The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) which continues to expand its reach delivering the ‘Young People’s Gambling Harm Prevention Programme: Education, Training, Support’ has bolstered its resources with the appointment of two additions to its communications team.

James Matthewson joins YGAM after serving as spokesperson for the former Chairman of the Labour Party, Ian Lavery MP where he gained extensive experience handling national press and engaging with political stakeholders. James is also a freelance writer, having written for media including The Times, The Daily Mirror and Huff Post.

The education charity has also confirmed the appointment of Jo Burnham to support their marketing and external affairs. Jo joins from Music Theatre Wales and has over ten years of experience working as a journalist and PR professional. He has written for publications including Time Out and USA Today, and was previously part of the marketing teams for national arts organisations including Sadler’s Wells and the Brighton Festival.

Daniel Bliss, Director of External Affairs at YGAM said “I’m delighted to add James and Jo to my dynamic team. They are joining the charity at an extremely exciting time as we continue to increase our growth, reach and impact. We are making great progress and the more highly skilled professionals we can attract, the more progress we can make in working with the industry and stakeholders to prevent gambling-related harms.”