Form the Future brought together young people, volunteers, employers, educators and partners for its Summer Garden Party and Awards at Newnham College, University of Cambridge, on Tuesday 18 August.
Held in the college gardens, the event marked the conclusion of Form the Future’s tenth-anniversary celebrations. A packed marquee heard powerful speeches from Julie Spence OBE CStJ QPM, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, and Mari Williams, The Mind Architect, before six awards were presented to people and organisations creating meaningful opportunities for young people.
The afternoon also marked the launch of Form the Future’s new Career Stories series, sharing honest accounts of the varied and often unexpected routes people have taken through education and employment.
Welcoming guests, Form the Future CEO and Co-Founder Anne Bailey said:
“Everything we do at Form the Future, we do with our community. The way you step forward, and the way we collectively form the futures of young people, is all about all of us.”
Julie Spence opened the event by reflecting on 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 argued that careers education remained 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 everyone attending to approach one organisation outside Form the Future’s existing network and ask what it was doing to provide work experience, collaborate with schools and colleges, and build the workforce it would need in five or ten years.
“Ask them to take one young person, offer one placement, open one door or start one relationship with a school or college,” she said.
Julie also highlighted the additional barriers faced by young people growing up without established professional networks or working role models. Mentoring, encouragement and a simple expression of belief could make an enormous difference.
“The most important thing you can say to a young person may be: ‘You could do that.’”
Mari Williams then shared a moving and deeply personal account of growing up in Cambridge while experiencing childhood adversity, disrupted education and undiagnosed ADHD.
After missing much of her primary and secondary education, Mari began to believe that she was not academically capable. However, a succession of teachers, tutors, colleagues, friends and mentors recognised her ability and helped her see a different future.
Their encouragement supported Mari as she retook qualifications, completed an access course and earned a university degree while raising a young family. She later moved from teaching and family support into coaching, therapy and mediation, eventually establishing her own successful business.
Mari described each person who had offered encouragement or advocated for her as someone who had helped change her story.
“I am only here because of the guidance, career support, care and mentoring I was given,” she said. “Most of it was offered unofficially by really good people who were busy and tired, but took the time to change my story.”
Her speech captured the purpose at the heart of Form the Future’s work: ensuring that support for young people is deliberate and accessible rather than dependent on whether they happen to encounter the right person.
Celebrating the 2026 award winners
Following the speeches, six awards recognised exceptional young people, volunteers, education providers, employers and partnerships.
Young Person of the Year: Marley Sheridan
Sponsored by The Cambridge Building Society, the Young Person of the Year Award was presented by Lucille Froggett.
Marley Sheridan was recognised for the resilience, determination and commitment he demonstrated through Form the Future’s Trailblazer-funded Activate Your Future healthcare programme.
Despite facing a journey of more than two hours from Wisbech to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Marley fully embraced his two-week placement. He gained experience in Occupational Health and Biochemistry, impressing colleagues with his enthusiasm, professionalism and curiosity.
His contribution prompted the Occupational Health team to discuss creating its first nursing apprenticeship opportunity. The experience also renewed Marley’s confidence in his ambition to work in healthcare.
As Marley had recently moved to Devon and could not attend, Form the Future’s Oli Sheffield collected the award and read a message on his behalf.
“The programme showed me the next steps I needed to take towards my dream of becoming a nurse, but it also reminded me of something else: that I’m capable and that I’m enough,” Marley said.
Apprentice or Young Professional of the Year: Ayeisha Kone-Massouma
Sponsored by First Intuition and presented by Gareth John, this award recognised Ayeisha Kone-Massouma, an apprentice project manager at Bidwells.
Alongside excelling in her apprenticeship, Ayeisha is a trustee of Cambridge Science Centre, a member of Form the Future’s Youth Advisory Group and a committed advocate for apprenticeships and greater diversity in the built environment.
She has returned to her former school to share her apprenticeship journey and regularly creates opportunities for other young people and early-career professionals to have their voices heard.
Ambassador Volunteer of the Year: Eloise Page
Sponsored by Turners (Soham) Ltd and presented by Stephen Blackmore, the Ambassador Volunteer of the Year Award went to Eloise Page of PA Consulting.
Eloise has contributed her time, expertise and enthusiasm to experiences that help young people discover the breadth of careers available in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Her work has included leading Form the Future Project Days at PA Consulting’s Global Innovation and Technology Centre, where students explore real-world challenges and meet professionals. She has also supported PA Consulting’s Springboard internship programme and its work to improve access to opportunities.
Excellence in Employer Engagement: Long Road Sixth Form College
Sponsored by ARU Degrees at Work and presented by Marc Rothera, this award was collected by Tariq Sadiq and Emma Greenhill on behalf of Long Road Sixth Form College.
The college was recognised for making employer engagement an established part of its students’ experience. Its programme includes careers fairs, workplace visits, practical engineering and marketing challenges, mock interviews and apprenticeship events.
More than 1,300 student interactions with employers took place at its annual careers fair alone.
Long Road’s partnerships also help students explore a diverse range of sectors, challenge career stereotypes and see themselves in industries where they may previously have felt underrepresented.
Partnership of the Year: Constructed Pathways
Daniel Edwards, Director and Co-Founder of Constructed Pathways, collected the Partnership of the Year Award.
Constructed Pathways was recognised for its six-week bricklaying Skills Bootcamp, delivered with GSQ and Site Ready Solutions and supported by Urban&Civic.
The programme combines practical training, industry qualifications and direct routes into employment. All six learners who completed its first bootcamp progressed to work experience, paid employment or interview opportunities.
By connecting training directly with employers and genuine vacancies, the partnership demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations work together around a shared goal.
Innovative Programme of the Year: Illumina
Illumina received the Innovative Programme of the Year Award for Form the Future Live!, with Jo Lee collecting the award on the company’s behalf.
Created 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.
Students learn about the science while meeting the people behind it, hearing about their career journeys and beginning to imagine themselves working in STEM.
By removing the need to travel to a research campus, Form the Future Live! can reach schools and young people who might otherwise have limited exposure to the sector.
Introducing Career Stories
The event also launched Form the Future’s new Career Stories series.
The project shares honest accounts of people’s experiences of education and employment, including the setbacks, changes of direction, relationships and unexpected opportunities that have shaped their working lives.
The first nine stories feature Julie Spence, Katy Davies, Stephen Blackmore, Fiona McGonigle, Anne Beamish, Lisa King, Neil Bharadwa, Gareth John and Niamh Matthews.
Together, their experiences show us all that careers rarely follow a perfectly planned or predictable route.
Looking towards the next decade
The Summer Garden Party brought Form the Future’s tenth-anniversary celebrations to a fitting close: recognising the people who have already made a difference while looking ahead to the opportunities still to be created.
The event was sponsored by The Cambridge Building Society, First Intuition, ARU Degrees at Work and Turners (Soham) Ltd.
Form the Future would also like to thank Newnham College, the speakers, award winners, sponsors and everyone who joined the celebration.
As Julie Spence reminded guests during her speech:
“The future doesn’t just happen. We form it.”
