When Nora arrived in Ireland from Germany in September 2024, Nora Richter didn’t expect to find a home. She came to volunteer at YMCA Greenhill, working with community groups, schools, and churches in outdoor activities. “I really enjoyed it,” she says. “We had a big friend group — we lived together, went sea swimming and hiking. It was a very outdoorsy, close-knit crew.”

“I wasn’t even looking for something — but I found it here.”

For Nora, the chaplaincy programme at Greenhill YMCA added a profound dimension to her experience— it was the wellspring of depth, connection, and welcome that defined her experience.

Ashleigh, the volunteer chaplain at Greenhill YMCA, had recently started visiting the centre weekly. “She just had an open ear for whatever we had to tell her,” Nora recalls. “No one was hesitant to open up to her. Even people with problems felt safe talking to Ashleigh — and she helped however she could.”

Ashleigh invited the volunteers to join the badminton club at St John’s Parish Church, where she works part-time. She wanted to encourage the group to try something fun outside of work. That simple invitation led to deeper connections. “We met all these lovely people,” she says. “Then Jill invited us to the Mothering Sunday service. It was sweet that it was that one. We came, and we kind of never left.”

Nora found friendship and family in the local community through the chaplaincy programme, and this sincere welcome had a profound impact on her emotionally and spiritually. Back home in Germany, faith hadn’t been part of her life. “I didn’t really have any connection to faith,” she explains. “But something felt good. It felt right.”

After her volunteer year ended, Nora faced a decision: return home or stay. “I wanted to stay in Ireland,” she says. “I applied to study paramedicine in Cork — very last minute, just two days before the deadline.” She was accepted, and now lives in Cork City, studying, playing rugby and singing at the university choir. Through the chaplaincy programme Nora also found suitable housing in the area.

Reflecting on her journey into community and faith through the chaplaincy programme, Nora says, “I didn’t have a problem. I don’t think I was looking for something. But Ashleigh brought us in… She has that feeling about her — very open, very understanding.”

Nora’s story is a testament to the power of welcome — not just as a gesture, but as a transformative experience. Through the YMCA, she found friendship and a sense of belonging that continues to shape her life.

Alex Bartholomew
YMCA Chaplaincy Coordinator