‘Doing something meaningful brings me so much joy’

Fed up with her corporate lifestyle, Mairéad Reynolds, 32, from London, decided to make a change. Now, she feels more fulfilled than ever.

‘This time last year, I was working as an auditor for a bank in the City. I’d been in the industry for 10 years, and was feeling increasingly unfulfilled. In my spare time, I was training as an actress and loving it – a stark contrast to the loneliness of my office cubicle and endless spreadsheets. I was 32 and had been sucked into a corporate cycle, working up to 60 hours a week. The environment was hectic and moneydriven, and I knew I didn’t fit in.

When I finished my acting course last year, I could no longer stand the strain. My friends and family could see I was unhappy. Sitting in the pub with my best friend one evening, I asked her if I quit my job, what the worst case scenario would be. “Well,” she said, “I guess if all else fails, you can go back to auditing.” She was right. I had something to fall back on, so I took the leap. I wanted to do something rewarding and make a difference.

For the next couple of months, I lived off my savings while looking for a job in the charity sector that would allow me to work part-time so that I could also pursue acting. Recruiters called offering finance roles that would add an extra £15,000 to my old salary. But I turned them down – I was no longer driven by money.

ON THE RIGHT PATH

When I came across a job advert for a part-time finance manager at Pursuing Independent Paths (PIP), a Londonbased charity that helps adults with learning disabilities to lead more independent lives, it sounded ideal.

On the day of my interview, I was nervous, yet excited. I had no experience of working with adults with learning disabilities, but felt ready for the challenge. The CEO was running late, but when he rushed in and explained why, any frustration I’d felt drained away. He’d bumped into one of the students on his walk to work and, as the charity teaches them road safety, he’d had to wait at every crossing for the green man. The students, he explained, always came first. That kindness felt so refreshing.

I was delighted to be offered the job. During my first week, I shadowed the students, getting to know them, taking part in their classes and eating with them at lunchtimes. They took me cycling, I helped during cooking lessons. I didn’t so much as look at a spreadsheet!

I now earn about a quarter of what I used to, but understanding what drives me has been invaluable. I can schedule my hours around auditions, too. Next year, the students are putting on a play, and I’m hoping I can help out and combine my two passions.

Every day, when I get into work, the students greet me by name. It’s a world away from my old faceless job in finance. Seeing their smiles is a reminder that I’m making a difference. Doing something meaningful brings me so much joy.’

• For more on PIP, visit piponline.org.uk