Our Story and why we exist!
Ricky Gleeson
Our Chair of Trustees is Ricky Gleeson, an ex-offender with a string of offences and negative behaviours who turned himself around and changed his approach to life. Having served in the navy and worked in a number of short-term jobs, spending some time on benefits and with previous short term mental health challenges, Ricky set up the charity to help change other young lives.
He also recognised the lack of provision and facilities for young people too and really wanted to do something about that.
So in May 2024, we set up Hoodex Charity and are applying for registered charitable status, which we expect to have early in 2025.
It’s very much Ricky’s vision and passion to turn round young lives that has driven the ambition and development of the charity. We are now building a great team to take that vision forward and make a real difference.
We are new, but we are ambitious to be a force for change and positive development in Tyneside and beyond, bringing people together to make good things happen.
An important support for what we do is to run a charity sports shop, Hoodex, in North Shields, which earns money to support the services we provide but also provides training and support for young volunteers to acquire vocational skills
