What is your role at Launchpad and when did you join?
I joined Launchpad in March 2026 and I work as the Community fundraiser in the Fundraising and Marketing team.
Tell us about your working day
My working day as a Community Fundraiser is never really the same! It involves a mixture of organising events, supporting our amazing fundraisers and building relationships with local schools, community groups, businesses and individual supporters. I help coordinate Launchpad’s fundraising events, attend community events and give talks to raise awareness of homelessness and the work we do, while also looking after donations, supporter communications and our fundraising database behind the scenes. Ultimately, my role is about bringing in vital fundraising income while building strong relationships with our supporters and making sure they feel connected to the difference they are helping Launchpad make!
What do you like about your job?
I really enjoy being able to see first-hand the difference Launchpad makes to people in the Reading community. Being from Reading myself, it’s really rewarding to work for a charity that supports people in a place that I know and care about. I particularly enjoy going out to community events and speaking to people about Launchpad, as it’s a great opportunity to educate people about what we do and the support we provide. I also love seeing how generous the local community is, and knowing that the fundraising we organise and the relationships we build can directly help people experiencing homelessness makes the job really worthwhile.
There must be a few boring or challenging aspects?
Like any job, there are definitely a few less exciting bits! The admin side of things can sometimes be repetitive, especially keeping everything organised and up to date. Fundraising can also be challenging at times, particularly when you’re trying to get people engaged, encourage new supporters or find different ways to raise money. You can put a lot of time into an event or campaign and it doesn’t always get the response you hoped for, but that’s also part of the challenge and keeps you thinking of new ideas and different ways to connect with people.
What is your career background?
My career background has mainly been in retail and other customer-facing roles, where I developed a strong interest in working with people and building relationships. These roles gave me lots of experience in communication, customer service and working as part of a team, which have all been really useful in my fundraising role. I’ve enjoyed being able to take those skills into the charity sector and use them in a different way.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Outside of work, I’m really into powerlifting and spending time at the gym, which takes up a fair amount of my spare time! I also have a big love for music and really enjoy going to festivals and live music events with my friends, whether that’s seeing one of my favourite artists or discovering someone new. I also really enjoy cooking and, probably more importantly, eating good food, so when I’m not in the gym or listening to music, you’ll probably find me in my kitchen or out enjoying food with friends.