One of our more recent members to the Merchant Taylors’ family is Development Manager for Fundraising and Stewardship, Tilly Scott. Having joined in December, Tilly has already made herself a valuable addition to the Development Team. We hope you enjoy this week’s edition of Staff Spotlight, and enjoy reading more about Tilly.
You joined Taylors’ recently – what attracted you to the role?
I have spent all of my career fundraising for universities, so the opportunity to explore fundraising in a new environment was a very exciting prospect for me. The facilities and opportunities that are available to the boys here are really fantastic, and I was someone who thrived in the music department when I was at school, so it was important for me that the extra-curricular programme and the arts are held in such high esteem amongst the staff and pupils here.
Within your role as Development Manager, what most excites you and how did you get in to your line of work?
I first discovered fundraising as an option through my MA in Arts Management at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where I subsequently went on to do an internship and my first full time role in professional fundraising. I find it to be a very rewarding area of work, especially when you can see the direct benefit of the work you are putting in. I particularly enjoy the people side of fundraising and have already had the chance to get to meet some of our brilliant community of donors at the Benefactors’ Reception which took place before Christmas. I am excited to get more involved as I get established in my role.
What are you most proud of outside of your work at Taylors’?
In my personal life I am working towards my private pilot’s license, which brings me a lot of pride. It has not been the easiest process, and there have been lots of hurdles to overcome (and I am sure there will be many more), but I feel most at peace when I am flying, and it brings me so much joy every time I am in the air. One day (in the very distant future), I hope to be able to take my love for aviation into a flying career, but for the moment I am happy just taking to the skies at the weekends! I also have a passion for languages and have become semi-fluent in Swedish over the last few years. I am currently focusing on German in preparation to visit my best friend’s family in Düsseldorf in the summer. Although I love learning languages, I can’t say it comes naturally to me, so this has been a massive undertaking, and I am really proud of my progress so far.
What did you study?
I studied a BSc in Neuropsychology at Bangor University and a MA in Arts Management at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. For A-levels I studied Psychology, Music, English Language and Literature.
What piece of media would you recommend and why?
My favourite book since I discovered it as a teenager is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It is a simply but beautifully written story set in Germany in the second world war and has a wonderful message of kindness and humanity amongst chaos. I have also recently finished watching Slow Horses (I am very late to the party), but it was a fantastic watch with a great ensemble cast and I would definitely recommend it!
