Continued success for Kilrea YFC

A huge congratulations must go to the outgoing committee for all their hard work and dedication to their roles within the club and best of luck to all the incoming committee members who were voted as follows:

Patron – Linda Steele; president – Bevan Mark; vice presidents – David Linton, Claire Wallace, Delwyn Mark, Michael Stewart, Derek Fenton, Richard Mulholland and Richard Irwin; club leader – Adam Alexander; assistant club leader – Steven Arthur; secretary – Matthew Gordon; assistant secretary – Ellen Alexander; treasurer – Jamie Cunningham; assistant treasurer – Judith Laughlin; PRO – Sarah Lynch; assistant PRO – Dione Stewart; council representative – Ellen Alexander; grants co-ordinator – Jamie Cunningham; competitions co-ordinator – Mark Anderson and Judith Laughlin; catering officers – Jack Brownlie and Charlotte Moon; and 
additional committee members - Robert Sloan, David Kelso, Jill Halliday and Vicki Rankin.

February was a busy month for Kilrea YFC.

On 3rd February junior members Georgia Kearney, Niamh Brookman and Charlotte Moon and senior members Judith Laughlin, Jamie Cunningham, Ellen Alexander and Adam Alexander took part in the second round of the Home Management competition.

On 4th February junior members Georgia Kearney, Niamh Brookman and Jack Brownlie and senior members Judith Laughlin, Sarah Lynch, Jamie Cunningham and Matthew Gordon took part in the second round of the Ulster Young Farmer competition.

On 15th February Kilrea YFC held the first club meeting of 2021 which was a live butchery demonstration on zoom.

Thank you very much to Jonny McMaster from Lisnamurrican YFC for taking 
this meeting, everyone thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot.

The Co Londonderry efficiency competition took place virtually on zoom in February for the club’s office bearers and junior and senior member of the year interviews.

The results for the competition were released on Friday 5th March and Kilrea YFC brought home plenty of silverware.

Adam Alexander won first place for senior member of the year and also won top club leader in Co Londonderry.

Mark Anderson was placed second in junior member of the year in Co Londonderry.

Sarah Lynch was placed first for top public relations officer in Co Londonderry and Jamie Cunningham also placed first for top treasurer in Co Londonderry.

Overall, Kilrea YFC were crowned the ‘top club’ in Co Londonderry

Amidst all the hustle and bustle of a busy start to 2021, Adam and Ellen Alexander thought it was only right to treat themselves to a well-earned coffee break at Tiny House Coffee.

Tiny House Coffee is a caravan converted to serve coffee and is situated at The Lake Kilrea.

The club were more than happy to show their support to a small, local business on their opening weekend and would recommend for everyone to give them a visit if you are passing by.

It’s very encouraging for all our members to see club success continue into 2021.

In fact, on 14th February, Holestone YFC and Glarryford YFC nominated Kilrea YFC to take part in the ‘YFCU Fav Moments’ challenge on Instragram by posting pictures from some of our favourite YFCU moments as a club.

This was a chance for Kilrea YFC to look back and reflect on 2020.

Not only was it Kilrea YFC’s 75th anniversary year, it was also YFCU 90th anniversary as an organisation and the president’s chosen theme was ‘roaring’ twenties where each letter stood for the key values of the YFCU: ‘recruitment’, ‘opportunities’, ‘attendance’, ‘retention’, ‘inclusion’, ‘neighbourly’ and ‘giving’.

Covid-19 has been such a difficult time for everyone and Kilrea YFC have been more than happy to help those in need and support those in the neighbouring and local communities throughout 2020 and into 2021.

Back in May 2020, Kilrea YFC walked, ran and cycled a total of 1081 miles raising £1200 for Yellow Wellies 
as part of Kilraughts YFC 
600 mile challenge in light of Mental Health Awareness Week.

Some of Kilrea YFC members also contributed to the YFCU ‘Big Clean Up Challenge’ by litter picking along Kilrea country roads in order to combat the rise in fly tipping during lockdown. In June 2020, thanks to Power NI, a cheque of £200 was presented to Reverend Gary Millar of St Patrick’s Parish Church, Kilrea YFC to use towards ‘The Link’ Foodbank in Kilrea.

The club held their annual car wash in Kilrea Livestock Market thanks to H A McIlrath in September 2020 which is a great way for the club to keep links with the neighbouring community.

In November 2020, Adam Alexander and Jamie Cunningham presented a cheque of £1,445.85 to Alzheimer’s society, the club’s charity of choice for the year and in December, Ellen Alexander delivered Kilrea’s donations to a local foodbank in Maghera as part of the president’s Christmas Appeal.

In hindsight, although 2020 will be remembered as a year in lockdown, Kilrea YFC won’t forget it as their 75th anniversary year; one that despite being robbed of the club’s anniversary dinner celebrations due to a global pandemic, was still packed full of achievements as a club and competition success.

Not only that, but it was the YFCU’s 90th anniversary year and Kilrea YFC members were all able to give back to their local community during such tough times.

The club is honoured to have been able to help so many wonderful charities and contribute to so many worthwhile causes in times of need.

Thank you to everyone who has helped the club along the way with donations and for all their continued generosity and support.