Kate has a hand in almost everything Love Wimbledon does, helping to keep the organisation running smoothly day to day (or ‘ticketyboo’ in Kate’s words). If you’ve called the office, chances are you’ve spoken to her. Often the friendly voice at the end of the phone and the first point of contact for businesses, she supports projects, meetings and events, manages our bespoke database, and is often among the first to hear about and welcome new businesses arriving in Wimbledon.
Tell us about your role at Love Wimbledon.
I joined Love Wimbledon as BID Administrator in 2023. A big part of my job is making sure the office runs smoothly, from IT to invoicing and working with suppliers. We have a very busy office and each day varies depending on what is going on in the town centre and the projects Love Wimbledon has on the go. I wear multiple hats!
What is a critical part of your role and what is your favourite part about what you do?
I manage our database, keeping track of businesses coming into and moving out of the Love Wimbledon BID area. We have around 600 businesses actively working in the BID! This means that I see planning permission come through the system before anyone else. It’s a delight seeing Wimbledon Town Centre changing from a different perspective, before any news is shared widely.
My favourite part of the role is that I get to meet so many interesting people; businesses, residents, even a celebrity or two. I have become very skilled at getting signatures and photos to add to our Love Wimbledon archives.
What is the most interesting project you have worked on?
It is hard to pick just one. It is a lot fun to work on events, coming up with new ideas and following them through. Last year we hosted Glastonbury on The Piazza, creating a festival vibe in the heart of Wimbledon. This year we had so many local businesses taking part in sampling and brand activations around our Big Screen. I even got to take part in the Morrisons ‘Beat the Baker’ donut filling contest. What started off as an enquiry through the general email inbox became a popular pop-up with the public.
Could you share a story about a project where you saw the positive result of your ‘behind the scenes’ work?
Each year Love Wimbledon hosts Winterfest, a two-day festive community event. Lots of Wimbledon businesses to get involved. I thought it would be a great idea to have a ‘selfie booth’ for families to have their photos taken. At the time Søstrene Grene was a relatively new business in Wimbledon Town Centre and wanted to increase their presence. I went to speak to the manager, who was on board straight away, and along with my colleague Sally and the Søstrene Grene staff, we created a festive pop-up with a photographer taking instant photos. The community loved it – even The Wombles! And Søstrene Grene saw more people coming into the store that weekend.
What is coming up next?
Love Wimbledon is going to ballot this autumn, where businesses vote whether they would like us to continue for the next five years. Since I manage the database of businesses I play an important role in making sure the information is up to date and is passed on to the right people. It is a lot of writing, meeting businesses and having conversations to get the information we need to make the ballot a success.
