1. Can you tell us a bit about your job and what you do?

I’m Head of Campaigning and Organising for The Wildlife Trusts. I plan and deliver national campaigns that help to create a wilder future for people and for wildlife. With my small team, I also work with Wildlife Trusts to run local campaigns and support communities of all kinds to help nature, themselves.

2. How did you get to where you are today?

I left my small Suffolk village to go to university aged 19 (taking a year out working in a bar to get some money behind me) where I took American Studies, Media and Sociology. I volunteered in my local Shelter charity shop at weekends. Once I finished my degree I was offered the Manger position at the shop, and when I moved to a different town in 1999 I carried on with charity shop management, this time for Age UK which also included managing over 20 volunteers. I saw a project advertised for the local Voluntary and Community Services designed to support long-term unemployed people into volunteering, in order to help them back into work and I moved into this – my role was to support local community groups and charities in having the right processes like safeguarding, and the right systems like recruitment in place.  Advocating around best practice meant I also became a voice for the sector, highlighting the benefits of volunteering and the charity sector, and pushing for more money and resources for voluntary and community groups with the council and wider, with the UK Government. My role evolved into helping charities to develop their capacity to delivery public services, like wellbeing or educational projects. But outside of work I was still involved in environmental causes, trying to stop the local incinerator expansion and promoting recycling locally, and set up an ‘eco action’ community group in my neighbourhood. When in 2005 a job as a Campaigner came up in a well-known woodland charity I started to be paid to campaign for the first time! In 2019 I moved to The Wildlife Trusts.

3. What advice would you give to aspiring conservationists?

Don’t underestimate the value of enthusiasm, and a will to learn! And, don’t assume you need to be an expert or know about conservation in depth, to make a difference in this area. I’m still the only person in my family to go to University, but my degree is not related to what I do today! Remember that many skills are transferable; charities like ours need great finance, project management, communications, HR experience as well ecologists, marine biologists and environmental scientists 😊