Come on and vote for the YMCA...

The Y: Women Can Project, which was set up earlier this year by Fylde Coast YMCA, has been shortlisted for the YMCA’s Best Health and Wellbeing Project at the Youth Matters Awards 2016. It is up against four other schemes in the category.

The awards will be presented at a prestigious ceremony this autumn, by TV host, June Sarpong.

Since January, Y: Women Can has been working with Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign and was shortlisted due to its continuing success – with more than 600 women getting involved in the programme and more than 2,000 female visits to sessions at local YMCA centres – taking part in activities such as swimming, cycling and fitness classes.

Women do not have to be members of the YMCA to attend sessions. Not only do they offer women the chance to get fit, they also offer a chance to make new friends.

YMCA bosses say the project has brought women and girls within the community closer together while improving their general health, well-being and social interaction.

Y: Women Can relies heavily on volunteers to carry out its work and YMCA chiefs say it is thanks to them the project is in the running for an award.

Now Fylde coast residents are being asked to get behind their local project and vote in the awards to help it scoop the top honour.

John Cronin, chief executive of YMCA Fylde Coast, said: “We are overjoyed and excited to be nominated for such a significant award and to have reached this stage of the process.

“We hope everyone in the local community will vote for us, as making it through to the final judging panel would be incredible.”

Jonas Bartle, coordinator of the Y:Women Can Project, added: “To reach this stage of the process is testament to all those involved in Y: Women Can for their dedication, time and commitment to this great project.

“We are so proud we have got this far and we hope to go one stage further in the process and win the award. We are counting on your votes.”

Youth Matters is YMCA’s national awards programme, which has been an integral part of the charity’s calendar since 2009. It aims to celebrate the outstanding skills and achievements of young people from across the country, as well as recognising the vital work YMCAs deliver every day to help transform the lives of young people and give them a brighter future.

The YMCA best Health and Wellbeing Project of the Year Award recognises different YMCAs which have delivered innovative and inspiring projects with a tangible and positive impact on young people and/or the wider community.

Vote for YMCA best Health and Wellbeing Project of the Year at www.ymca.org.uk/awards. For information on Fylde coast YMCA visit www.fyldecoastymca.org/about-us