Changemakers UK

"1994: Changemakers is founded by Jim Cogan, Michael Norton and John Potter. Dave Turner, an expat Aussie, helps them to establish the first 6 pilot projects in schools.

"1995: Thanks largely to the fame of Michael's stripy socks, we secure our first major funding from a consortium of charitable trusts, including Tudor, Esmee Fairbairn and Wates.

"1996: We commission think tank Demos to explore the potential of active learning in the community as an important part of the educational process, and sow the seeds for the later development of citizenship education in schools.

"1997: Tony Blair finds time in his hectic first year as Prime Minister to introduce our suggestion of a national youth volunteering programme and creates Millennium Volunteers...

"2000: We launch our flagship youth leadership development programme. The Lloyds TSB Foundation is kind enough to put their hands in their pockets to back our idea. It's still going strong today.

"2001: A very clever man called Bernard Crick (sadly no longer with us) is commissioned by David Blunkett, the Education Secretary, to set up citizenship education in schools. We get to try it out in 22 schools in Cambridgeshire. Sir Bernard gets a knighthood. Meanwhile, Jane Buckley becomes our first Chief Executive...

"2004: The late great Anita Roddick helps us celebrate our 10th birthday. Adam Nichols succeeds Jane as Chief Executive...

"2005: Prime Minister Tony Blair ‘apologises' for nicking our name in his Labour Party conference speech and endorses our work in Prime Minister's Question Time. We launch the Big Boost with UnLtd, the Prince's Trust and the Scarman Trust which distributes over £8m to young social entrepreneurs over the next 3 years...

"2006: We work with the newly elected Conservative Party leader David Cameron to help him to develop some fresh ideas around youth policy which later become National Citizen Service. ...

"2010: Our staff team now numbers over 40 people, we break £3m annual turnover for the first time and our work reaches over 12,000 young people across the country. We launch a new lottery funded programme to establish young people as commissioners of public services.  We develop a highly successful new strand of work focusing on some of the most disadvantaged young people, particularly those not in education, employment and training and those who have come into contact with the criminal justice system.  We advise the new coalition government on various elements of its youth and ‘Big Society’ policy and Commons Speaker John Bercow hosts a high profile event in his state rooms, where there is an enormous bed.  Following a 12 month strategic review we rebrand and relaunch at a spectacular event at The Gherkin."


 * Adam Nichols - Chief Executive

Trustees
Accessed October 2012:


 * Chair - Arwyn Thomas
 * Madeleine Buchanan
 * Tish Clyde
 * Fiona Dawe
 * Andy Hamflett
 * Colin Jones
 * Clare Laxton
 * Rebecca Ledlie
 * Loic Menzies
 * Kevin Oakhill
 * Kate Wilson

Contact
Web: http://www.changemakers.org.uk