went on my merry way

I had to update regularly, every single day.

Then one day on Hanover, like a bolt from the blue

Tommy from the Whitechapel outreach team says

Ste, i have good news for you

And i owe my heartfelt  thanks to the YMCA

For my room and the support.

You do a cracking residential and the farm is just brill

Feeding the chickens and chasing the pigs, what a thrill!

So to all the staff and residents at the YM, a big thank you

This is me, Stephen Foley wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.