YMCA England: Helping young people build a future

YMCA England Retail and Center Parcs have been making a difference to the lives of young people and local communities through the sale of ex-Center Parcs furniture since 2006. As the partnership enters its 5th year, Center Parcs is aiming to donate £60,000 worth of furniture to YMCA shops across the UK.

Furniture and homeware donated to YMCA England shops offers quality items at affordable prices to those who need a helping hand. The initiative also supports YMCA housing schemes by offering Center Parcs furniture as starter packs for those new YMCA residents with a limited budget for household items.

Furniture is collected from four Center Parcs locations, and is usually sold by YMCA shops within two weeks to many local households needing extra support.

So far, the donated furniture has provided YMCA shops with over 20,000 items including 6,000 beds, 320 sofas and 320 tables and chairs. Continuing with its long-term accommodation programme in 2012 Center Parcs is restyling a further 330 lodges across all four villages and - ensuring original furniture is put to good use - an estimated £60,000 of ex-Center Parcs items will be donated to local YMCA shops.

Funds raised by YMCA shops go towards helping important areas of YMCA work, including training schemes, supporting local schools, as well as engaging young people in key local projects so that they can build more positive futures.