September 3, 2025

Over the last few months Active Cumbria have been going through a restructure process, which has been officially launched Monday 1 September 2025.

As part of the process both Bruce Lawson, Senior Manager (Development), and Richard Metcalf (Development Officer) have taken the opportunity to retire. Both have worked tirelessly on behalf of Active Cumbria having been employed for 19 and 15 years respectively, and have left with our very best wishes and gratitude for many years of dedicated service.

The team will be now led by Richard Johnston, Senior Manager, supported by a new Leadership Team of four Managers, all recruited from within. These being Oliver Carswell, Development Manager (System), Cameron Wilson, Development Manager (Place), Michelle Young, Operations Manager, and Rebecca Shuttleworth, Development Manager (Travel Actively).

Richard Johnston, Senior Manager said: ‘I’m really excited to announce our new structure, which will enable us to be more responsive to the changing landscape we are working within, and help us to maximise all the opportunities that increased levels of physical activity can bring to our county.

"To have dedicated leadership in place across all our workstreams will help ensure we are providing the right services for our partners, and for our communities.

"It’s fantastic that we have been able to recruit to these new management roles from within, emphasising the talent we have within the team.

"The process has also supported others in the team to move roles, and enabled more members of the team to take on additional accountabilities.

"I’m looking forward to continuing the great work we have been doing for many years with existing and new partners across Cumbria."

Full details of the new structure can be found here