YHA chief executive stepping down
YHA (England & Wales) – the Youth Hostels Association – has announced that its chief executive James Blake will be stepping down later this year to take up a new external role as CEO of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
Blake has led YHA since 2017. His tenure included steering the charity through the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.
Blake said: “It has been a huge privilege to lead YHA over the last nine years. I am incredibly proud of what YHA has achieved in what has been an exceptionally challenging period.
“Despite major external challenges, we have provided thousands of opportunities to young people who would otherwise have missed out on a life changing stay with us.
“YHA is a very special organisation, with a dedicated staff team, loyal members, passionate volunteers and a clear social purpose. It will be a huge wrench to leave, but the opportunity to lead the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority is too good to miss.”
Board Racial Diversity appoints chief executive
Yeme Onoabhagbe has been appointed as the new CEO of Board Racial Diversity, succeeding the charity’s founder and acting CEO, Malcolm John.
Onoabhagbe is a freelance EDI and change consultant and has been chief executive of University of York Students’ Union and interim chief executive of Student Minds.
She has also been a trustee and chair of MindOut LGBTQ Mental Health Service.
Reflecting on her new role, Onoabhagbe said: “I’m thrilled to be offered this exciting opportunity to help shape the next stage of Board Racial Diversity’s strategic vision.
“As a previous trustee myself, and passionate advocate for equity in the charity sector, I can’t wait to make a positive impact on charity boards, hopefully contributing to transformative change for our sector at large.”
New CEO for Renfrewshire Foodbank
Renfrewshire Foodbank has appointed Linda Kelly, former director of income diversification and messaging at Right There, as its first chief executive
Kelly, who also previously held senior roles at Cyrenians and Ardgowan Hospice, said: “Food banks play an essential role in meeting immediate need, but they shouldn’t be the long-term answer to poverty.
“I’m looking forward to working with the team, volunteers and partners to support people through crisis with dignity, while also contributing to wider efforts to reduce the need for food banks in the future.”
Youth Endowment Foundation appoints CEO
The Youth Endowment Fund has announced it has appointed Jeremy Miles as its next CEO, effective from July, succeeding Jon Yates.
Miles has served as a member of the Senedd since 2016, holding a range of senior ministerial roles in the Welsh government – including most recently cabinet secretary for health and social care.
Miles said of his appointment: “Every young person deserves the best start in life, and the YEF’s mission to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence goes to the heart of this.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to help YEF build on its successes to date, bringing my experience in reforming systems, and to working with others to help make the lives of children and young people free of violence.”
Humanimal Trust CEO to step down
Animal welfare charity Humanimal Trust has announced that its chief executive, Joe Bailey, will step down from her role in June 2026 after almost four years in the role to take up a new position as CEO of Animal Action Greece.
Reflecting on her decision, Bailey said: “I leave with a mixture of pride in our shared accomplishments and a clear sense of personal purpose.
“This has not been an easy decision, but my heart has always been on the front lines of animal welfare.
“My new role with Action Animal Greece will allow me to return to that ‘big passion’, working directly to improve the lives of vulnerable animals, while also fostering compassion and responsibility within the communities in which they live.”
The charity will begin recruiting for Bailey’s successor shortly.
New CEO at the Utley Foundation
Private charitable trust the Utley Foundation has appointed Amy Shackleton as its new CEO, succeeding Sarah Metcalfe.
Shackleton, the daughter of the foundation’s founder, Neil Utley, has been closely involved with the Utley Foundation for a number of years.
She initially served as a trustee and more recently as project lead at the Music for Dementia campaign, setting up the cross-sector Music Made Easy taskforce.
Shackleton began her career as a corporate lawyer working on M&A and governance, before moving into social impact work at StoriBoard.
David Hume Institute announces chair
Scottish economy and society think tank, the David Hume Institute, has announced Paul Atkinson as its chair.
Atkinson succeeds Jan Bebbington and Liz Ditchburn, who step down as co-chairs.
He is the co-founder and partner of investment firm Par Equity and holds a number of senior governance roles across business and the third sector.
Atkinson said: “I am honoured to be taking on the role of chair of the David Hume Institute. It is a genuinely distinctive organisation with a long-standing reputation for independence, intellectual rigour, and constructive engagement with complex policy questions.”
Senior leadership team changes for Scouts
Scouts has announced three senior appointments to “strengthen” its executive leadership team, supporting the delivery of the organisation’s new strategy, Place to Belong.
