Steve Morgan CBE – A thank-you

OnSide Founder Bill Holroyd has paid tribute to Steve Morgan CBE, who has stepped down from his role as chairman of The Way Youth Zone in Wolverhampton.

Everybody at OnSide would like to express their utmost gratitude to Steve Morgan; a man whose vision, dedication and passion for helping young people in Wolverhampton was pivotal in the opening and ongoing success of The Way Youth Zone.

Not only has Steve provided the leadership for the Wolverhampton Youth Zone project but the Morgan Foundation pledged the initial £1M capital donation that saw the project come to life. His unwavering drive to help Wolverhampton – a city so close to his heart – coupled with his determination to support young people, ensured the Midlands became home to its first OnSide Youth Zone.

Every single person in Wolverhampton would have said that we were mad to even attempt raising £6m capital plus the revenue to build a facility for (of all things) young people. Steve was the one person I could rely on to put aside all the negatives and persevere against all odds until he succeeded. He was ‘Spartacus’!

Since Steve’s initial involvement in 2012, The Way has been on a remarkable journey, opening its doors in January this year and recently passing the 4,000 member mark. While Steve is leaving the board he remains a close friend and supporter of The Way.

But my thanks mean nothing in comparison to generations of young Wolves who will benefit from Steve’s determination and foresight. They will thank him over and over again as their horizons are lifted and their outcomes improved,

His tireless work has enabled the Youth Zone project to grow enormously, so much so that it is in such a wonderful position and he is now ready to pass on the baton to another great local business leader in John Gough, the chairman of construction company William Gough & Sons, formed in 1900 in Wolverhampton. John’s relationship with The Way also dates back to 2012, and the Youth Zone remains in very capable hands indeed, ready for its continued journey supporting young people for generations to come.

We wish both Steve and John the very best for the future.

Steve Morgan said: “I’m proud to have helped bring this fantastic facility to Wolverhampton.  The Way is the culmination of a lot of hard work which began in 2012. At 11:30am on Saturday 16th January 2016, The Way opened its doors and became the first Youth Zone in the Midlands. The Way is an incredible asset, which is being used by thousands of young people from all over Wolverhampton and the surrounding areas.

I feel that I have achieved what I set out to do by giving young people access to some brilliant opportunities. With this in mind, I feel it’s time to hand the baton on to someone else to take The Way forward.

I’m delighted that John Gough will take on the role as Chairman and I know he’ll do a brilliant job.

Even though I’m stepping down as Chairman, The Morgan Foundation will continue to support some very exciting projects in the future that will really help the young people of Wolverhampton.

I really want to thank the Wolverhampton City Council, the Patrons and fellow funders for supporting me in creating this much needed facility for the area.”

John Gough said: “On behalf of the young people, all the staff and our Board, I want to thank Steve for all his hard work. Without him, The Way Youth Zone wouldn’t be helping over 4,000 young people from all over Wolverhampton.

I grew up in Wolverhampton and feel we really need to support our young people. We need to inspire and empower them to become the best they can be.

I’m committed to continue the great work The Way is doing.”