What we provide
Approved Premises
Progress to Change owns and runs two Approved Premises (probation hostels) in the Leeds area, Cardigan House and Ripon House.
Day to day running costs of the premises is contracturally funded by the Ministry of Justice. However the Trustees remain responsible for the buildings, as the owners. The Trustees also support both hostels in other ways.
Each hostel has its own Operational Manager and staff team, with general management being delegated by the Trustees. The hostels work in close partnership with the Ministry of Justice, National Probation Service and local Community Rehabilitation Companies. We are focused on Public Protection and the rehabilitation of offenders who come through our doors.
Grant Making body
Progress to Change also makes small grants to charitable organisations whose activities fall within the Objects stated in our Memorandum & Articles of Association.
These Objects are:
To maintain the premises known as Ripon House and Cardigan House as Approved Premises within the meaning of the Offender Management Act 2007, and
To support and further all or any charitable activities carried out in connection with the Church of England in the Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales, and in particular
> the promotion of temperance and of higher standards of moral life in the individual, the family and the community;
> the rehabilitation of offenders and particularly those addicted to drugs or alcohol or otherwise in need of help;
> the relief of distress or suffering arising from offending behaviour.
Please also refer to our grant making criteria for additional guidance.
I’ve enjoyed working at Progress to Change since 2011. As a CIMA qualified accountant, my role as Finance Manager includes ensuring that our funding and budgeting across both premises is managed effectively, to ensure we provide best use of all the resources available to us. I enjoy a varied role, working as part of the team in the office as well as interacting with numerous contractors, Trustees and colleagues. 
I joined Progress to Change in January 2016, initially serving as the Operational Manager at Cardigan House. In April 2022, I transitioned to Ripon House as the Operational Lead, before stepping into my current role as CEO in April 2024.
I joined Progress to Change as operations manager at Cardigan House in March 2022. Prior to joining Progress to Change I qualified as a Probation Officer in 2004, completing a BA degree in Probation Studies to do so. I worked for the Probation Service for 18 years in a variety of frontline settings and I had also previously worked at Cardigan House on a relief basis so I already had a good knowledge of the building and many of the processes.
Alastair joined the charity as a trustee in September 2017 and in September 2022 was elected as its chair.
Prior to joining Progress to Change, I worked across the voluntary sector, NHS and