Staff Spotlight: Meet Katie!

Katie joined Villiers Park in November 2023 as our Fundraising and Communications Assistant. 

Outside of work, you can often find Katie participating in her local dart leagues! 

What does your role entail?

My role is split between Fundraising and Communications, allowing me to explore many areas of both departments.

Recently, in Fundraising I have been working on applications to trusts and foundations, sharing what we do in the hope of gaining additional support. Meanwhile, in Communications, I have been focusing on our social media platforms and admin processes.

What did you do before coming to Villiers Park?

Before this role, I was a Room Leader in a toddler room at a Montessori nursery.

I had previously studied Early Childhood Studies at the University of Suffolk for my undergraduate degree, then completed my Primary PGCE at Anglia Ruskin University, before heading into employment in the pre-school sector. 

What is your biggest project at the moment?

One of the biggest parts of my role is maintaining our CRM and database. We have some amazing supporters who make what we do possible - I have loved meeting some of them in the last year and it has been a great way for me to learn more about Fundraising.   

In comms, one of my biggest projects is planning and creating social media content. Sharing posts about our work are a great way to get our message out and to celebrate the achievements of the young people we work with. 

What is your favourite part about your job?

I love that my role allows me to have an insight in lots of areas. No two days are ever the same; one day I could be supporting the planning of an Employability Insight Day, while the next day I’m contacting colleagues to support the development of upcoming social media content.

I’m a big lover of lists, so having lots of jobs to work on allows for me to create visual lists too that support my productivity levels - I especially love a good Trello board to keep track of tasks. 

If you could travel to anywhere in the world where would you go?

I’m a huge fan of Disney and musicals!

So, my dream locations include Disneyland Paris or Walt Disney World Florida, as well as a trip to New York to experience Broadway. I’m not sure I would be able to limit the list of which musicals I’d like to see though! 

What is a book you always will always recommend?

I’ve recently fallen in love with Colleen Hoover as an author.

In particular, her book ‘It Ends With Us’. If you love a romance, this book will have you hooked (p.s. the recent film adaptation will also likely have you shedding a tear or two!)

Who are your 2 dream dinner party guests?

Meghan Trainor - one of my favourite female artists! I feel like she would have some great stories to tell, and she would bring some brilliant entertainment to the table!

David Tennant - arguably the best Doctor in the newer generations of Doctor Who! And again, the stories he would bring would be phenomenal, considering the number of shows and films he’s been in.   

What would your perfect weekend look like?

My perfect weekend would include a chilled day, maybe pottering around some of my favourite shops for a mooch. Then, a nice home-cooked meal, before going on an evening walk to catch the fresh air. I’d end the day getting cosy, watching a film - preferably a rom com!