# The personal path to a career in fundraising

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/02/16/the-personal-path-to-a-career-in-fundraising/
- Published: 2016-02-16T14:01:18+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The hospice care received by her grandmother inspired one community fundraiser
to take up her [chosen career](https://www.curriculosolutions.com/library/primary-programme-hub/primary-programme).**

Jacki Pigford, community fundraiser at Willow Burn Hospice in Lancaster, became 
involved in fundraising after her grandmother spent a week at the hospice.  The 
time Christine Pigford spent at the Willow Burn Hospice at the end of her life inspired
first the whole family to get involved, raising £3,500 through a charity night for
the hospice.

Jacki, who was 14 at the time of her grandmother’s death, later studied Occupational
Therapy at Teesside University. For work experience during her final year she asked
Willow Burn whether she could become a volunteer in its day hospice, and was there
every week for eight months.

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Towards the end of her work experience Jacki and her family organised a second charity
night, which raised £2,500 for the hospice.

Katherine Luke, Willow Burn’s income generation and marketing manager, said:

> “I was so impressed when I saw Jacki with patients around the hospice as well 
> as the way she approached her fundraising. Luckily I was looking for a community
> fundraiser – and the rest is history.”

Jacki has now been in the job for almost a year and is currently involved in planning
Willow Burn’s first charity ball, in partnership with The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation,
which takes place on 16 September.

She said:

> “It doesn’t seem like a job to me because I am so passionate about it. I can’t
> think of anything else I would want to do instead.”

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