Meet Laura...

Laura has worked at St Oswald’s for almost four years now after joining the organisation as a Senior Fundraiser in 2017 and would now, in her own words, “find it hard to leave”.

Tell us a little bit about your role…
My job title is Bereavement Support Worker – Digital Developments which sounds very fancy but just means that I deliver our Grief, Loss and Bereavement training programme to businesses online to help them support staff back to work following a death. It’s a new project and is very exciting both for the Hospice and for my own professional development.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
In my personal life, it’s 100% my friendships. My friends mean the world to me and I’m so lucky to have such special people in my life. Professionally, probably organising an exhibition launch, fundraising concert, Royal visit and engagement event at the House of Commons all at the same time in a previous role. The stress levels were off the scale but I’m still standing!

How do you enjoy spending your spare time?
I love to read, cook, drink coffee and watch women’s football. If I can do all four on the same day, I’m very happy.

How have you recently demonstrated St Oswald’s Values?
Positive and can do – the bereavement project is a new development for St Oswald’s so it’s been a brilliant challenge but also very difficult at times. In this new role, I’ve had to learn a lot as I go, finding answers and filling in the gaps. Luckily the colleagues who are working on it with me are also very ‘positive and can do’.

What would be your dream job if you didn’t work at St Oswald’s?
When I was younger I planned to study law until I realised that being a lawyer sometimes has very little to do with justice. I’d love to run my own business one day but I’d find it hard leaving St Oswald’s behind if it actually worked out.

Describe St Oswald’s in three words…
Home, hope, heart.