About Us

 
 
SVG file icon

We help charities grow by providing first class fundraising and communications services.

Better Story began life in 2019 as a group of specialist freelancers coming together to complete bespoke communications projects for charities. Over time, we’ve developed an agency model that works well for our clients and team.

Our staff have 20+ years’ combined experience working in-house in the charity sector (and many more agency-side), so we understand where you’re coming from. We’re all highly motivated to do good in the world. 

We don’t want to sell you something you don’t need; we work collaboratively with our charity clients, listening and providing the combination of services that’s right for you. 

Find out more about our values and how they impact our work here.

SVG file icon

Meet the team

 

Dan Doherty

Chief Executive Officer

  • Dan has years of experience as a CEO and fundraising manager for several internationally recognised non-profit organisations. He has raised millions of pounds for charities over the last 10 years. He is passionate about charities having the resources they need to multiply their impact, helping more people to 'live a better story'. He lives in Wiltshire with his two girls and labradoodle.

 

Jason Smith

Chief Operating Officer

  • Jason wants to make the world a better place and does this through helping charities secure resources, increase their impact and make positive change. He has worked in the third, housing and public sectors for two decades. In that time, he has secured millions in funding through competitive tendering processes and grants. Jason is also a non-executive director for Llais: Your Voice in Health and Social Care and Taff Housing Association. Outside of work, he loves spending time with his family and training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

 

Karina Martin

Chief Innovation Officer

  • Karina has over 20 years’ experience as a charity founder, CEO and social venture leader. Skilled in strategy, project innovation and fundraising, she is passionate about helping charity leaders develop strong sustainable organisations that make a real difference to people's lives. Karina has a business Masters in Social Innovation and is involved with social impact work at her local church. She lives in Derbyshire with 1 husband, 2 cats and 3 chickens.

 
 

Mel Carlisle

Head of Copy.

  • For over 15 years, Mel has been using a combination of strategy and creativity to help charities make a positive difference to the world. She spent seven years working for charities in-house as a writer, communications officer and publications manager. She then served small and large charities and businesses as a freelance copywriter and communications consultant for six years, before joining Better Story in 2020. She lives in Bristol with her husband, daughter and office dog.

 

Steve Moore

Head of Video.

  • A triple threat when it comes to content creation, Steve is an animator, videographer and motion graphics designer who has worked with some of the world’s biggest brands including booking.com and BMW. His videos have been viewed well over 20 million times online and he currently creates weekly content with Russell Brand for a YouTube audience of over 6 million subscribers. From generating concepts and ideas to finishing the final edit, Steve is used to helping clients get their message across on film in clear and creative ways. He loves football, fruit gums and Lidl sausages.

 

Anna Davis

Fundraising Consultant (Trusts and Foundations)

  • Anna Davis is passionate about working with a wide range of charities and non-profits. She loves discovering what makes each organization unique and doesn't back down when challenges arise. Anna enjoys finding new opportunities and connecting funders with charities, always focused on improving their fundraising strategies.

     

    Before joining Better Story, Anna worked as the Fundraising and Communications Coordinator at EDAN Lincs, a charity that supports victims of domestic abuse in Lincolnshire. With a strong background in leadership and fundraising, she’s known for building strong relationships, crafting compelling stories, and making a real impact for the causes she works with.

     

    For the past eight years Anna has been volunteering to lead Christian school assemblies in rural Lincolnshire primary schools, always looking for ways to make them more interactive and engaging. At home, she enjoys caring for her many animals, including 2 boar goat sisters, chickens, three cats, and a dog.

 
 

Amie Hodgkinson

Fundraising Consultant (Trusts and Foundations)

  • Amie is passionate about helping charities bring their stories to life and transforming them into compelling funding applications. She first discovered that her passion for writing and research could support charities when she worked for a local community centre, where she recognised that there was potential to make a big impact. Outside of work, Amie enjoys spending time with her two young children and creating lasting memories.

 

Duncan Cuthill

Fundraising Consultant (Trusts and Foundations)

  • Duncan has 20 years' experience working in senior roles, including CEO, in the charity sector in London and his home city of Edinburgh, where he currently lives. From his own experience, he has seen the enormous benefit that proactive fundraising can bring. He has an Executive MBA from Durham University and is committed to helping charities secure resources to support individuals and strengthen communities. When he isn't in Edinburgh you might find him enjoying fika with friends in Gothenburg, Sweden

 

Harriet Galler

Fundraising Consultant (Trusts and Foundations)

  • Harriet loves using her research and writing skills to help charities share their stories and connect with supporters. She recently completed a PhD in History and has worked with non-profit organisations throughout her studies, making sure her work created impact beyond academia. When she’s not working, Harriet can usually be found with a book in hand, exploring a museum, or spending time with family in Amsterdam.

 
 

Benjamin Doherty

Copywriter.

  • Benjamin’s speciality is theological content within charity communications. He works as a freelance copywriter and enjoys working as part of the Better Story team when needed. In other news, he is the tallest of the three Doherty brothers.

 

Emma Jenkins

Fundraising Consultant (Trusts and Foundations)

  • Emma loves connecting with new charities and translating their vision and stories into stand-out funding applications. Since leaving University in 2020, Emma has worked wholly in the charity sector and is passionate about helping organisations secure the resources they need to continue making an impact in people’s lives. Emma lives in Lincoln with her husband, and loves writing poetry, playing piano and painting in her spare time.

 

Mary Rose Giles

Chief Storyteller.

  • With over 10+ years of expertise in helping charities tell their unique stories, Mary Rose is responsible for writing copy for supporter communications like news emails, magazines, fundraising campaigns and social media posts. Mary Rose has a BA degree from the University of Michigan in education, English, and history.

 

Locations

 

Bath, England

New York, USA