Overall leaders

Meet the overall leaders who lead the team of volunteers on the holiday. The volunteers come from all walks of life and most of them have been involved with the holiday as young people or leaders for many years.

Chris Ward

Chris runs a small IT firm in Hampshire. He is a volunteer youth leader in his local church, and started going on this youth holiday when he was 14 years old. Occasionally you'll find him on a Cumbrian fell...running.

Becky Ward

Becky volunteers in the youth work at her local church and has worked with young people for over 30 years. She now works on a homeless project in Southampton. She loves coffee and cycling.

Rachel Beaton

Rachel works for an international energy company. She first came on this youth holiday as a young person a few years ago(!) and is involved in youthwork and music in her local church.

Matthew Clucas

Matthew is the youth pastor at Above Bar Church, Southampton. He is the baby of the team and has only been coming on youth holidays for 29 years (to be fair he was less than a year old on his first one so he isn't that old).

Ruth Hassall

Ruth works as a leadership coach and trainer, alongside being on the staff team at St Thomas’ Church in Lancaster, and is the holiday administrator for West Hill Park Youth Holiday. She has been involved in youth ministry and youth holidays for over 30 years and particularly champions mentoring for young people.