On 12 August 2018, Blackburn YMCA arranged a day trip for 106 men and women, including 60 children to Southport. People from Accrington, Blackburn and Darwen enjoyed the day at the seaside. The group came from 18 different nations, from El Salvador to Thailand and from Myanmar to Morocco.
Everyone enjoyed the day, firstly at a church hall and then in the town. The group was warmly welcomed by Chris Goley and the other representatives from the congregation of Birkdale Untied Reformed Church, who kindly offered refreshments and a place to take some time to rest. The way they welcomed our group was amazing and everyone appreciated their openness and friendly attitude. The group went to the town and enjoyed various activities, including lake cruises, swimming, and music.
Besides having a lot of fun and sight-seeing, people socialised and had a great time getting to know each other. Moreover, they experienced British culture and values. Apart from spending time as families, people made new friends, shared food with each other, and learned to work as a team.
Praise must go to our hard-working community champions and volunteers, including Ali, Chris, Eissa, Fozia, Farhad, Grace, Mary, Modupe, Najeeb, Obaidullah, Saad, Sonia and Salma. They helped this to become a memorable weekend.
