Lloyds Bank Foundation welcomes new manager for Wales, Rachel Marshall
01 June 2020
Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales welcomes Rachel Marshall, new manager for Wales, to support and champion small and medium charities the Foundation partners with across Wales.
Rachel, taking over from Mike Lewis following his retirement after 23 years, brings a wealth of first hand experience with small and large charities including eight years working in the voluntary and community sector in Wales.
Prior to joining Lloyds Bank Foundation, Rachel supported charities in Wales with various funding applications including to the National Lottery Community Fund. This included advising them to ensure a successful application for funding, providing mentoring support during their funding period as well as organising learning and networking events to share skills and expertise. Using her knowledge and experience, Rachel has supported organisations to develop resilience and financial and environmental sustainability.
Through her previous roles including Development Trusts Association Wales, Shelter Cymru and at Cardiff Council she has well honed and strong networks across Wales. She’s built up influence working with stakeholders across local government officials and policy makers, elected Members including those at Ministerial level, key funders and key partner agencies and their Boards across Wales. Moreover, Rachel has also presented to the Wales Funders Forum and at key sector events such as Gofod3.
Rachel has worked closely with Locality, DTA’s sister organisation in England on joint policy, communications and research aspects relating to community ownership of assets, places and spaces. Spanning her career, she has been an approved General and Specialist Adviser for the Plunkett Foundation, Wales Co-operative Centre’s Social Business Wales Framework and WCVA’s Catalyst Cymru heritage support programme. She has contributed to Social Enterprise strategy development in Wales, advocating on behalf of the sector and has presented on community led housing issues to Welsh Government. She regularly liaises with infrastructure bodies such as the Wales Co-operative Centre, WCVA, TNL Community Fund for Wales and others.
Rachel will be starting her new role from 15th June 2020 she says “I have been impressed with not only the funding that Lloyds Bank Foundation makes to their supported charities but also the level of interaction it has with them to provide development support alongside the financial investment. I am really looking forward to picking up the reins from Mike and getting to know and work with small and local charities, who are providing vital services to communities across Wales and who tackle some extremely complex social issues, in extremely challenging circumstances. I hope to help guide them through the issues they face and become a critical friend.”
Mike Lewis will be working closely with Rachel before his departure on 26th June 2020. He commented: “while I am sad to be leaving and will deeply miss working closely with the small and local charities that are the lifeblood of communities across Wales, and doubly so at such a challenging time, I’m comforted that taking over from me is someone who is so well embedded in the community and has a real drive to support small and local charities in Wales. I have been impressed by Rachel’s passion for the life changing work of small and medium sized charities and knowledge of the challenges they face. I have full confidence in Rachel and know she will make a huge difference to the charities that I have gotten to know and admire over the last two decades.”
