Five minutes with…Bronte
In the latest of our ‘Five minutes with…’ series, we meet Bronte, office manager, who tells us more about why she enjoys working for a charity like Caritas Salford, and what she enjoys most about living in Manchester…
Tell us about your role…
I am primarily based at our Denmark Road site, working between Cornerstone and Morning Star. My role is quite varied, so although I’m based at Denmark Road, I work with almost every team in some capacity. Having this amount of variety has been really fulfilling, as I’ve been able to develop new skills and learn more about how charities are run, and what parts of it I’m most interested in.
My role includes finance & HR, fundraising, organising corporate volunteering events, tech support and basically anything else that pops up.
I also do a lot of work on our electronic management system, making sure it works exactly as we need it to, so staff can record all the excellent work they do, and we can present it to show other people the impact their work has.
As an organisation, things are always changing and growing, so I make sure that our database is changing and growing as well to keep up and make sure we’re always able to demonstrate the amazing work we do across every service.
How long have you worked with Caritas Salford and why did you decide to come and work here?
I started with Caritas in February 2023. Previously I worked in marketing in the ecommerce sector, so it has been a really big change. It has been incredibly eye opening and interesting to learn how charitable organisations run and get an understanding of the different roles involved.
I’ve always been keen to work for a charity, and since I graduated from university in 2019, I have been trying to get into the charity sector but had struggled to find the right role. When I saw the position advertised, I couldn’t have been more excited, and I was over the moon to get the opportunity.
Although I didn’t know a lot about Caritas Salford when I started, it was clear that it was an organisation with which I shared similar values. Since working with Caritas, it has been so refreshing and heart-warming to work with such like-minded people.
What’s the best thing about working at Caritas?
The best thing for me is that everyone is so motivated to help people, and that providing the best care and support possible is everyone’s top priority.
It feels like they’re always trying to improve both for the people that use our services and for the staff. We are regularly asked for feedback, which is actually acted upon, and we are given lots of opportunity for training so that we can keep expanding our skills.
What’s the best thing about working in your role?
I think that best thing is the scope of my role, because I’m not limited to a particular department, I’ve been able to take on lots of different tasks and had the opportunity to develop completely new skills.
For example I’ve recently been trusted with writing applications for grants, a couple of which we’ve actually won, and learning how to do this has given me a much deeper understanding of how charitable organisations work, and what goes into keeping them running.
Caritas is a charity. What’s it like working for a charitable organisation?
It has been a very rewarding and humbling experience. Day to day you can see the impact of the work you and your colleagues do. It’s also really collaborative in a way I find refreshing, both internally and with other organisations, everyone is really working together.
What surprised you about working here that you didn’t expect?
I think the most surprising thing was the breadth of what Caritas Salford does, both in geographical area and in the variety of support that is offered.
When I started, I only knew about Morning Star and Cornerstone, but there are so many different projects supporting such a huge range of people it’s hard to keep track.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work?
I really enjoy cooking for people and trying new recipes, and as a vegetarian I’m always trying to prove to people how delicious plant based food can be.
I also love film; I try to go to the cinema as often as I can, I strongly believe that watching a film at the cinema is the best way to do it.
Recently I’ve also been getting into running again after quite a long break. I did 60 miles in September to raise money for Cancer Research, and next year I’ll be doing my first half marathon, so hopefully it will stick.
I also just got a cat with my partner a few months ago, so she has become the centre of my world and what occupies my brain most of the time I’m not working.
What’s your favourite thing(s) to do in Manchester or Lancashire?
Manchester is an amazing place for food and drinks, and I love trying out new restaurants and different cuisines.
Since I’ve got back into running, it’s been nice touring the different parkruns around Manchester, getting to see all the lovely parks and explore new areas.
It’s also great how close we are in Manchester to the countryside, and as someone who doesn’t drive and is from a rural area, I really appreciate how easily I can get out of the city on public transport and get some fresh air.
What three words best describe you?
Friendly, empathetic, practical.
How would you sum up the difference your work makes in a sentence?
I support my colleagues and try to make their lives easier, so that as much focus as possible can go to the people that need help, and I make sure that the work everyone does can be shown off as much as possible.