Hello!
I’m Danielle and I joined LD:NorthEast back in June 2022. I am not new to the organisation though, I used to work here as a Development Assistant back in 2014 – 2016. The charity has always been special in my heart, I have a little sister with a learning disability and my mam was helped by us back when it was called LDF.
I have a university degree in the management of charities, so when I graduated and moved back home in 2014 I was looking to start working for a local organisation. I started working just on a Saturday as a support worker. Quickly my week was filled up with a mix of one to one sessions, groups and helping around the office. I was really keen to learn about different parts of the organisation so got involved with the projects, funding opportunities and the promotion of the work we were doing. I learned so much during those two years and loved every minute of it. I moved on and went to build wider experience in other North East charities. At the time Jacqui (our now CEO) told me ‘the world is your oyster’ and joked that I’d be back one day as Development Manager.
Here I am on a short break to Kielder in 2013 and at a fundraiser in 2014.
6 years later she got her wish and I returned back here in that very role. I learned so much in my time away working for different charities of varying sizes. Most of my time was spent working with young people and people with learning disabilities. The best thing I learned though was there is nowhere quite like LD:NorthEast. It is such a special organisation, with the wellbeing of the people we support here running central through everything we do. This really is a place that changes peoples lives. Having fun with friends or going on holidays are things many of us take for granted. LD:NorthEast helps people not only overcome issues they might face, but also helps people to have fulfilled lives. The organisation really invests in its staff too and it has been so nice to return and see people I was a support worker alongside flourishing in leadership roles.
Here are some photos of what I’ve been up to since I’ve came back – back to my roots of fundraising and short breaks.
Now I am responsible for development, income generation and I’m part of the senior management team. I have been very lucky though to still work occasionally in our outreach service and go along on a short break to Disneyland Paris.
If you have any ideas for fundraising or development, please come and chat to me!