A farewell message from Susan Deighan
Dear colleagues
Wednesday this week marks my last day at Glasgow Life ahead of my retirement.
As I prepare to step away from my role, I do so with enormous gratitude and a strong sense of optimism and ambition for the future of our incredible charity. It has been a privilege to lead Glasgow Life, and I am deeply proud of what we have accomplished.
Today, Glasgow is globally recognised as a cultural and sporting powerhouse. And over the next decade, through the important city strategies we have created for libraries, tourism, culture, events, community learning, and physical activity and sport, Glasgow Life will continue to make a meaningful difference to the people of Glasgow and visitors to our city.
We are delivering innovative programmes tackling health inequality, social isolation and digital exclusion, and championing culture, active living and learning as pathways to wellbeing and opportunity. Initiatives like Live Well, Live Active, Coach Core, Digipals, Family Finances and Family Learning are just a few examples of how we are transforming people's lives and inspiring communities across Glasgow.
At the same time, attendances will remain a key measure of Glasgow Life's performance going forward, and I'm delighted to say we exceeded our 2024/25 target with nearly 15 million attendances across the venues, events, and festivals we are responsible for.
None of this would be possible without your passion, creativity, and resilience. So, thank you for bringing this to Glasgow Life every day and for making such a difference to our amazing city. Working alongside such a talented and dedicated team has made my job one of the most rewarding experiences in the world.
Looking ahead, Kay Morrison will be taking up the role of Chief Executive of Glasgow Life from Monday 7 July. With more than 20 years of leadership experience across Scotland's culture and leisure sector, Kay brings a strong network and a wealth of insight, energy, and commitment. She has developed impactful partnerships and is known as a passionate advocate for inclusion and community wellbeing.
Importantly, Kay understands the unique role Glasgow Life plays in the city, and I have every confidence she will build on our collective achievements and lead our charity into an exciting new chapter. I know you will all welcome Kay and take the time to help her get to know Glasgow Life and the fantastic work that goes on across our services and teams.
I believe Glasgow Life can look forward to a positive future full of promise, with new opportunities to reach more people, build stronger communities, and create lasting impact for Glasgow. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being part of this journey.
Susan
Susan Deighan
Chief Executive