We spoke to members of R.A.B.I staff about their roles and what they do on a typical day. Each individual makes an important contribution to the charity, so we can continue to change lives every day.

Trish, Head of Welfare

Trish Pickford joined R.A.B.I in November 1993. She became head of welfare in 1998 and has continued to serve in the role ever since.

“My day is mostly taken up by case work,” Trish said. “I see all the applications that come in and there are so many different stories. We tailor our help to individual needs.

“There are 20 people in the welfare team, so it’s my job to make sure they are confident and have all the knowledge and skills to help people as much as possible. The people who come to us for assistance are in a very difficult time of their lives, so we need to give them the very best service we can.

“I very much enjoy working for R.A.B.I, having been here for 26 years, because it’s a marvellous organisation dedicated to helping people. I really like helping people, as do all of the team, and I feel fortunate to work here.”

Lisa and Verenique, Fundraising and Development Coordinators

Lisa Knight and Verenique Beviere are fundraising and development coordinators, providing support for our county committees and ten regional managers. Lisa looks after supporters in the south, while Verenique takes care of the north.

Verenique said: “We never know what we’ll be doing from day to day. Some days we might be creating promotional material for our regional managers, other days we’ll be supporting people who are taking part in a crazy challenge to raise funds for us.”

“We’re the first port of call when people call the fundraising line.” Lisa added. “If you give us a ring, you’ll likely speak to me or Verenique. We’re a small, friendly team so we know a lot about what’s going on in each other’s areas. We can also help people set up their fundraising pages and send out collection tins and information about R.A.B.I for events.”

“I enjoy the variety in the job. Doing the same thing every day would be boring!” Verenique said.

Lisa added: “The best thing about the job is working with the lovely people in our Oxford office as well as our regional staff and volunteers.”

Verenique agreed: “It’s nice to be involved in the farming community. It’s close-knit and everyone wants to help each other.”

Carole, Head of Home

Carole Smith is the head of home at Manson House, R.A.B.I’s care home in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. She has been in the role for eleven years.

“We start every day with a handover,” Carole said. “We review all of the residents’ needs and appointments for the day. I’ll also have a chat with the housekeeper to see if there are any updates.”

Manson House is home to around 30 residents, as well as 20 tenants who live in the independent flats on site.

Carole added: “We’re dealing with people, so the job is unpredictable. I can start the day with a to do list, but new things always come up!

“We have an open office, so residents and visitors can come in to ask questions or just to have a chat. Some days we have visitors who are thinking of moving into the home, so we’ll show them round and explain how things work.

“What I enjoy most about my job is getting out to see the residents. I aim to get out of the office and walk around the home to chat with everyone a couple of times a week. It’s nice to catch up with them.”