REACH Across hold successful Spring Contact Programme

The programme consisted of four activity residentials, giving the young people an opportunity to get to know one another and take part in challenges together.

Project Co-ordinator Barney Mc Guigan, explained: “The residentials were staged at the Kilcronaghan Centre, Tobermore and each residential was self-catering so as to increase contact, team-building and basic catering skills. The programmes included development workshops in digital design with FabLab and Emergency Life Skills with Geraldine Fitzpatrick from the British Red Cross. The activity sessions were staged at The Jungle in Desertmartin and participants enjoyed a range of activities that included body zorbs, segways, high ropes course, paintball, trampolining and climbing wall.

“The remainder of the Spring Contact programme will include weekly Club nights at Holywell in Bishop Street, a day trip to M&Ds Theme Park in Scotland and a trampolining night at JumpLanes. There will also be development courses for new Members that will include a mental health course called Head Space, a young women’s project and a craft workshop with Inner City Trust.”

New Members of R.E.A.C.H Across will also be invited to take part in a Rolling on the River fundraiser, a Jailbreak challenge at Lifford courthouse and a gardening session in Donegal.

As part of an international programme, during this summer, R.E.A.C.H Across plan to provide international youth exchange opportunities with groups in Warsaw, Poland and Kuanus, Lithuania for 28 young people and will also host young people from these two cities.

The Derry based group also plan to send a group of eight young people to Agros, Cyprus, to take part in a multilateral youth project. In addition to the international projects, the organisation aims to organise a Summer Scheme during July and two activity camps in August.

The group will be staging a training night for new Volunteers on Monday May 15 in the Holywell Building in Bishop Street. Volunteers are required to assist with the group’s Summer activity camps, international youth exchanges, training courses and weekly group meetings.

Training will include child protection, residential planning, volunteer codes of conduct and team-building. Anyone over 18yrs old is welcome to attend this training.

For further information or an application form to become a member, assistant leader or leader, please contact R.E.A.C.H Across by telephone ( 028 71 280048 ) or e-mail: [email protected]

Those interested can also download application forms at: www.reach-across.co.uk

This year’s Spring Programme was made possible through grants awarded by Provident Good Neighbour Programme, Halifax Foundation and Children In Need.