100 Club Profile: Fiona Barker, Sky Betting & Gaming

Fiona Barker is the community partnerships manager for Leeds-based Sky Betting & Gaming.

She is a member of the Leeds Community Foundation’s 100 Club, a patronage scheme for individuals who are motivated to make a difference in Leeds.

Here, she discusses what she loves about the city, and why she’s involved in the foundation.

What is your favourite thing about Leeds?

It’s a city that keeps on giving. I’ve been based in Leeds for eight years now and am still discovering new shops, bars and eateries, in addition to places to walk, hills to climb and villages to explore around the city. It’s also perfectly placed in the country, meaning I can see most of my friends and family based across the UK regularly.

What would you change about the city?

I hate to be the one to say transport links, but on thinking how well placed we are within the UK, it’s a shame we aren’t using that to our advantage. It’d be great to be able to leave my car at home more often, but the public transport just hasn’t caught up with the rest of the infrastructure.

Why did you decide to join the Leeds Community Foundation’s 100 Club?  

To be inspired by other individual and business within the network that are already doing great things. It’s important for us to get closer to the current themes and challenges faced within Leeds and to be able to connect our employees with issues that matter most within the city in which we work and live. There are so many small community groups in our home city that we otherwise would not know about, and which could benefit from having support from large business like Sky Betting & Gaming.

What community issues are important to you and/or your organisation?
Education and employment is a huge part of what builds a thriving city. As one of the biggest employers within the city, we’re keen to support grassroots community projects, charities and smaller organisations that can benefit from a boost. In the past, our support has ranged from cancer support charities to youth unemployment groups, and we’re excited to work with the Leeds Community Foundation in identifying where we add value and help individuals and groups achieve their best.