Laura May

Communications and Engagement Manager

Laura supports our communications and engagement strategy. Laura is a specialist in third sector marcomms and has a passion for ethical branding.

Hi Laura, can you tell me a bit about yourself?

Hello, my name is Laura and I’m the Communications and Engagement Manager at London Plus.

I’ve been working in communications and engagement for about 20 years… it’s slightly scary how quickly that’s gone!

I specialise in charity communications and have been with London Plus since October 2023.

What’s one fun fact about you?

I’m a writer! I write poetry and flash fiction.

What does your role involve?

A typical day for me involves looking at our communication channels. This includes traditional stuff like direct mailing and leaflets, and digital communications as well. I also check what’s happening in the world to make sure the team is up to date on the latest news.

Recently I’ve spent a lot of time growing our brand. We have a lovely brand, and now we’re looking at how we can get out there more. We want to make sure more people know about what we do and how we support charities and community groups across London.

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

Right after university I wanted to work at Penguin Publishing, and basically kept turning up until they gave me a job! The only job they had at the time was in marketing, so that’s what I did.

After that I decided to go into the charity sector… I’ve been here ever since! I especially like working for small charities. They always have loads of skills and creativity but very little resources.

That means I can be really creative because I need to come up with solutions that don’t involve a big budget.

Why did you decide to move to charities?

In 2008 I was diagnosed with a health condition. When this happens you really re-evaluate your priorities.

I was working in London, making money, but it suddenly didn’t seem important anymore. I wanted to help others who might be experiencing the same thing as me.

Why do you enjoy what you do?

Marketing and Communications gets a bit of a bad rap, but there’s a way to do it ethically.

If you truly embrace ethical marketing, you get better results in the long run. So that’s why I do what I do – to bring more ethical marketing to the world.

What do you like about London Plus?

London Plus links into every element of the third sector in London, which can be challenging.

The team is so close-knit, too. Everyone has such a strong purpose and role here. London Plus is at the hub of it all, which can be so hard to do.

I’ve learned so much about other organisations, have worked with all types of charities, and I really like that.

Why is your work important?

Everything we do is about reaching the right people in the right way at the right time. The more that people know about us, the more we help. It’s just that simple. It really is about benefitting society.

Listening to stories and hearing what’s happening on the ground is also a very important part of what we do. Stories are central to our work, making sure that we can give people a platform to share their own voice.

Thanks Laura! Last question… what’s one hidden gem in London that you want people to know about?

For me it’s got to be the Indian YMCA Restaurant. It’s just amazing! Apart from being a lovely space, the food is just phenomenal.

It’s my go-to place for meetings and I’d be there every week if I could!