Rhiannon Turner

I have been involved with Bath Women’s Fund since the end of 2019. Straight away, I was struck by the powerful stories of the impacts of inequality within Bath. It has been a privilege to start supporting organisations which work to reduce this impact.

In my professional life, I’m a patent attorney and Partner in a firm of patent and trade mark attorneys based in Somerset, Greaves Brewster LLP. I specialise in biotechnology inventions, helping clients to protect the new technologies that they have developed. The work we do in partnership with clients helps them to gain the investment and business support to get those technologies out into the world.

As a business leader, I’m driven to harness the power of business to work for good in the world, by promoting fair treatment of employees, nurturing individuals to be the best that they can be, caring for our environment and being responsible to society in both the local and global sense, whilst also being profitable in order to enable re-investment in all of these areas.

In recent years, especially as a person fortunate to have education and wealth, I have become more and more challenged by the inequalities in our society and our world. I feel that this inequality appears to be at the root of almost all, if not all, of the challenges which the human race currently faces. I’m interested in sharing ideas with thoughtful, creative people from all backgrounds and professions, to try to join in promoting actions which benefit all, not just the wealthy and powerful few. Of course, this includes engaging with Bath Women’s Fund to support organisations which empower women, girls and families.

I was just about to start volunteering at the Bath Child Contact Centre when Covid-19 hit and forced its temporary closure. The centre enables parents who are separated from their families to have time with their children, facilitating arrangements which might not be possible between the parents themselves. This is an issue which is close to my heart, having seen the impact on my brother in being prevented from having meaningful time with his children over an extended period of time. I’m excited to be able to start volunteering with the centre early in 2021.

My main non-work activity is singing with the Bristol choir, Exultate Singers. Again, our activities have of course been severely impacted this year, though we did manage some autumn rehearsals (socially distanced - and wearing masks!) and recorded some concerts for live streaming. I also enjoy spending time at my home in Somerset, and with my partner and his children near Bath. Time in nature is a regular theme in my life, with walks in the woods being especially important to my soul and my sanity.

I am lucky enough to have a six-month sabbatical during 2021, and I’m looking forward to having time to educate myself in issues outside my normal working sphere. I am hoping to pick up some additional voluntary roles, perhaps including becoming a Trustee, as I will return to work post-sabbatical on a part-time basis.