Godric Smith has been appointed Chair of Cambridge United Foundation...
He will succeed Graham Daniels who has been in the role for 12 years and overseen the significant growth and development of the Foundation over this period. Godric will take up the position on January 1 and both will remain as Directors on the main Cambridge United Board to ensure continuity and alignment across the Club and its community.
Paul Barry, Majority Owner of Cambridge United, said, "I would like to pay tribute to Graham for the incredible commitment and leadership he has given throughout his time as Chair of the Foundation. Whilst it has been a team effort by countless people to take the Foundation to where it is today, Graham has been the golden thread throughout.
"It is great that Godric has agreed to step into the role and to lead the next chapter in the Foundation’s development. He has a deep commitment to Cambridge United and to the City of Cambridge, and to using the power of football to improve lives and address social challenges.
"We are ambitious as a football club to do more on and off the pitch. These are exciting times for the City more widely, and we want Cambridge United and the work of the Foundation to be right at the heart of the positive conversations about its future."
Graham Daniels added, "It has been a genuine privilege to serve the Club and its community as Chair of the Foundation over the last decade.
"We help and engage with just under 13,000 a year, working with people from every part of the City and at every age group - young and old - and the positive impact of our work is widely felt and recognised. The Foundation has great staff and great volunteers and it is a really positive step that Godric is taking on the Chair role at this current stage in the Club’s development."
Godric Smith said, "As someone who was born and brought up in the City and is a lifelong Cambridge United fan, it is a genuine honour to take on this role now after the remarkable job that Graham has done over this last decade.
"As a Trustee of the Foundation and a Club Director, I know first hand the important and impactful work the Foundation carries out every day of the year across the City.
"We are ambitious to do more and the Foundation has a publicly stated aim to double its impact over the next three years. That means there will be exciting opportunities ahead for us to work alongside all parts of the community, existing and new - from education and business through to the civic and local community.
"It is all about partnership and how, by working together, we can use the unique power of football for social good in our City and community."
Godric started his career in mental health campaigning in the 1980s and recently chaired the Heads Up mental health campaign in football on behalf of HRH the Prince of Wales.
He worked for a decade in Downing Street, including four years as Sir Tony Blair’s Official Spokesman and was then Director of Communications for London 2012.
He currently runs his own consultancy business. He was awarded a CBE in 2004.