WESSEX Cancer Trust has appointed Rachel Billsberry-Grass as its new chief executive.

Rachel joins the trust with more than 25 years’ experience in leadership roles in the not-for-profit sector.

For the past few years she has led her own consultancy company providing fundraising and marketing services, including interim cover for charity clients.

Most recently she has been interim director of fundraising and marketing at both St Wilfrid’s Hospice and Carers Trust and director of fundraising at Chichester Festival Theatre.

During her career, Rachel has been responsible for securing millions of pounds’ worth of support from companies, charitable trusts and individual donors.

Her fundraising partnerships have won awards and she is a contributing author to the Directory of Social Change’s corporate fundraising book.

She is passionate about supporting people who need health and social care and is a current trustee of sport-for-social-change charity The Change Foundation and ex-trustee of children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent.

She is also a volunteer mentor through the Institute of Fundraising.

Rachel is married with three children and enjoys playing and coaching netball.

Speaking about her new role, she said: “It is a huge honour to join Wessex Cancer Trust as chief executive.

"Throughout the pandemic, the charity’s excellent team of staff and volunteers have done everything they can to continue to support anyone in our region living with cancer and I know this has been hugely comforting to many people.

"I’m determined that Wessex Cancer Trust will continue to listen to the needs of local people and be at the heart of shaping local cancer

support so that we can be here for even more people who need us in the future.”

Although lockdown measures are easing, it is still a particularly anxious time for anyone living with cancer.

To access cancer support or make a donation visit www.wessexcancer.org.uk