Place Co-ordinator North Lancashire
Photo Credit: Steve Dixon, Lancaster CVS
Rachel is an enthusiastic people-connector who sees the LOCAL project as a fabulous opportunity to use her community knowledge, networking and communication skills to bring about positive change for the organisations providing vital services in Lancashire.
She comes to LOCAL from Selnet, where, for 2 years, she was Engagement Lead on a funded county-wide employability project and subsequently undertook research to co-produce a report into Fylde’s VCFSE sector, commissioned by Fylde Council. For the last 18 months, she has also been part-time Community Outreach Manager for inclusive Lancashire-based charity DanceSyndrome, which she continues.
Rachel understands the county well, having grown up in Blackpool and raised her family in Preston where she still lives with her partner. A qualified teacher, she worked in primary education for 11 years, including 6 as a supply teacher, covering every one of the Lancashire 14 districts.
She has supported people with a variety of backgrounds, needs and abilities so is passionate about equality of access and opportunity, especially in education, training and employment. This experience informs her drive for empowering those facing disadvantage and led to her setting up the first Read Easy group in Lancashire, when she discovered a gap in provision for adult literacy during the pandemic.
After volunteer Trustee, Team Leader and Publicity roles, Rachel continues to promote the work of Read Easy Preston who train volunteers to teach adults to read. She is on the Preston Wellfest Steering Group. the Harris Programme Advisory Board and enjoys performing with Preston People’s Choir.