New Redthread chief targets period of stability and consolidation

Lucie Russell, who has more than 30 years' experience in senior roles in the charity sector, was appointed in November 2023, for an initial period of 18 months, after previous chief executive Geethika Jayatilaka left the role after less than six months. The organisation says this was to “explore new futures”.

• Related news: Street Doctors and Redthread partner on youth violence film

• Analysis: Tackling rising youth violence threat

Russell is Redthread’s third chief executive in a little over a year – Jayatilaka replaced previous interim Tracey Burley last summer following the departure of founding boss John Poyton in mid-2022 – and said overseeing a period of stability at the charity will be her key aim.

“Changes of leadership at the top do make people feel unstable,” she told CYP Now. “We’ve had meetings with staff and what is crucial going forward is to ensure the stability of Redthread.

“Having stable leadership at the top, that the organisation feels 'held', upholding [its] reputation and continuing to prove our impact – it’s a case of ensuring that happens.”

To help deliver this, Redthread this week announced the appointment of Garnet Johnson as director of services. Johnson previously served as director of operations at London Youth Charity XLP and has held senior leadership roles at YMCA, Groundwork and Refocus Project.

The charity is also hoping to announce the appointment of a new chief operating officer imminently.

Russell, who joined from Street Doctors where she’d been chief executive for more than four years, said the charity would focus on consolidation this year after recent rapid growth – it now delivers youth work interventions with young people affected by violence in 13 hospitals in London, the Midlands and Nottinghamshire and has recently expanded into supporting young people with a range of physical and mental health conditions.  

“We’ve also really grown our young women’s services in several London hospitals, and we’ve done some really good work around social prescribing,” she added.

“The focus going forward – and we are creating a new business plan which will run until the end of the current strategic plan in 2026 – will look at consolidation. I don’t think more rapid growth at this point is right for the organisation. We need to make sure the infrastructure can support the provision effectively.”

To read the full interview see the January edition of CYP Now.