Christian charity wins Norfolk show trophy
This year's Royal Norfolk Show exhibition winners proved that it's fun to play at the YMCA. Their interactive and welcoming stand demonstrated that the Christian organisation is so much more than a song.
This is the first year that
YMCA Norfolk exhibited at the Royal Norfolk Show and they were thrilled to be able to promote their work to such a massive audience.
Furthermore, they were overjoyed to win the Bond Challenge Cup for best charity or voluntary organisation exhibiting at the Show.
The stand included volunteers from across Norfolk and young people who access some of the services that YMCA Norfolk offers.
Judge David Clayton said that the warm welcome was one of the reasons that the YMCA won the award.
The stand was awash with red fabric and the YMCA song by the Village People was belting out, which certainly attracted lots of attention.
There were a number of huge backdrops for people to pose in front of as part of a competition aimed at giving people a better understanding of the YMCA.
Communications and Fundraising Manager, Susie Knights said "We will never the escape the connection with the song by the Village People so someone within our movement came up with concept that we are ‘more than a song'.
“We decided to take this further at this year's Royal Norfolk Show we encouraged people to dress up as a member of the Village People and pose in front of specially designed backdrops that emphasise the message.
All those that took part were able to take a photo away and are in with a chance to win an iPad 2. Everyone who took part had lots of fun but hopefully also took away a very clear message and a better understanding of our work”
Out of the hundreds of entrants which included school children, families and even members of the police force and armed forces, there were many that embraced the characters and music.
The prize of an iPad2 will be awarded shortly to the winning entry that provided the best picture and completed the statement ‘the YMCA is more than a song because....’
Pictured above: Royal Norfolk Show president Richard Jewson presenting Susie Knights with the Bond Challenge Cup, and the YMCA volunteers and young people with the trophy and dressed up as the Village People.