Nichola Sims went to university to study Social Administration with Psychology in her quest to make the world a better place. Unable to find a job in social work on graduating, she became a trainee word processor operator at The Salvation Army – an obvious career move and one which ages her immediately! This, plus a move to the SA property department and then legacy section where she became the first lay member to be assistant head of section and furthered her studies with the Institute of Legal Executives, provided an excellent grounding in the workings of the charity sector, but determined legacy management as her passion.
After having her first son, she moved to Diabetes UK as their first Legacy Officer whilst also becoming one of the first Legacy Link consultants under the company’s founder, Linda Norgrove, working for charities such as RNID (as was), Save the Children, Home Farm Trust, Children’s Hospice South West, Help the Aged (as was) and Barnardo’s.
Whilst on maternity leave with her second son, the opportunity arose to work for the Institute of Legacy Management as their first ever Training Manager and Assistant to the Executive Director. For 15 years until recently Nichola was the Head of Training & Professional Standards at ILM. During this time she developed the organisation’s professional development programme, writing and delivering what became the go-to training courses for those in the charity legacy sector and beyond.
With recent testimonials ranging from being “my crazy legacy auntie” to having “an enviable reputation for … knowledge and professionalism” and “the only face I would go to for any help as you were always so kind and helpful”, Nichola isn’t too sure whether she has been mistaken for someone else or died without realising!
Resuming her work with Legacy Link, she retains the ability to share her passion for legacies, support others in their work and mission and still use pictures of David Beckham to explain estate administration, thereby continuing her original intention to make the world a better place.