Form the Future celebrates ten years of impact with Summer Garden Party and Awards

Form the Future gathered young people, volunteers, employers, educators and partners for its Summer Garden Party and Awards at Newnham College, University of Cambridge, on Tuesday 18 August. 

The event brought Form the Future’s tenth-anniversary celebrations to a close, recognising the people and organisations creating meaningful opportunities for young people across Cambridgeshire and beyond. 

A packed marquee heard speeches from Julie Spence OBE CStJ QPM, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, and leadership psychologist and executive therapist Mari Williams, The Mind Architect. Six awards were then presented to exceptional young people, volunteers, education providers, employers and partnerships. 

The afternoon also marked the launch of Form the Future’s Career Stories, which share honest accounts of the varied and often unexpected routes people have taken through education and employment. 

Form the Future CEO and co-founder Anne Bailey said: 

“What makes Form the Future special isn’t simply the programmes we deliver; it’s the community we’ve built. Over the past decade, we’ve brought together schools, employers, educators, young people and civic leaders around a shared belief: that every young person deserves the opportunity to discover their potential and play a part in our region’s future. 

Our Garden Party was a wonderful reminder of that. As we celebrated our award winners and launched our Career Stories series, we saw the strength of a movement built on generosity, collaboration and hope. Every employer who volunteers their time, every teacher who engages with us, every partner who invests in young people and every student who discovers a new ambition is helping to build something much bigger than a careers programme. 

Together, we’re creating the relationships, confidence and opportunities that connect young people with the industries shaping the future of our region. That’s how we build the local talent pipelines that power inclusive economic growth, and it’s something our whole community can be proud of.” 

Employers challenged to create opportunities 

Julie Spence used her speech to highlight the continuing importance of connecting young people with workplaces, particularly as artificial intelligence changes the nature of work and some of the tasks traditionally given to interns and those undertaking work experience. 

She described careers education as a “contact sport”, through which young people learn by meeting professionals, asking questions, seeing how organisations operate, trying new things and making mistakes. 

Julie also challenged employers to take greater responsibility for developing their future workforce. 

“If you cannot find the skills you need, you have two choices,” she said. “You complain about it, or you help create the skills that you need.” 

She encouraged every guest to approach one organisation outside Form the Future’s existing network and persuade it to offer a placement, open a door to a young person or begin a relationship with a school or college. 

The people who change our stories 

Mari Williams followed with a deeply personal account of growing up in Cambridge while experiencing childhood adversity, disrupted education and undiagnosed ADHD. 

Mari described how teachers, tutors, colleagues, friends and mentors recognised her potential at crucial points in her life. Their encouragement supported her as she retook qualifications, completed an access course and earned a university degree while raising a young family. She later established a successful career in coaching, therapy and mediation. 

Reflecting on the event, Mari said: 

“Form the Future is an inspiring organisation whose mission is rewriting the futures of the young people it works with. Its work resonates strongly with my own life journey, and I was incredibly proud to be invited to share it. 

It was humbling to speak to young people who saw parts of their own experiences in my story. Their powerful stories were full of triumph and grit. Thank you so much to Form the Future for all the work it does.” 

Form the Future Awards 2026 

The six award winners this year were: 

Young Person of the Year – Marley Sheridan 

Sponsored by The Cambridge Building Society, the award recognised Marley’s resilience and determination during Form the Future’s Trailblazer-funded Activate Your Future healthcare programme. 

Despite travelling for more than two hours from Wisbech to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Marley embraced every aspect of his two-week placement. His work with the Occupational Health team made such a strong impression that it prompted discussions about creating the department’s first nursing apprenticeship opportunity. 

Apprentice or Young Professional of the Year – Ayeisha Kone-Massouma, Bidwells 

Sponsored by First Intuition, Ayeisha was recognised for excelling as an apprentice project manager while also serving as a trustee of Cambridge Science Centre and a member of Form the Future’s Youth Advisory Group. 

She is a passionate advocate for apprenticeships and greater diversity in the built environment, regularly creating opportunities for other young people and early-career professionals to be heard. 

Ambassador Volunteer of the Year – Eloise Page, PA Consulting 

Sponsored by Turners (Soham) Ltd, the award celebrated Eloise’s commitment to helping young people discover careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

Her contribution has included leading Form the Future Project Days at PA Consulting’s Global Innovation and Technology Centre and supporting the organisation’s Springboard internship programme. 

Excellence in Employer Engagement – Long Road Sixth Form College 

Sponsored by ARU Degrees at Work, the award recognised Long Road Sixth Form College for embedding employer engagement throughout its students’ experience. 

The college’s programme includes careers fairs, workplace visits, practical challenges, mock interviews and apprenticeship events. More than 1,300 student interactions with employers took place at its annual careers fair alone. 

Partnership of the Year – Constructed Pathways 

Constructed Pathways was recognised for its six-week bricklaying Skills Bootcamp, delivered with GSQ Brickwork Limited and Site Ready Solutions, with support from Urban&Civic. 

All six learners who completed the first programme progressed to work experience, paid employment or interview opportunities. 

Innovative Programme of the Year – Illumina, for Form the Future Live! 

Created by Illumina in partnership with Form the Future, the programme brings genomics, science and careers directly into classrooms through live-streamed lessons, practical activities and conversations with Illumina scientists. 

The programme helps overcome geographical barriers by allowing more young people to experience the world of genomics and imagine themselves pursuing careers in STEM. 

Community Career Stories launched 

The event also launched Form the Future’s Career Stories, featuring the experiences of Julie Spence, Katy Davies, Stephen Blackmore, Fiona McGonigle, Anne Beamish, Lisa King, Neil Bharadwa, Gareth John and Niamh Matthews. 

Their stories demonstrate that careers rarely follow a perfectly planned route and that setbacks, changes of direction, relationships and unexpected opportunities can all help shape someone’s future. 

The Career Stories can be read at: https://formthefuture.org.uk/career-stories/