ELECTION OF NEW CHAIR OF RUTLAND FIRST

After 9 years as Chair of Rutland First, Miles Williamson-Noble has handed over to Sharon Milner.

Under Miles’ stewardship, Rutland First managed the very successful four-year Resilient Rutland programme improving the mental health and wellbeing of youngsters attending school in Rutland. More recently Rutland First has managed Uppingham Youth Space and Whissendine Youth Group providing free activities and challenges for any 11 to 16 year olds who wish to attend. None of these projects would have been possible without the support of sponsors ranging from national charities, such as the National Lottery and Children in Need, to local individuals; from agencies, such as the Police and Crime Commissioner, to the Lions and the Masons; and from town and village councils to Tesco and the Co-Op. On behalf of all the children who have benefited, Miles would like to thank these sponsors for their generosity.

On taking up the reins, Sharon said,

“My priority will be to build on the fantastic work that Miles has done over the course of nearly a decade. His hard work and dedication have been vital in establishing Rutland First as a valuable resource for the local community and making an impact on the lives of so many young people in Rutland. 

We want to ensure that the Youth Groups in both Uppingham and Whissendine can continue to provide a safe place for young people and offer an even broader range of different opportunities. We are fortunate to benefit from National Lottery and Children in Need funding as well as other local charities and donors, whose contribution is invaluable to Rutland First. We rely on their support, and I look forward to working with them to ensure we can make the biggest possible impact, as well as welcoming new partners who can help us to do even more for the young people of Rutland.

Of course, none of the work we do would be possible without the huge contributions of our volunteers and board members who give their time to provide the best possible opportunities for our young people. We’re always on the lookout for more people to bring their expertise and enthusiasm to the team, whether that’s by volunteering at our sessions or joining our board, and I hope we can welcome lots of new members to the team as we try to increase our impact.”to the team as we try to increase our impact.