Lee Willows, the Founder and Chief Executive of the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), will leave the organisation at the end of October 2021.
Willows has led the charity since its inception in 2014, when he founded the trust alongside Anne and Keith Evans, with all three having experienced gambling-related harms.
During his seven-year tenure, Willows has overseen considerable growth, with the charity establishing itself as a leader in the gambling harm prevention space.
“It has been a privilege to lead this amazing charity for seven incredible years,” said Willows. “In 2014, I was determined to use my experiences of gambling harm to create a positive force for good and focus our efforts on evidence-led education and prevention.
“We have since developed a portfolio of award-winning programmes that are now helping to safeguard young people in every region of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.”
Willows believes that, as YGAM is entering its third strategic cycle, now is a good time for him to step aside, thanking his co-founders and expressing his utmost support for the organisation’s future plans.
“With the endless support and dedication of my co-founders Anne and Keith Evans, I have been on an extraordinary personal journey, and I feel extremely proud of what we and the staff team have achieved together.
“This is a special charity and one that has exciting plans for the future. I will always passionately support the exceptional staff team and I look forward to seeing what they can achieve next.”
Head of Finance Helen Martin has been appointed COO and will take on additional responsibilities until a new Chief Executive has been hired, with the charity’s independent Board of Trustees to announce further details on the recruitment process in due course.