Kirsty Wild

Core competencies

Kirsty’s core competencies are:

• Research, development, project management and evaluation across different disciplines, including deep-dive immersive work packages.
• Engaging and consulting diverse partners, stakeholders and the public through an enthusiastic, authentic and accessible approach, ensuring voices are heard and represented across initiatives to gain a full understanding of differing perspectives.
• Extensive knowledge, academic and industry experience of specialist subjects, organisational design and development, change management, business and human resources.
• Identifying, gaining evidence and applying for grant funding suitable for developing clients’ organisations or to achieve specific project aims and outcomes.
• Design, collation and monitoring of qualitative and quantitative data with rigorous analytic interpretation upon which strategy can be soundly based.
• Thorough, effective evaluation of projects, engaging partners, stakeholders and the public to gain a full understanding of successes, challenges, learning and legacy.

Career highlights

Fundraising for a landscape-scale nature recovery project

Kirsty’s research and fundraising work secured a £4.5m National Lottery Heritage Fund grant for a landscape-scale nature recovery programme run by a partnership headed by a Wildlife Trust.  Kirsty researched and created a draft Area Action Plan, a comprehensive programme of works detailing 14 project strands in-depth, and completed the Heritage Fund application itself.  Feedback from the client said, ‘Thanks for all of your invaluable help with the application.  [National Lottery] said that one of the deciding factors was the setting out of the need and urgency which you put a lot of effort into creating’.

Town hall redevelopment consultation, feasibility and business case

R4C gained funding for a client Town Council to scope the feasibility of redeveloping its iconic Town Hall.  As part of the team, Kirsty designed and ran an extensive public and stakeholder consultation regarding the potential redevelopment of the Town Hall.  This included public, user and stakeholder interviews and meetings, working closely with the architects to shape designs to meet the findings, and contributed to compiling a report and all evidence.  Kirsty is now working on a Heritage Fund application and supporting documents for the proposed multi-million-pound redevelopments.

Developing a county food vision, strategy and action plan

R4C developed a food vision, strategy and action plan for a Welsh county to create a food system fit for future generations.  The public were consulted via an online survey and engagement events, and stakeholders and partners were engaged via workshops held at a Food Summit.  Katie Palmer, Programme Manager for Food Sense Wales was the keynote speaker at the Summit, and the strategic objectives were defined along with a collaboratively developed action plan which aligns with regional and national priorities.   This work culminated in Kirsty producing a Food Vision, Strategy and Action Plan document, adopted by the county for the next five years ad launched at the Royal Welsh Show.

Project managing a Victorian restoration

Work with a charity that owns and maintains a unique Victorian Grade II listed building in a Conservation Area in north Wales included securing grant funding for its restoration and repurposing, as well as project-managing the construction and restoration.  Having completed the restoration, Kirsty is now developing a business plan and seeking funding for a programme of heritage, education and community events to take place there.  She has founded a collective of historic sites in the area who are now working collaboratively to raise the region’s cultural and heritage profile to locals and visitors alike.

Evaluating a dementia-friendly programme

In Shropshire, Kirsty evaluated a multi-year programme of Lottery-funded dementia-friendly activities.  Work included designing an evaluation plan and framework, carrying out data collection and monitoring, holding user and stakeholder interviews and workshops, working closely with the project team and compiling an extensive report and all evidence in order to demonstrate the projects’ value and provide an evidence base upon which to seek funding to continue its legacy into the future.   Feedback from the Project Manager said, ‘Really happy that through your work we were able to showcase what a great project [it] was’.

When she’s not working …

Kirsty lives in a beautiful little town in North Wales, so she spends a lot of time in the great outdoors.  She often camps, wild swims in lakes and rivers, and shoots targets with her air rifle.  She writes and performs poetry, attends a weekly sewing class and takes life drawing classes when she can.  A live music aficionada, Kirsty goes to music festivals and gigs as often as possible and spends a lot of her free time in museums and art galleries, especially when she travels.  Kirsty is passionate foodie and co-founder of a Food Share, a charity that combats food waste and addresses food poverty, supporting people every week since 2019.  Kirsty is a fun, outgoing, positive person to be around, both in her social life and in work!