inHope Public Announcement: Departure of CEO and Head of Finance and Operations
To all members, volunteers, supporters and interested parties.
Over the last ten years, inHope has benefitted from the excellent leadership of Jonathan Lee as our Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Jonathan has led inHope through many changes and the organisation has matured and grown in his care, always with the needs of the clients we serve at the centre of our plans. Jonathan has now secured a new job with another charity, and will be leaving inHope in September 2025. Although we are very sorry that we will be losing him from our team, we are confident that it is the right time for him and his family, and we are confident that God will be our provider in bringing into role a new CEO for inHope. You can read Jonathan’s own comments on the situation in his message at the end of this announcement.
In addition to Jonathan’s impending departure, our Head of Finance & Operations, Ruth Nott, will also be leaving inHope in September when she relocates to Liverpool as a result of an unrelated decision. Ruth has been outstanding in her management of the finances and her dedication to the work of inHope. She will be sorely missed by the Board and the staff, but we trust that her relocation will be beneficial for her and her family, and for the next organisation that she chooses to serve with her many skills.
The Board of inHope recognise that these changes present fresh challenges within the charity which is already adjusting positively to the reorganisation that took place earlier this year. As a result, our focus for the near future is to support our senior leadership team in their new ways of working while we recruit to the vacant roles.
With that in mind, we have taken specific action to achieve our aim and have appointed Mr Nick Fletcher on a part-time, interim basis to work with our senior leaders during the interregnum. Nick has expertise in the implementation of change within large organisations in the commercial world and the charity sector, and was working with inHope earlier this year. He has current knowledge of the organisation and our staff, and will work collaboratively with them to prepare the charity for the new CEO. We have also begun the process of recruitment for the Head of Finance & Operations role and are exploring ways to support the charity through the intervening period.
We thank you for your continued interest in inHope and the services that we offer. We will endeavour to keep you informed of updates, and for those that pray for us, we would ask that you particularly remember us at this time.
As stated above, both of the senior staff leave with our blessing; we remain convinced that we will be provided with those who share the vision of our work. You may be interested to read the following statement prepared by Jonathan Lee, our outgoing CEO:
"The time has come for the me to move me on from inHope! The charity is utterly different to the one that I joined back in January 2015, yet the same heart, passion and purposes prevail. I feel that I have done more-or-less all that has been asked of me as Chief Executive and it’s time for someone else to come in and lead inHope into its next season. The charity has completely changed its identity, moving from Crisis Centre Ministries to inHope with associated rebranding, having a refreshed vision and strategic intent, greater clarity on the outcomes pursued for our service users / clients, and more robust infrastructure in governance, leadership, finance, HR, volunteering and fundraising. All of this is testament to the staff team and the support of the Board. I have truly loved serving God through inHope.
Above all I will miss the relationships with staff and Trustees. InHope has a fantastic staff, as it has over the years that I’ve been here. The same can be said about the Trustees present and past; their support, encouragement and trust in me has been brilliant. The charity is in good hands, safe hands and led by God. My prayer is for continued passion and drive in serving the least and the lost in Bristol, and for God to already be speaking to the next CEO for inHope.
I’d like to express my gratitude to all those that have and continue to support inHope through volunteering, being a member, praying, giving financially, and participating in so many ways as individuals, churches, businesses and sector partners. InHope is and will, I trust, remain a significant part of how the church across Bristol and beyond, serves the needs of the city.
As for me, I am joining Upbeat Communities as their next CEO, a charity with social enterprise that works with refugees and asylum seekers across the East Midlands, based in Derby. For me and my wife, Helen, it’s a relocation which will also take us nearer to our daughter, her family and our son."
Posted: July 2025