inHope: Public announcement of the departure of CEO

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. Jonathan leaves with our blessing but we are also confident that God will be our provider in bringing into role a new CEO for inHope.

The Board of inHope recognise that this change presents a challenge to the charity. 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 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.  He worked with inHope earlier this year and has current knowledge of the organisation and our staff. He will work collaboratively with them to prepare the charity for the new CEO.

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.

Lindsay Smith – Chair of Trustees

A message from Jonathan Lee as he announces his departure from inHope.

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. It’s a relocation which will also take my wife and me nearer to our daughter, her family and our son.

Jonathan Lee – Chief Executive Officer