As Young Cumbria celebrates a rich 75 year history of supporting young people and voluntary youth work across Cumbria; it also celebrates the contribution of its Chief Executive Heike Horsburgh who has decided to move on after ten years leading the organisation.

Heike joined the organisation as CEO in 2002 having moved from the North East where she had been instrumental in starting and leading several highly successful community youth projects in Sunderland. Heike has brought a clear vision and terrific drive to the role ensuring that Young Cumbria has responded to the needs of its members supporting relevant, creative; locally delivered youth work in towns and villages across the county. Heike played a key role in leading the voluntary youth work sector to respond to the challenge of providing youth work and positive activities on behalf of the County Council. This has resulted in Young Cumbria joining with Connexions Cumbria to lead the largest consortium of voluntary sector youth clubs and projects serving young people with high quality youth work activities across Cumbria.

Young Cumbria’s recent history as a leading and progressive youth work network organisation is founded on a rich 75 year legacy of voluntary youth work endeavour in the County. Young Cumbria grew out of the Boys Club Association starting and later the Girls Clubs; the organisation is the local network of Clubs for Young People and UK Youth, previously national associations for boys and girls clubs respectively. It is this rich history of voluntary commitment by members of local communities to the development of young people’s potential that continues to drive Young Cumbria today as the organisation supports voluntary youth clubs and delivers youth work in some of the most disadvantaged communities across the county.

Heike’s contribution to the organisation has been immense and she will be greatly missed by young people, youth work volunteers and the staff at Young Cumbria. Her personal legacy is leaving an organisation fit to take on the challenges of a difficult time for all charities. Heike will be leaving the organisation next spring and Young Cumbria will be recruiting a new Chief Executive over the next few months.

Braid Aitken, Chair of Young Cumbria Trustees said “Heike has been an outstanding Chief Executive and under her inspirational leadership Young Cumbria has continued to develop as a highly respected organisation supporting and delivering youth work for Cumbria”.