Experience

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  St Christopher's

  • London, United Kingdom

  • Retail Support Manager

    • May 2014 - Aug 2015
    • London, United Kingdom

    Supporting the smooth running of the trading company for this hospice including cover in the shops and with responsibility for improving Gift Aid systems, uptake and training.

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  TAG Medical

  • South of England

  • Testing Engineer

    • Jan 2012 - Apr 2014
    • South of England

    Testing and maintenance of medical equipment in GP surgeries. And writing my novel.

• 

  Safer London Foundation

  • Office and Communications Manager

    • Oct 2006 - Jun 2011

    In my role at SLF I covered marketing and communications, finance, governance and compliance, ITC and general office management. This multi-disciplinary role made good use of my wide range of skills and definitely ensured variety!

• 

  Saint Christopher's Hospice

  • Charity Shop Manager

    • Aug 2005 - Sep 2006

    I was a volunteer in the fundraising department at the hospice when I was 'headhunted' by the person who ran the trading company to manage their wonderful shop in Hayes, Kent. It was 'just for a week or two' but turned out to be one of the busiest years of my life. I learnt a lot about managing and training volunteers and the respect due to women in later life - charity shops wouldn't exist without them.

• 

  Price Direct

  • Account / Operations Director

    • 1990 - 2004

    Started as a casual telemarketing agent (whilst still looking for work as an actor) and finished as Operations Director / Senior Account Director - with lots of interesting detours along the way: some award winning and successful direct marketing campaigns as designer / copywriter, website design and email marketing, a lot of work with databases, network and systems administration, setting up a 60 seat call centre, managing clients such as Company Barclaycard, SAP and UK Trade & Investment.I left to find work in the charity sector.

• 

  Cod Steaks

  • Designer / Maker

    • 1988 - 1990

    I began freelancing with Cod Steaks making costumes, then got involved in making all sorts of things for theatre, TV, animation and screen and print advertising. Highlights included making the mouths for Nick Parks (of Wallace & Gromit fame) to animate a singing lobster and being designer for the Playtent strand of the BBC under-fives show Playbus.

• 

  Public Parts Theatre Company

  • Actor

    • 1986 - 1988

    I helped PP along the path from student company to being a successful community touring theatre company in SW England. Much of the work was devised, my particular favourite was 'Picture This', about four 16 year olds and their hopes and fantasies whilst hanging out in a bus shelter. I also made costumes and sets.

• 

  Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company / Avon Community Theatre Agency / Hullabuloo Community Arts

  • Actor / Workshop Leader / Designer / Maker

    • 1983 - 1986

    During this time I performed in three tours for Oxfordshire Touring, worked on a number of large-scale outdoor community events with Hullabuloo and made costumes and more for roving community theatre creators ACTA.

• 

  Bush Telegraph Theatre Company

  • Actor / Workshop Leader / Maker

    • 1981 - 1983

    Bush Telegraph gave me my first job and my equity card, much of the work was devised in the Mike Leigh 'method' and toured schools, produced site-specific pieces, ran summer schools at Bristol University, took a production performed by teenagers around schools in Denmark, put thirty children on stage at the Bristol Old Vic and produced two outdoor community plays with 100+ participants.