Celebrating 25 Years of Transformational Leadership:
On a sunny evening filled with warmth, reflection, and celebration, Columba 1400 marked a major milestone – 25 years of transformational work alongside young people and the key adults in their lives – at a special gathering hosted by our Patron, HRH The Princess Royal at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
Supporters and graduates came together to honour the journey of Columba 1400, a charity and social enterprise founded on the belief that every young person already holds the potential within them to lead lives of purpose, meaning, and contribution.
From humble beginnings to a national movement rooted in values-based leadership, the evening captured not only the past but also the future of Columba 1400’s mission – through the voices of those who have lived it.
A Journey Built on Values
Guests arrived to the sound of piper – Kaitlyn – one of our Young People’s Leadership Academy graduates from Johnston High School, accompanied by Arran on the snare drum.
Norman Drummond, our Founder, began the evening by welcoming guests, and thanking HRH The Princess Royal for believing in Columba 1400 from the start. He then described the Columba 1400 Community as being “once a Columban, always a Columban” and offered the now traditional Columban Grace:
“Never above you, Never below you, Always beside you”
Marie Clare Tully, our Chief Executive, opened the evening by reflecting on the founding principles that have shaped Columba 1400’s path: the warmth of welcome, the warmth of hospitality, and the warmth of being on a shared journey.
She reminded guests that Columba 1400 is not a course, it is more than a programme – it is an experience. “It’s not about us,” she said. “It’s about them.” The “them” she referred to are the thousands of young people and the key adults in their lives who have been part of the Columban journey, many from communities facing the toughest realities in Scotland and beyond.
With values-based leadership academies and experiences now running across the country, Columba 1400 continues to deliver its impact in deep partnership with communities, including through the Family Wellbeing Partnership in Clackmannanshire, where every voice is heard, and trust and hope are the currency of change.
Columban Journeys: In Their Own Words
Two extraordinary young women – Jess Chappelle and Kodie Stewart – shared their personal Columban journeys, illustrating the real and lasting impact of Columba 1400.
Jess, a Young Person Consultant to the Columba 1400 Board, spoke of her first encounter with Columba 1400 as a quiet, uncertain teenager. “Columba 1400 didn’t ask me to become someone else,” she said. “It helped me realise I already had the strength within me.”
Over the years, her journey came full circle: mentoring others, studying psychology, launching a women’s empowerment group, and seeing her own sister benefit from a Columba 1400 Young People’s Leadership Academy nearly a decade after she did.
Kodie’s story began with reluctance. Having just lost her grandmother, she initially declined the opportunity to take part in a Columba 1400 Young People’s Leadership Academy – until a persistent headteacher, a Columban graduate himself, encouraged her to apply. What followed was a transformation. “Columba 1400 helped me define who I am,” Kodie shared. “It gave me the confidence to live my values every day.”
Since her Leadership Academy, Kodie has led school clubs, worked on period dignity initiatives, engaged with civic leaders including Glasgow’s Lord Provost, and was awarded Glasgow’s Community Champion Award. “None of it would have happened without Columba 1400,” she said. “They were there for me during the hardest times, reminding me of who I am.”
Colin Bruce, Columba 1400 Head Teachers’ Leadership Academy Graduate, Former Head Teacher of Alloa Academy and now Chief Education Officer in Clackmannanshire, illustrated not only his personal journey as a Columban but also evidenced the joined-up thinking and collaboration throughout Clackmannanshire which has been made possible by Columba 1400’s values-based leadership approach.
“Columba 1400 didn’t just inspire me to lead differently – it transformed how I viewed leadership altogether. It challenged me to move beyond traditional models of raising attainment and instead embrace the full richness of the community I served. As a Headteacher, and now as Chief Education Officer, I’ve learned that sustainable change happens when we consider the needs of whole families. The values-based leadership approach I developed through Columba 1400 has shaped my personal journey and ignited a wider cultural shift within Clackmannanshire Council and across the county. It has helped us unlock the strengths of our diverse communities – re-engaging children and families, welcoming those new to the area, and creating opportunities for them to lead, contribute and thrive. This work, grounded in collaboration across sectors, continues to be held together by Columba’s relentless support, which has become the glue binding together council services, the third sector, political leaders, and families in a shared mission for the common good.”
Looking Ahead
The evening concluded with a moving address from our Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, acknowledging Columba 1400’s significant impact and the courage of the young people we are alongside.
She shared how our founding principles of warmth of welcome, warmth of hospitality and the warmth of being on a shared journey, alongside our Columban values gives each and every person respect and it is because of this ‘unique emphasis on respect’, our Columban Graduates go on to make such a difference not only in their own lives but also in the lives of others.
Her longstanding Patronage is a testament to the belief that leadership, at its heart, is about service – and that by investing in young people, we shape a better future for all.
As Columba 1400 looks ahead to the next 25 years, the message is clear: in a world facing unprecedented challenges, values-based leadership is not a luxury – it’s a necessity.
To quote Columba 1400’s co-founder, Norman Drummond:
“When good people come together, great things can and do happen.”
