Michelle Williams
I have been very fortunate to have a career spanning three sectors over the past four decades. I started off as a brand manager at Boots (the highlight of which was meeting David Bailey on a No.7 photo shoot - where he turned out to be a very grumpy old man!).
I got really concerned about climate change in my 40s and studied for a Masters in responsible business at Bath University before becoming an Action Researcher there. But, after seven years, I realised I wasn’t cut out to be an academic so I moved into the charity sector and worked my way into the role of Head of Fundraising at Genesis Trust (my marketing skills equipped me well!).
Towards the end of my eight years there I felt the future of fundraising lay in earned income rather than donated. So, I trekked up and down the country, meeting some amazing social entrepreneurs, and settled on the idea of opening a garden centre in Bath. After 18 months of working in partnership with B&NES Council and Grow for Life charity we were about to open the Urban Garden in March 2020 ...when…you guessed it, Covid hit. Matt (our fabulous Manager) and I then tried and failed to open three times and, by Christmas 2020, we had nearly given up. It was only the generosity of one of our funders that kept us afloat, and we finally opened our doors on Good Friday 2021.
The Bath public have opened their hearts and their wallets to us and I’m proud to say we now have four unemployed/disadvantaged young people on work placements and 12 people, facing various challenges, on our free City & Guilds training. The vision finally beat the virus!
I am still very involved in the Urban Garden but, to pay the bills, but I also started a new job recently at the Bath Preservation Trust as Project Manager on the Beckford’s Tower project. This is yet another departure for me so I will save that next instalment for another time...
Joining Bath Women’s Fund has been an enjoyable and enlightening experience for me. I have learnt so much about the challenges that women and girls are facing in our community from the many wonderful charities and organisations that support them. I’m looking forward to meeting everybody in person as soon as restrictions allow.