Doreen is the Skipper of CanalAbility and makes sure it stays on course and handles all the day to day operations of the charity.

Back in 1994  Doreen took redundancy from IBM, a company she had joined 19 years previously, eventually becoming Events Manager  in the Marketing Centre at their South Bank offices. This saw Doreen determined to find a less stressful occupation and she went on to spend the next 9 years in various roles: Including managing a Business Education Partnership, a term as self employed,  working in a hotel as Assistant to the General Manager and then a spell with a local accountants.

Much to her surprise, Doreen had not realised there was a river in Harlow, and when she saw the advert for her current position she thought it sounded a stress free and a worthwhile role.  Being the only woman applicant made her very determined to be offered the job – even though she knew next to nothing about boats!

8 years later she says she could not have made a better decision than to say “Yes” when she received the phone call to say the job was hers.  No two days are the same.  She feels that she is very privileged to work as a member of an amazing, mainly voluntary team.  Every time she leaves the mooring she knows that CanalAbility has made a difference to its users; whether that be mentally, emotionally, physically, or all three.  “Just knowing that is the greatest part of my job, and makes all the challenges we have to face as a small charity fade into insignificance” she says.

Outside of work Doreen likes to collect maritime memorabilia and enjoys going on walks in London with her husband.