Testimonial

As a valued member of the Belgrade Theatre’s Senior Management Team, Helen has a wealth of strategic planning and income generation experience. She has played a pivotal role in securing financial growth, and recent stability, for the Theatre’s charitable activities.

Over the last couple of years Helen has raised just over £1.2m. She has achieved this through a resilient and ‘can do’ attitude – effectively adapting to resource and sector challenges. By motivating a small Development team, and leading collaboration across different teams, Helen has in-depth experience of successfully raising funds from:

  • Individuals (donations, membership, campaigns, events);
  • Corporates (membership and sponsorship); and
  • Trusts and Foundations (revenue and capital grants).

Helen’s logical, proactive, and pragmatic thought-leadership will be an asset to any organisation engaging with Freckle Fundraising.

Joanna Reid
Executive Director
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry 

March 2021

The Belgrade Theatre was the first civic theatre to be built after the second world war, and it provides a varied programme of productions and community, participation, and talent development activities. Playing a pivotal role in Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture 2021, the Belgrade welcomes 200,000 people every year and earns over 75% of its £6m annual turnover.

Freckle’s Director, Helen, was appointed Head of Development in April 2015, with responsibility for:

  • Strategic and operational leadership of the fundraising activities of the Theatre.
  • Developing the theatre’s fundraising capacity, with day-to day responsibility for the Development Office including managing budgets, staff performance and priorities.
  • Raising c.£220k annual revenue income from: Individuals (Memberships, Donations, Crowdfunding and Campaigns), Corporates (Membership and Sponsorship), Trusts & Foundations and Major Donors – through prospect research and direct approaches.
  • Raising c.£458k capital income within two years, from statutory and private sources.
  • Researching, developing, and implementing fundraising strategy to foster and grow income prior, during and after Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture 2021.

More details of the Belgrade’s work can be found at: www.belgrade.co.uk