Kate Bradley Visit

During skills week, we were delighted to welcome Kate Bradley, an experienced charity leader and consultant, where she shared insights from her remarkable career journey.

Her impressive career spans roles at UK Athletics as Operations and Strategy Director, Virgin Money Foundation as Executive Director, overseeing the charity’s grant programmes, and Newcastle United Football Club as part of their Senior Management Team. Most notably, Kate spent 11 years as Head of Newcastle United Foundation.

Born in Gateshead, Kate’s educational path includes a BA (Hons) in History from Leeds University and an MSc in Urban Policy and Regeneration from Northumbria University. Her early career included valuable time with The Prince’s Trust in London and the Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland.

In her presentation, Kate shared key life lessons that have guided her career, including:

• The importance of hard work and kindness
• Saying yes to opportunities
• Giving your time to causes you believe in
• Cultivating curiosity
• Valuing diversity
• Stepping outside your comfort zone

As a Trustee of the Greggs Foundation and volunteer with Speakers for Schools, Kate brought a wealth of experience in charity leadership, strategy, and social responsibility.

This was an excellent opportunity for students considering careers in charity management, sports administration, or business leadership. Students benefited from hearing from someone who has built a diverse and impactful career across multiple sectors.

In her Q&A, Kate emphasised the value of networking, sharing how authentic professional relationships opened doors in her career. She also stressed the importance of soft skills such as aiming high, leadership, and communication (speaking and listening) – explaining how these transferable abilities had been as crucial as technical expertise in helping her navigate cross-sector challenges.

An excellent event to bring skills week to a close.