Deborah Balchin

I am conscientious, honest and reliable. I enjoy working both as part of a team and autonomously. I have a positive, can do enthusiastic attitude and am often commended on my ability to be creative and think out of the box to solve problems. I love interaction with customers and sales. I am resilient and have always believed in the concept of community.

I have just received a score of 4.5 out of 5 from the hospice for Supporter Care.

I am target focused and my department recently exceeded its yearly target. My job title is about to change to 'Future Gifts Fundraiser' to encompass my new role within philanthropy and major donors.

Throughout my career, I have been asked to implement new processes and guidelines. I led a large team at South Oxfordshire District Council. Recently in my current role for Sobell, I wrote the Supporters visiting policy and Will Witnessing Process for the hospice which have now been implemented. I have written and implemented new processes for revenues, customer services and on the job training. I like to meet targets and am passionate about getting best value. I mentored young people and was part of the pilot project for supporting adoptive families .

I have headed up a Gift Aid campaign for Sobell. This involves identifying Supporters, implementing best value, effective customer service and as always, great team work! I believe that everyone has something to offer and I regularly am told that I am one of the faces of the hospice. I work hard to help families through difficult and traumatic events and customers are at the heart of my work.

I am trained in therapeutic parenting and I have buddied adoptive parents. I am an adoptive Mum. Both my girls are now over 18. I worked closely with Camhs who told me that I changed mental health policies for under 5s.

I have also been a core trustee and governor for an Oxfordshire special needs school and a school based on forest school.

I also managed the General Stall at WLPM for a number of years with my eldest daughter to raise funds for a friend's school.

In my current role, I have been commended for my customer services and for making a considerable difference to our departments targets. This has involved meeting tight deadlines for finance ,ensuring, excellent Supporter Care journeys, representing our hospice and different events and recruitment of potential new regular donors.

Along with a friend, I helped to set up Wallingford Farmers' Market after reading an article in the Telegraph.

I have had articles published in a national craft magazine and my greeting cards have been shortlisted as top of UK design.

I was Head Cashier at NatWest & I sell items on EBay, Instagram & Facebook.

I was a space negotiator and specialist dog fosterer.

I am a Queens Guide and was the youngest Brown Owl in Oxfordshire.

I have worked with various charities and volunteers throughout my life in hands on and fundraising capacities. I have arranged craft markets, boot sales, jumble sales, the Big Food Event in Cholsey, arranged street collections and was the chair of Cholsey PTA & Wallingford's Victorian Evening.

I am passionate about care for for people at all stages of life. One of my earliest memories is visiting elderly people in hospital at Christmas. My mother was a Matron in various care homes and my parents eventually progressed to owning their own residential care home in Lancashire. So its in my blood!

I love a challenge and after working closely with the very elderly (90 plus), patients receiving palliative care and their families , I have even more of an insight into how important effective communication, listening, integrity and teamwork is. I have a great respect for the elderly and I learnt such a lot whilst supporting them. My role within Sobell House Hospice Charity is a challenge and we never quite know what we are going to deal with each day. It's a privilege to support families during dark times. It's all about working together.

Its also a privilege to be part of such a dedicated fundraising team who every day goes that extra mile. Currently I am planning a Legacy Event, stewarding bereaved families and loved ones and can give general examples if required of developed new strategies that I have implemented. I have also supervised volunteers and advised on training techniques.

I love my role at Yarnton: front line reception, normally once a month on a Saturday.It's a joy to work at the Centre and I love the face to face customer contact & sales aspect. I have to think on my feet and always remember that small businesses are at the heart of the Centre. I have great connections there.