Originally from Bradford, Ruth was a senior teacher in a South Manchester state school and then worked at a Manchester cultural centre. The RECLAIM Project was born out of frustration at seeing so many young people written off due to their postcodes or through low expectations of their outcomes.The project is now in its tenth year and numerous awards include Manchester Peace Activist of the Year 2008, Manchester City Council Women’s Award for Outstanding Contribution 2009 and National Business in the Communities Sieff award for best collaboration with business to benefit society 2011.Ruth was a member of the Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour and is now a Clore Social Fellow and an Ashoka UK Fellow. She was listed in The Sunday Times as one of the 500 most influential people in the UK and by Virgin and Ashoka as one of the top six female change makers internationally.