YMCA Lincolnshire Appoints New Chief Executive Officer

YMCA Lincolnshire is delighted to announce the appointment of Chris Kirkwood as our new Chief Executive Officer. 

Chris brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of our organisation, having first joined YMCA Lincolnshire as Director of Community Development in December 2020 and more recently serving as Acting CEO since December 2024. During his time with us, he has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership, vision, and a strong commitment to our mission and values. 

Chris’s appointment follows a comprehensive recruitment process, and we are confident that his leadership will guide YMCA Lincolnshire into an exciting new chapter of growth, innovation, and continued service across all of our communities.  

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, staff, and volunteers, we congratulate Chris on his new role and look forward to the journey ahead under his guidance.  

Our Chair of the Board of Trustees, Kerrin Wilson QPM, who led the recruitment process, made this statement: 

“Following a wide search which saw over 30 applicants apply for the role of CEO with YMCA Lincolnshire, we led a rigorous selection process which involved all parts of the organisation to ensure we selected the very best candidate to take our charity forward into the next steps of our 150 year history. The interview panel were unanimous in recommending Chris to the wider Board as the preferred candidate. His values, ethics and leadership experience really shone through. His commitment to the YMCA, everything it stands for and desire to deliver excellence across all aspects of the charity put him head and shoulders above all other applicants.  

As we embark on the next exciting chapter for YMCA Lincolnshire I’m sure our communities and partners will all join us in congratulating Chris. As a Board we look forward to going from strength to strength under his leadership”.      

Chris says: “I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the Executive Leadership at YMCA Lincolnshire for the last four and a half years.  I’m now proud and honoured to have been appointed as the next Chief Executive. I look forward to working closely with our Board of Trustees, staff, volunteers and most importantly our beneficiaries, leading this wonderful charity through the next phase of its purpose to ensure that vulnerable people have opportunities to belong, contribute and thrive so that they feel safe, valued and fulfilled.”