17/07/2026
Today, OnSide, Future, Barking and Dagenham Youth Zone and our Network remember the brilliant Christopher Lane.
We were all devastated to learn of Chris’s untimely passing earlier this year. Today, as his friends and family come together to lay him to rest, we want to pay tribute to a man whose contribution to young lives is immeasurable.
Chris was a game changer as we developed our London Youth Zones, particularly in his hometown of Barking and Dagenham, where he went on to play a crucial role at Future Youth Zone.
Initially supporting the Young People’s Development Group (YPDG) for Future, Chris soon became a familiar face across our other London YPDGs in Barnet, Croydon, and Hammersmith & Fulham, as well as our Ambassadors for London and network-wide Gamechangers groups.
Whether it was attending regular meetings to help young people shape their Youth Zone by sharing their thoughts and opinions, or supporting countless events across the capital—from the House of Lords to pounding the streets during the Lord Mayor’s Show - Chris would do anything he could to ensure young people were given exceptional opportunities that opened doors and broadened horizons.
Chris was everything a youth worker should be: thoughtful, honest, empathetic, and a true champion for young people.
He went on to hold various roles at Future, starting as a volunteer before eventually leading the charity’s targeted youth work provision. Always supporting young people and helping youth work colleagues to develop and grow.
Chris also spent time at The Way Youth Zone in Wolverhampton, where he played a pivotal leadership role, helping to shape and strengthen the charity’s offer to the city’s young people. His influence was felt across the organisation, leaving a lasting impact on both colleagues and the countless young people who benefited from his dedication.
Young people loved Chris. His colleagues loved him. The community loved him.
Today, our thoughts are with Chris’s friends and family, and everyone at Future Youth Zone, where he was, quite simply, adored.
Thank you for everything, Chris. Your legacy lives on in the difference you made to so many young lives.
