Ep 3: From Cancer Survivor to Charity Leader: How Jess Rigby Navigates Burnout, Fundraising & Work Life Balance at Cash for Kids MCR

What does it really take to lead impactful charity and fundraising work while managing pressure, purpose and work life balance?On Progress Not Perfection, host Dean Mason sits down with Jess Rigby, Charity Manager at Cash for Kids Manchester, to explore her nearly decade long journey from entry level charity roles to leading a small but high impact team delivering major fundraising campaigns and community support initiatives.Jess shares her powerful personal story, being diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma at 19 and receiving support from charities, which inspired her to build a career giving back.The conversation dives into flagship campaigns like Mission Christmas, Cash for Kids Day and Sports Challenge, alongside key events including the Glitter Ball, golf day, Survivor the Wild and a new skydive fundraiser, all critical to driving donations and supporting families in need.This episode also uncovers the realities behind charity work: the admin, due diligence, limited resources, and the growing pressure on business fundraising and donations in a challenging economic climate. Jess speaks openly about managing burnout, maintaining work life balance, and staying connected to purpose while leading meaningful, year round impact through grants and community support.If you're interested in charity leadership, fundraising strategy, purpose driven careers or balancing impact with wellbeing, this episode offers an honest and insightful look behind the scenes.Thanks for listening, make sure to hit follow and subscribe to Progress Not Perfection for more honest conversations on business, wellbeing and growthConnect with Dean on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanmason1/Email: [email protected] with Jess:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-rigby-b1655515b/Donate to cash for kids linkhttps://cashforkids.org.uk/donate/?fbclid=PAVERFWARO77BleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAaeercxvf3MY1RexXPjRTUJdKffb1b8iSgvVuDgByUEFhMl_S4KM4zYaqR_2LA_aem_ZTQi3eiiGO30KnvjKsXfhQ