Abi joined the hospice as maternity cover for Kirsty Simmons in October 2021. Community fundraising is all about working with individual supporters with their fundraising in the community efforts such as bucket collections, cake sales, fayres and community events.
- What is your role and what do you do?
My role is Community Fundraiser. My job is to support the community in all their fundraising ideas and effort – no matter how large or small, helping in any way I can to raise maximum funds for Weston Hospicecare.
- How does a typical working day look for you?My typical working day usually starts with many happy faces and friendly greetings – always a lovely start to the working day. Firstly, I ensure I respond to all fundraising queries and questions by email and phone, and then revise my ever-merging to do list. I can usually be found liaising with my small team and many volunteers; brainstorming ideas, collecting donations, organising events or recruiting help for our fundraising initiatives. We are currently working towards our Christmas Fayre at St. Pauls Church Hall, as well as our ‘Christmas Tree of Light’ fundraiser in the Sovereign Centre leading up to Christmas.
- What is the best part about your role? And why?The best part about my role is working within my local community – in the town I grew up in and love. No two days are the same and the work I do can vary a lot, but knowing that all work we do contributes to Weston Hospicecare, an amazing local cause, is really rewarding for me.
- Why do you enjoy working for the hospice? In a word: people! There’s nothing I enjoy more than getting to know new people and building lasting relationships. Not only do I get to work alongside and meet so many great people, I also assist them in their money-raising efforts to further support local people and the local community. We’re definitely the FUN in FUNdraising! ☺
- Where have you worked before?As my role is part time, I also currently work at the Pauline Quirk Academy, teaching Drama and Theatre to young people from age 4. I have worked in many roles previously, from English and Drama teacher at local secondary schools, to Reception Supervisor, to the Seafront and Events Team for North Somerset Council – I even worked as a Dismal Steward at Banksy’s ‘Dismaland’ in the Summer of 2015.
- Name a fun fact about you that colleagues may not know…I still love to perform and, after completing my Drama degree, I decided to get back into dancing! I now attend a ‘Sass Class’ once a week for fun and fitness at Inspire Theatre – we’re currently working towards our showcase performance at The Playhouse Theatre in April 2022.