Our work in 2024-25

In a world that often feels divided, providing young people with the space, skills, and confidence to lead with hope, empathy, and integrity has never been more vital.

At Cumberland Lodge, we believe the path to a more cohesive and compassionate society is forged by its future leaders. That’s why, in 2025, we announced our commitment to developing 5,000 emerging leaders by 2030 through our educational programmes.

This work is made possible thanks to our social enterprise operations as a historic venue for hire, alongside the proceeds from ticket sales for our outreach and cultural events, as well as our relaunched Friends of Cumberland Lodge membership scheme.

We’re building a community of supporters who share our dedication to creating more peaceful, just, and inclusive societies – one conversation at a time.

Our Programme

Our commitment to developing the next generation of leaders is brought to life through a range of impactful educational programmes. In 2024-25, we worked with 1,760 young people and early career professionals, empowering them to tackle complex issues, build unlikely friendships, and discover their own leadership potential. This included:

• directly engaging nearly 200 young people through our core programmes on Youth & Democracy and Intergenerational Dialogue, our Fellows programme and student conferences;
• reaching over 200 people through partnership events with organisations such as the Yad Fellowship, the Attorney General’s Office, and the John Smith Trust;
• delivering 42 Exploring Ethics sessions and How to Argue Better/Navigating Cultural Differences workshops to over 1,300 people.

Change in action: our Youth & Democracy Network

“I’ve been part of things in the past where it’s felt as if young people are just there to tick a box. The Youth & Democracy Network is made by young people, for young people, which I found really significant.”

April joined our Youth & Democracy Network seeking to make a real, lasting change. She found herself in a room with peers from across the UK, learning how to turn political disagreements into genuine discussions and move beyond echo chambers.

The experience empowered her to co-create “Education for Our Generation”, a campaign now taking shape in her local community.

For April, belonging at Cumberland Lodge means having a safe space where young people’s voices genuinely matter.

Developing future leaders: the Cumberland Lodge Fellowship

“One of the strengths of this programme is that you are in a space that is beyond your comfort zone. And seeing that there is so much more that unites people than divides people.”

Cee arrived at Cumberland Lodge wondering if he would fit in. Through the Cumberland Lodge Fellowship (2023-25), he found a community that not only welcomed him, but helped him redefine leadership itself.

Through deep conversations and thought-provoking events, he discovered that true leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about authenticity, service, and leveraging your unique strengths.

Today, that clarity is fuelling his ambition to launch a social enterprise tackling systemic housing challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.

Cee’s story is a powerful example of our mission: to empower young people from diverse backgrounds to become the thoughtful, hopeful leaders the world needs.

Strengthening social cohesion: interfaith dialogue

“We can have those very honest, open conversations here. And I think that those are incredibly important because they’re quite transformational for people.”

Julie Siddiqi MBE and Dr Lindsay Simmonds arrived at Cumberland Lodge as attendees at a leadership event. They’d never met before, but left as friends.

Meeting across differences, they discovered common ground. As a Muslim woman and a Jewish woman both committed to building bridges, their friendship has inspired collaborative interfaith work in the UK and internationally. Since then, as Islamophobia and antisemitism have risen sharply, their friendship has become something far greater: a symbol of hope.

Julie and Lindsay returned in December 2025 to share their story at the Student Christmas Conference. In an after-dinner fireside chat, they spoke to a new generation, a testament to what happens when Cumberland Lodge brings people together.

In 2026 we’ll be relaunching our Freedom of Religion or Belief programme to build on our interfaith work.

Working in partnership: the Attorney General’s Office

“Having a voice matters – standing up for what you believe can change a whole system.”

Through our partnership with the Attorney General’s Office, we’ve empowered more than 100 young people to engage directly with the Rule of Law. Together, we delivered two landmark workshops, bringing students from across the UK to reimagine Magna Carta and the future of human rights.

Harnessing the energy and ideas from these sessions, we co-created two free facilitation guides for educators: Reimagining Magna Carta for Today and A Human Rights Charter for the Future. These resources equip teachers and youth workers to help young people explore contemporary challenges – from digital rights to political literacy – and draft their own living documents for a new generation. The guides were promoted to more than 5,000 teachers around the country via the Association for Citizenship journal, Teaching Citizenship.

This partnership is a powerful example of how we work with government and policymakers to ensure young voices are not just heard but are central to shaping the laws that govern us all.

Watch some of the participants from the human rights event reflect upon their experience.

Hire Cumberland Lodge as a venue

We operate the Lodge as a social enterprise venue for hire. This is the engine that powers our charitable work. Each year, we welcome over 10,000 guests who, through their bookings, directly support our programme.

In 2024-25, this included 3,000 university students, over 1,000 charity professionals, and more than 2,200 individuals from the medical and legal sectors who chose the Lodge for their study retreats and professional training. We also hosted nearly 900 guests at special events, from weddings to Windsor Festival talks.

When you host your event with us, you’re not just securing a unique and inspiring space. You are actively investing in a more inclusive society. Hire us for your next event and support our mission.

Our community outreach events

This year, we opened our doors to nearly 1,400 people from our local community for a range of public events, from Christmas wreath-making to Ancient Tree walks. Over 500 people joined us for Cumberland Conversations with influential guests, including former Head of MI6 Sir Richard Moore and former Dragons’ Den star Sarah Willingham. Proceeds from ticket sales help to make our educational work possible.

Supporting our work

Our work has never been more important, and we are ambitious about growing our impact. But we can’t do it alone. You can help us strengthen social cohesion and develop the next generation of leaders in a number of ways.

You can download a PDF version of our Impact Report 2024-25 below.

Download our 2023-24 Impact Report here: