Teams from the Poleglass cross-community organisation Youth Initiatives are running the Belfast Marathon on Monday in a bid to raise £10,000. Two teams of young people and the Youth Initiatives management team will take part in the marathon to raise money for a new youth centre in Poleglass and a trip to Romania where the Colin area’s young people will build houses for families in need.

In July 2012, Youth Initiatives hopes to break ground on their new building project to establish a regional office and youth centre in Poleglass. Youth Initiatives have been offered 95 per cent of the cost from the International Fund for Ireland for the building but the release of funding is dependent on the organisation raising the outstanding amount.

A new building will replace the current derelict buildings which YI has been using for the past 17 years and allow the organisation to increase its youthwork provision by 30 per cent.

In addition, this August two teams of Youth Initiatives young people from the Colin area are hoping to go to Romania in partnership with Habitat for Humanity to help build houses for families in need.

These fundraising efforts have been combined into the Buy-a-Brick Campaign launched on Monday.

Three Youth Initiatives teams will be running the Belfast Marathon on Monday: Brickmania, the girls relay team; Papa Smurfs Helpers, the boys relay team; and the YI Legends, the management team, will compete against each other and are mobilising friends, families and the wider community to support their efforts.

Donations to support the Buy-a-Brick campaign can be made using

n JustTextGiving: Text “YINI12 £10” (or £1, £2, £5) to 70070 (Vodafone JustTextGiving)

n MyDonate: online payments which is at http://mydonate.bt.com/events/yibuyabrick/77674

n Cheque: to Youth Initiatives, Cloona House, 31 Colin Road, Poleglass, BT17 0LG.

More info on Youth Initiatives is available on the website. Just click on www.youthinitiatives.com