Last week, we said a heartfelt goodbye to Lesley, our Finance and Admin Administrator, who has dedicated a decade of service to The Activity Den. Over the past two weeks, Lesley has been training our new recruit, Joe, passing on years of invaluable knowledge and experience.
Lesley began her career at Stanley Youth Centre, providing both administrative and youth work support. During this time, she achieved her Level 3 Business Administration and Level 3 Customer Service qualifications. At The Activity Den, Lesley’s role encompassed financial management, payroll, and all things administration, ensuring the smooth running of the organisation and supporting all our projects.
Our former Chair, Sarah Grey, who served from 2007–2025, shared:
“Lesley joined The Activity Den in 2016 as our second-ever employee. Over the decade she has taken on a range of tasks, consistently delivering excellence to the role, the children, and young people’s projects. Her 'can-do' attitude and highly principled outlook have benefited both Stanley Youth Centre and The Activity Den. She will be greatly missed, as her warm nature has touched all who came into contact with her.”
Trustee Keiran Frame added:
“Lesley is one of a kind. You have the biggest heart in the world, and you simply will be irreplaceable. Your wit, charm, and slightly mad slant on life have been the beating heart of The Den. You leave a huge legacy, having dedicated one-tenth of a century to the organisation. You will be truly missed, and we will always remember the mark you have left on The Den family.”
Lesley herself shared her parting words:
“After a decade at The Den, the time has come for me to close my work diary for the final time and take a brief sabbatical from the rat race. I'm not entirely sure what the future holds, but for now, I'm embracing a little pause, taking a deep breath, and hitting the reset button. Thank you to everyone I've worked alongside over the past 10 years; if I've left even a small echo in your days, it's only because you've left a chorus in mine.”
While we celebrate Lesley’s incredible contribution, we also look forward to the future of The Activity Den, ensuring our work continues to support the children and young people of our local community.
Joe, our new Finance and Office Administrator, is excited to step into the role:
“Joining The Activity Den as Office & Finance Administrator has been a really positive experience. I’ve felt very welcomed by a supportive and committed team who genuinely care about the young people and the wider community they serve. I’m grateful to be stepping into the role after Lesley and building on the strong foundations she put in place. I’m proud to support the work of The Den by helping keep things running smoothly behind the scenes.”
We wish Lesley the very best in this exciting new chapter of her life and look forward to working with Joe in the months ahead.
The Activity Den Team
