Student Name: Liberty
Pathway Programme: Pathways to Charity and Development (2026 Cohort)
Internship Role: Fundraising Events Assistant
Internship Employer: FORCE Cancer Charity
Summary of Organisation: FORCE Cancer Charity is a local charity who support anyone affected by cancer in our centre on the site of the RDUH. Starting in 1987, we are unique to Exeter but also offer services in our outreach locations in Ottery St Mary, Tiverton & Okehampton. On average we have 27,000 visits per year to our support centre. Services that we offer, include Complementary Therapies, Counselling, Acupuncture, financial advice, group support, art group and a pre-loved wig service along with lots of other support. Our team of staff consists of 35, and we also have approx. 130 volunteers throughout our charity who are patient facing or working in our charity shop. This role is based within our fundraising team. This is a small but very busy team. Everyone has an important part to play and is also really fun as you are meeting people of all ages and from all walks of life. People want to fundraise for all sorts of reasons, but the main one being that they or someone they know have used our services and want to be sure that the support they had will be there for future cancer patients and their families.
Please briefly outline the project/tasks/responsibilities you worked on during your Professional Pathways internship:
“In my internship I was a Fundraising Events Assistant, helping out with the Nello event. The Nello is a bike ride fundraiser, where riders either complete a 60 or 100 mile route. I was able to help for the entirety of the event (Friday-Monday).
Friday was set-up day. This included going to storage lockers to pick up all of the equipment, and organising them into the relevant vans for the route stops for the ride. There was also a lot of set up at the base at Topsham, like organising tables and chairs, and the event tent.
Saturday was the food preparation day. The charity provides food and drinks for the riders at each of the route stops. We had lots of volunteers making rolls and cakes, and I was responsible for sorting these into cooler boxes to be transported to the relevant route stops. This involved lots of maths, lists and counting, but was very fun!
Sunday was the actual event day. It was a very early start (5am) to set everything up before the cyclists arrived at 7am. The day was very long, as I was there until 7:30pm, but it was so rewarding! I had a variety of roles in the day, including registration, passing out flyers, giving cyclists medals, and manning the refreshments station.
Monday was the final day and was spent taking down everything and taking equipment back to storage. We also got a chance to spend time at the main site at the hospital, and it was great to see more of the day to day working space.“
How has the Professional Pathways programme helped you in taking the next steps in your career?
“I found the Pathways scheme incredibly helpful. I had an idea that I wanted to work within the charity sphere, but didn’t really have an idea what I wanted this to look like. The internship gave me a chance to speak to lots of different individuals within the charity, from fundraisers to CEOs and governance experts. The internship really solidified that I want to be in the fundraising sector as I found it really rewarding and enjoyed every second of the person-facing aspect.
I’m also planning on beginning volunteering at FORCE as soon as I get back to Exeter, as I loved the environment so much. Everyone was so friendly and it’s clear that the charity makes a real difference.
The training was also really helpful for learning more about the various roles in the charity sector and more of the background theory that goes into working in the sector (e.g. how charities are governed, legal requirements, etc).”
How do you think this experience will impact on your employability as you enter the job market as a recent graduate?
“I think this experience will have such a positive impact on my employability. I gained such relevant skills for fundraising, but also developed real transferable skills like problem solving and organisation.
I also got on really well with the team, and know that my managers there would be happy to provide a reference for future employment, which also helps. There were really good opportunities for networking, and lots of the staff have offered to keep in touch and give me advice for future employment ventures, which was very lovely.”
What achievement(s) were you particularly proud of during your Pathways internship?
“The Nello event has raised over £70,000 for FORCE, and over 1,200 riders participated, which is a huge achievement in itself.
I found it particularly rewarding to have been involved in the entire event from start to end, and seeing it come together was really exciting. I’m really proud to have been involved in an event that makes such a big difference every year.
This was the 27th Nello ride, and I spoke to lots of riders who had been doing it for years – everyone is so enthusiastic about the work that FORCE does to help those going through cancer diagnosis/treatment, and it was really special to be part of something that makes such a big difference.”
Given the Professional Pathways internship is 35 hours in total, what advice would you give to other students to ensure they gain as much as possible from the experience?
“My top piece of advice would be to talk to people. I gained so much from speaking to every staff member and volunteer that I could find about what got them into working in the charity sector and their careers leading up to this point. I really learned that there’s no one way to get into the sector, and hearing everyone’s experiences was so inspiring. They also all had such great advice and it was real first-hand experience and tips that I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else!”
Why would you recommend the Professional Pathways programme to other students?
“I think the scheme is really rewarding. Being involved in the internship really made me feel like I’ve made a real difference and see first hand just how important charity work is.
I also think that the Pathways scheme is really great for learning more about the sector. I didn’t know anyone who worked on the charity sphere prior to starting the training week, but I’ve been able to meet so many people in such different careers and it’s been really great to learn more! It’s truly an experience that I wouldn’t have had otherwise, and I’m so grateful that the Pathways scheme exists.
It was honestly the most fun I’ve had in my second year of uni and I’d really recommend to anyone! If you’re not sure about what sector you want to get into, or if you know but want to gain experience, this is a great way to try new things and see exactly what you like!”