Beth Friend

I make the case for things worth caring about.  

Following a Scottish Masters in English Literature from Edinburgh and years teaching overseas in Thailand, South Korea, Myanmar, and Poland, I changed career paths. Fundraising across the charity sector—at Shelter Scotland, Change Mental Health, and Groundwork London—has involved different organisations and causes, but the same underlying job: to find the right words, build relationships, and make sure the funding follows the mission. 

At Visably, I manage our income from charitable trusts and foundations, handling everything from researching new opportunities and writing applications to stewarding existing grants and forecasting income. The work is detailed and sometimes quietly relentless. But I've always believed that what makes a great funding application isn't the budgets or the logistics—it's the story at the centre of it. Here, the stories are never hard to find. 

Earlier this year, I spent time with the blind community at Bradbury Fields in Liverpool, close to where I grew up. Hearing people speak passionately about how technology had uplifted their lives—the confidence it gives them, the connection it restores—was genuinely moving. So was seeing the friendship and camaraderie in the room. Those are the moments I come back to when I'm writing an application. 

What I value most about Visably is the openness. I feel genuinely heard, able to contribute ideas and help shape where we're going which, at a small charity in transformation, feels meaningful rather than just managerial. 

Outside of work, I'm rarely far from a good story—in the cinema, at the theatre, in an independent bookshop. I also love to cook, travel and, when inspiration strikes, write.