Meet The Team

I have a strong passion for Social Enterprise and the power of business to drive social and environmental progress. Since joining Proper Job in 2014, I have spent the past decade spearheading its evolution into an environmental charity dedicated to waste reduction. I consider myself fortunate to be part of a community of individuals who share my values and are working towards creating a brighter future for both people and the planet.

Having worked at the yard since 2016, I am proud to play a part in the continuing development of Proper Job.
To have a place in this special community led project gives me a reason to get up in the morning and go again.
To see so many local families benefit from both hard work and generosity gives me hope that we can inspire others elsewhere to create a Proper Job of their own.
This is a place where we pride ourselves on providing good value through good values.

I am a born and bred Chagfordian with a strong passion for the local environment and community. I have worked in retail for most of my adult life as well as being very involved with community groups and events. I love working for Proper Job and encouraging waste reduction in the form of reuse, repair, and sustainability. Uptown is a great showcase for the preloved and together with my wonderful team we pride ourselves on not being your run of the mill charity shop! I feel proud to be part of something that is genuinely making a difference and get a huge reward from helping to organise our community events and educational workshops.

I volunteer for Proper Job so I can put something back into my local community and because I really believe in what they do and want to support them to continue to be successful.  I think they have done a fantastic job so far and I feel very grateful and privileged to be part of their future.
I am keen to learn from Proper Job increasing my awareness and understanding of how we can all be kinder to the planet and to use my experience and knowledge to support them going forward.

I am keen to learn from Proper Job increasing my awareness and understanding of how we can all be kinder to the planet and to use my experience and knowledge to support them going forward.

My background has been in running the shoemaking business Green Shoes for over 40 years in Devon, whose ethos has alway been to make long lasting repairable shoes.

So my working ethos has really been the same as that of Proper Job whose work I have long admired and enjoyed, promoting reduction of waste by encouraging reclaiming, reuse, recycling and promoting local jobs.

Having lived in this corner of North East Dartmoor for over 40 years, I have often visited the yard and shop making good clothing finds as well as bric a brac, compost and even paint.

I believe that Proper Job is a valuable model that more communities could benefit from copying, so I have got involved in order to help support and promote the ethos of PJ and create local jobs.

Photo by Fern Leigh Abbot.