Spirit of 2012 is delighted to announce that Ruth Hollis was awarded an OBE in recognition of her role as Spirit’s Chief Executive and her services to sport, to the arts and volunteering.
Since Spirit of 2012 was established in her role as Director of Policy and Research and as Chief Executive from August 2019, Ruth has worked tirelessly to deliver our mission to unlock a future where volunteering, arts and physical activity are pathways to wellbeing.
As Spirit enters its final year of operations before planned closure in January 2026, we are thrilled at this recognition not just for her, but for all of Spirit’s employees, grantees and partners, and the work they have put in to fund, gather learning and help create happier, thriving and more connected communities.
Ruth said:
Whilst I am personally deeply honoured, it really is a fantastic recognition for everyone at Spirit and all the partners we have had the privilege of working with over the years. I am very proud to have led a team and worked with so many utterly brilliant people that work so hard to enable people to get active, be creative and volunteer, and do it in a way that is inclusive and grounded in learning what works about leaving legacies from events of all sizes and scales. It genuinely is the best job in the world, and a great way to enter our last year!