Our History

The History of Maidstone YMCA

The origins of Maidstone YMCA can be traced back to a public meeting at the Town Hall on January 15th 1855, where the Maidstone Church of England Young Men's Society was formed. In June 1879 the Society bought a plot of land in Union Street which became the Church Institute Building. At the same time the Society changed it's name to Maidstone Church Institute.

In 1935 the Church Institute invited the YMCA to become involved with the running of Institute Building. Again this involved a name change to Maidstone Church Institute and YMCA. In 1965 the Building in Union Street was sold to Littlewoods stores and the proceeds were used to build the Sports Centre at Melrose Close in Loose.

In 1972 the Church Institute was wound up and Maidstone Church Institute and YMCA became solely Maidstone YMCA. In 2002, faced with an old building and lack of funds, the YMCA closed its doors as a Public Sports Centre. However this was not the end. In 2011 we re-opened our doors to a new Leisure Centre on the original site in Loose.