Wales Netball
October 14, 2021
Sarah Jones CEO Wales Netball is set to leave the National Governing Body in December to start a new role as the Country Director (Wales) for youth charity The Prince’s Trust.
The Prince’s Trust was founded in 1976 by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged young people in the UK. The charity gives young people aged 11-30 the skills and confidence they need to get their lives on track. Three in four young people helped by The Prince’s Trust move into work, training, or education. The charity has helped more than one million young people since its inception.
Of her time at Wales Netball, Sarah said, it’s been a tremendous journey of dynamic change over the last 6 years, with significant success that I am proud of; but most of all it has been a fantastic sport to have been involved in; it will always have a place in my heart. To leave the sports sector, it needed to be a very special organisation and one that I had a connection with. The Prince’s Trust is just that, and I’m really looking forward to joining the UK team and leading Wales.
Jones continued ‘As a former beneficiary of the Trust there really is no greater privilege than to be able to give back to an organisation that changed my life many years ago. To take on a leadership position and to be able to help others like myself really is an honour.’
During her tenure at Wales Netball Jones financially stabilised the organisation whilst growing its commercial revenue streams. This included securing the biggest commercial deal in the history of Wales Netball; and reducing reliance on public funding by 40%. The National Governing Body governance structures were modernised, membership grew by 45% and Wales returned to the world’s Top 10. Jones was also responsible for securing historic broadcasting deals with BBC, SKY and S4C; rebranding the National Governing Body and the Celtic Dragons Vitality Superleague team; and securing investment in to a dedicated new indoor facility in Cardiff, set to open in late 2022.
Jones commences her new role with The Prince’s Trust in late December.