Tom Ovenstone has been appointed executive director of operations. Ovenstone joins from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, where he spent 15 years in senior leadership roles, most recently as director of quality and compliance.
Kirsten Stevens has been appointed executive director of finance. Stevens joins from Sue Ryder, where she has served as chief finance officer for the last seven years.
Completing the appointments, Kieron Moir has been confirmed as executive director for strategy, effective immediately.
Having served on the executive leadership team since April 2025, Moir co‑led the development of Place to Belong, having also previously been a trustee of the organisation.
New chair for Howard League for Penal Reform
The Howard League for Penal Reform has announced the appointment of Dame Anne Owers as its new chair.
Owers has worked in senior roles in the fields of human rights and justice for many years, including nine years as HM chief inspector of prisons and six years as chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
She was also the national chair of the Independent Monitoring Boards for England and Wales, and is currently chair of the Independent Custody Visiting Association, a board member of Prisoners Abroad, and a member of the Howard League Council.
New chair for City and Guilds Foundation
The City and Guilds of London Institute, now known as the City & Guilds Foundation, has announced the appointment of Jessica Leigh Jones as its chair.
Leigh Jones brings experience in skills development, having led organisations across both the private and public sectors.
She has also served as a non-executive director at the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education in England.
She currently chairs Wales’s largest awarding organisation, WJEC, and is co-founder and CEO of a business specialising in fintech, digital, and green skills.
New chair and trustee for Wildscreen
Wildlife film charity, Wildscreen, has appointed Stephen Pomeroy as chair, with Poppy Mason-Watts also joining the board as trustee.
Pomeroy is the founder of Cavendish Consulting. His production credits include an executive producer role at Floodlight, an Oscar and BAFTA-winning independent production company.
Mason-Watts is currently global director of impact and partnerships at Project Dandelion and runs her own consultancy working with founders to develop and embed growth and marketing functions at impact-led startups.
IEA appoints director general
The board of trustees of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has announced that Lord Daniel Hannan will become its director general from 1 June 2026.
Hannan is an historian, author, and former member of the European Parliament.
On taking up the role, Hannan will step down as the international secretary of the Conservative Party, a post he has held continuously under four party leaders and 12 party chairmen.
Black Funding Network appoints new directors
Black Funding Network (BFN) has announced the appointment of four new directors to its board.
The new directors – Ndidi Njoku, Juliet Alexander, Laverne Thomas, and Angela Aboagye – will join co-founders Erika Brodnock, Angela Ferreira and Patricia Hamzahee on the board.
Njoku is a finance and international development expert and chair of the African Foundation for Development.
Alexander is an award-winning media and communications specialist and longtime BFN event host.
Thomas is an operations leader with a background in music and creative industries.
Aboagye is a senior public health professional and systems innovation strategist.
ShelterBox announces director of people and culture
International disaster relief charity ShelterBox has welcomed Richard Nightingale as its new director of people and culture.
Nightingale previously worked in financial services and held HR director roles in Barclays, Kensington Mortgages, Investec and Sun Life of Canada.
“I am delighted to have joined an exceptionally talented and deeply committed team at ShelterBox to support the critical work being delivered around the world,” he said.
“I look forward to supporting colleagues, nurturing an environment where our people can thrive, and guiding teams through continued growth and change.”
Chief officer for children stepping down at Children in Need
Children in Need’s chief officer for children, Fozia Irfan, has announced on LinkedIn that she will be stepping down from her role after five years.
Irfan joined the organisation in 2020 as director of children and young people, before progressing to become director of impact and influence, and most recently, chief officer for children.
She said: “I leave proud of what the team has achieved, and grateful that I worked with incredible people at BBC Children in Need including a brilliant Impact leadership team, who have always genuinely put children and young people at the heart of what they do”, adding that she would be announcing her next career move shortly.
Fat Macy’s appoints managing director
Homelessness charity and social enterprise Fat Macy’s Foundation has appointed Ryan McKiernan as its permanent managing director after he served as interim managing director for a year.
McKiernan previously held roles at CCS Fundraising, St. Paul’s Cathedral, SCI and the House of St. Barnabas.
Chris Attoe, Fat Macy’s chair, said: “Ryan has already achieved a high level of impact since joining the charity and the trustees look forward to this next chapter.”
