YORK’S young professionals group Make-York has appointed a new board to take its mission forward after parent association York Professionals pledged further financial support.

Make-York was created out of York Professionals, which aims to increase awareness of the professional and financial services expertise in York, in December last year, to host a variety of free and paid-for events, which encourage young professionals to network and get involved in York’s business community, promoting York as a desirable city for young professionals to live and work.

The organisation has allocated a further sum to support Make-York while it finds other sources of funding through sponsorship.

Chris Chittock, founding director of Dragonfly Acoustics, has stepped down as chairman after leading its inception. He will continue to manage the organisation’s website.

He is succeeded by fellow founding member Lucy Robertson, a manager at the National Trust, who wants to continue to expand interest in Make-York from other professions in the city, particularly the arts, heritage and charity sectors.

Greg Kilvington, a solicitor at Harrowells, has become vice chair; Rebecca Green, marketing manager at Garbutt and Elliott, was elected head of events; Roger Thorpe, surveyor at Carter Jonas, has been made head of marketing, and Nicola Fielding, solicitor at Harrowells, becomes sponsorship and recruitment secretary.

Will Brennand, corporate finance manager at JWP Creers, and Sasha Sutherland, a senior accountant at Garbutt and Elliott, lead the finance team and Sarah Valentine, a solicitor at Langleys, was appointed secretary.