July 1, 2025
Everyone at Youth Fed is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Stuart Barnes, a true friend of our charity, the first CEO of The Hive Youth Zone, and a tireless advocate for young people.
Stuart was a remarkable leader whose vision helped shape not only The Hive, but also the wider youth sector across our region. From the very beginning, he championed collaboration and partnership and we were proud to work closely with him and The Hive on our mentoring programme Talent Match, youth work initiatives, and in raising the profile of both our charities. Stuart believed in the power of connection, and through that belief, we reached more young people and created more opportunities than would ever have been possible alone.
His passion, authenticity, and unwavering belief in the potential of every young person left a lasting impression on all who worked with him. Stuart laid the foundations of a space where young people feel seen, supported, and inspired and his legacy lives on in every mentoring match made, every youth worker trained, and every life changed.
Our thoughts are with Stuart’s family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working with him. He will be profoundly missed by us all, but the light he brought to this work continues to shine.