Impact Highlights

 

Picnic CIC

At Picnic - a community photography space in St Leonards, East Sussex (2024-2025):

  • Developed Theory of Change which supported win of £30k media package from British Journal of Photography for early-stage community interest company’s outreach programme.

  • Raised £6.5k for exhibition and new p/t early career co-ordinator role

  • Co-curated public seafront exhibition showcasing 13 x emerging photographers

  • Coordinated youth work experience pilot programme with 3 x local young people

  • Introduced Asset-based Community Devlopment strategy which supported growth of volunteer base to 33 members

  • Supported development of monthly Photographers Round Table event with youth director and founder of CIC

Leisure & Learning

As freelance charity Business Manager (2019-2021):

  • Setup new charity providing community space and programming in collaboration with volunteer trustee board

  • Led £150k grant-funded community engagement programme during COVID-19

  • Delivered online community channel Isolation Station Hastings (300+ hrs of live content developed in tandem with local creators and activists)

  • Produced Hastings Emerging Futures: future visioning community programme with 38 local partners

  • Setup L&L as lead employer for youth experience Kickstart scheme in partnership with several local micro businesses. Led to employment of 12 young people for duration of programme.

  • Represented L&L on Trinity Triangle Heritage Action Zone board. Board secured £2.3 million in funding from Historic England for local heritage projects

  • Recruited new Learning Manager

    Testimonial

    Susanne has incredibly led the Business Development and hands-on aspects of creating a whole programme of sustainable activities across many different disciplines throughout the whole of the Commons properties. The breadth of her ability constantly surprised. Our requirements were insanely varied, from training, to organising guided tours, to allocating and overseeing grants and funds to developing 3D maps and VR programmes. She came with a ‘can-do’ attitude based on personal experience combined with an originality of thinking which was always solution focussed and building on what had been a varied and diverse career picking up an invaluable skill set, quite unlike any other I have encountered in my 40 years in the leisure, tourism, educational or charity sector. Liaising with local organisations and achieving practical outcomes in both training and educational elements, took patience, determination and a political and intellectual acuity at which she shone. Above all she understood that Heritage, neighbourhood stories, preserving buildings and the legacy we need to leave in place for further generations - was a human activity which could only succeed if you engaged with empathy, enthusiasm and a open mind to change if one could identify a better and more effective way of reaching one’s goal. She is a massive team player and her ability to think her way to positive outcomes remains one of my over-riding impressions of her.

    Adam Wide, Trustee, Leisure & Learning

Commercial

Impact achieved for commercial consultancy clients whilst transitioning from commercial to arts and community consultancy:

  • Marketing strategy & delivery plans supported £425k funding for 2 x independent craft breweries (2022-2025)

  • Marketing capacity building supported specification and recruitment of new roles at senior and coordination levels

    Testimonial

    As a startup its invaluable having people with good industry knowledge who also understand small businesses and get stuck in, and Susanne was definitely one of those people! She’s a very competent and professional marketer, and lovely to work with. Would thoroughly recommend!
    Becky Taylor-Kean, Founder, Nirvana Brewery