Harriette Rothwell

Charity events assistant

Name: Harriette Rothwell
Job: Events assistant
Area of work: Charity fundraising
Employer: Sense
Qualifications: BSc international management and modern languages (Spanish), University of Bath

8.30 am

I cycle to work, lock up my bike and have a shower before getting myself ready to start work at 9.00 am. I’ll first check my e-mails to see if anyone has been in touch overnight about the charity fundraising events we organise.

10.30 am

I call supporters running the London Marathon in aid of Sense to tell them how much sponsorship they need to raise and answer any questions they have. This is one of my main responsibilities, along with helping out with event planning and project management. Next, I organise the logistics of a new event we’ve been working on, including deciding on a date and a venue. I enjoy organising the events themselves, visiting sites and visualising how they will be set out.

I then book a meeting with the events team to discuss what I’ve arranged. We have lots of meetings because we need to work out the details of each event as well as how much it will cost and what we hope to raise. We also meet with outside bodies such as London Borough Councils to build support for our events. Good relationships are essential in this sector!

2.00 pm

After lunch in our ‘break out’ area and a quick stroll outside I organise web adverts promoting our events. We also need to keep supporters informed and involved so I send welcome packs and Gift Aid information. I’ll then make sure equipment is organised for the day of each event. I need to ensure that nothing is left to chance (for example, by organising first aid cover and making bad weather plans).

5.30 pm

I tidy up my desk before I leave – I can’t stand arriving in the morning to a messy desk! I have lots of friends at work so on Fridays we’ll go for a drink after work. I actually got my job through a contact I made while volunteering elsewhere – and that contact is now my boss. Sometimes it seems a small world but it’s also a rewarding one.