Charity chief steps down after 18 years of helping youth

A WOMAN from Nettlebed has stepped down after
18 years of running an activity centre that gives young people the chance to enjoy the great outdoors.

Amanda Foister, 59, helped set up the Longridge On The Thames charity which bought the outdoor adventure site, near Marlow and Bisham, from the Scout Association back in 2007.

She spent almost two decades as the chief executive of the Longridge Activity Centre, working towards the goal of making the venue a place for everyone in the community to enjoy.

The site, located near the banks of the River Thames, offers activities from kayaking to paddleboarding for up to 80,000 young people in the Henley area and across Berkshire and Buckinghamshire annually.

It has faced challenges over the years, including the growing impact of flooding at the site. Now, as the venue edges towards its 100th anniversary in 2027, Mrs Foister felt the time had come for a change.

She said: “Having done it for so long, I really felt that for Longridge, to be the best it can be it, needed fresh eyes and fresh energy to push it forward for the next 100 years.

“Longridge is vital. I know I’m passionate about it and have given it a lot of years but I would like to see more Longridges, not fewer.

“Now, it is even more important because there are fewer opportunities, particularly for young people, to get outside and enjoy nature.”

Mrs Foister received an OBE in the Queen’s New Years Honours List in 2017 in recognition of her services to young people at the centre, which is in Quarry Wood Road. But she said the activity centre’s success has been down to the hardworking teams running its countless activities and helping things operate smoothly behind the scenes.

She added that the role Longridge has played in helping youngsters improve their confidence and make positive changes to their lives is also something she will always treasure.

Mrs Foister said: “I’ve seen so many wonderful stories of young people who have managed to make quite significant changes in their lives as a result of Longridge.

“Sometimes those little tiny things of getting people to get out of their bedrooms, move away from their video games and be outside with people widens horizons. It’s just being in nature, being outside and being active.”

Mrs Foister, who is a member of Nettlebed Parish Council and a governor of the village community school, said there are now plans to improve the centre’s facilities for families to make the centre more appealing for those who want to take trips closer to home.

She said: “There’s so much potential there and so many fantastic plans. The team really wants to open Longridge up much more as a community resource and open it up to families.

“With less money around, people still want to have breaks but perhaps need things that are closer to home and more affordable. Longridge can provide that but it can only provide that with an investment in improving the accommodation, improving the toilets and that sort of thing.

“That will be their next fundraising push.”

To donate to Longridge, visit www.goodhub.com/go/
longridge-on-the-thames