Kilrea YFC round up winter season and 70th anniversary year

The club would like extend an invitation to all to their annual parents and friends evening which is being held on Saturday 19th March.

Please note the change of venue this year to Kilrea Primary School, where a varied programme will be put on stage to entertain the audience – with some reminders and blasts from the past.

The club have had a very busy couple of months since the New Year. On 19th January the club travelled to Coleraine Town Hall to see the pantomime Aladdin which proved very enjoyable and of finished off with a visit to McDonalds.

On 2nd February a team from the club consisting of Adam Alexander, Emma Linton, Matthew Gordon, Thomas Gordon, Adam McCormick, Amy, Kerrie and Lucinda Thompson travelled to Brunswick Bowl to take part in the YFCU bowling competition. Although there some high scores and strikes, there unfortunately no major prizes won – but once again the craic made up for it.

On 4th and 29th of February, club members Emma Linton, Thomas Gordon, David Linton, Adam McCormick, Lauren McIlroy and Kerrie Thompson attended the Lifemaps programme organised by YFCU and in conjunction with YouthActionNI. This proved to be a very interesting event and aims at finding practical approaches to improving mental health in young people.

On 5th February club members Adam Alexander, Matthew Gordon, Adam McCormick, Robert Sloan and Joel Williamson made up the team for the Volleyball competition to compete for the coveted prize – The Wooden Welly.

This was held in The Jim Watt Centre in Garvagh and once again proved to be a popular competition.

In the midst of all of these events Kilrea YFC were involved in practices for the YFCU Arts Festival competition. Kilrea YFC competed in the festival and put on their performance at a sold out show on 18th February in Ballymoney High School. The club’s performance of Downton Shabby went down well with audience and adjudicators on the occasion, with very encouraging feedback from both.

Kilrea YFC also took to the stage at Roseyards Church Hall on Wednesday 2nd March and once again put on another very enjoyable performance.

It is safe to say that much craic was had amongst club members at the rehearsals for the competition and thanks much go to producer Janice Irwin and choreographers Lorraine Gordon and Charlotte Linton, to musicians Alwyn Evans, Olivia Gordon and Caroline Patterson and to all others who helped in any way.

Kilrea YFC have also been kept busy over the last number of months with club meetings.

They had a very informative talk from Judith Shevlin, a social worker with the NHSCT, on Mental Health Awareness and Judith very kindly donated her monetary gift on the evening to the charity AWARE NI.

Kilrea YFC club officials also did themselves proud at the County Efficiency Competition where Lauren McIlroy gained second best treasurer, Thomas Gordon, third best PRO, Kerrie Thompson, third best secretary and the club overall were second.

On Friday 4th March Kilrea YFC members Adam Alexander, Emma Linton, David Linton Lucinda Thompson, Amy Thompson, Gavin Thompson, Lauren McIlroy and Thomas Gordon attended the YFCU Northern Ireland Quiz in Magherafelt High School, an enjoyable evening was had, then the next day up and away again to CAFRE, Loughry Campus where Adam McCormick, Adam Alexander, Kerrie Thompson, David Linton, Thomas Gordon and Ellen Alexander took part in the YFCU training day.

Four of club members – namely – Adam Alexander, Thomas Gordon, Elizabeth Patterson and Amy Thompson (with the guidance of Paul from ZAP and Nichola Greer) will be joining with a group of previous club members and will be travelling to Malawi in Africa this summer as part of ZAP – Zomba Action Project. Fundraisers will be taking place in the next few months. If you wish to support this there will be opportunities to do so and the team will be very grateful for this.

Meanwhile keep in mind the club’s parents and friends evening on Saturday 19th March where everyone will very welcome.