Meet Abby Christie - Living Streets' new Fundraising Manager

Hello! I’m Abby, and I’m thrilled to be joining Living Streets as the new Fundraising Manager.

This is a brand-new role for the organisation, and I’m excited to bring fresh energy and ideas to support more people to fundraise for Living Streets in their communities. As a campaigning charity, we need funds that allow us to respond quickly and effectively to where the need is greatest to achieve the charity’s mission. I'll be supporting people across the UK to host their own fundraising events such as sponsored walks and cycles, assisting local groups with fundraising to set up set parklets, inspiring companies to partner with us and creating compelling campaigns to create a future that puts pedestrians first.

This is a brand-new role for the organisation, and I’m excited to bring fresh energy and ideas to help diversify our income and raise unrestricted funds—the kind that allows us to respond quickly and effectively to where the need is greatest to achieve the charity’s mission. This will include corporate partnerships, individual giving, fundraising events and legacy giving.  

My journey to Living Streets has been shaped by a deep passion for active travel and health. I hold a background in psychology, with a Master’s in Exercise Psychology, where my thesis focused on how to motivate people to incorporate movement into their daily lives through active travel. 

I’ve spent much of my career working to increase walking and cycling levels, first in local government and the NHS, and later with Natural England, where I helped develop a series of health walks across London. These experiences gave me a strong foundation in behaviour change and community engagement.

For the past 15 years, I’ve worked in the charity sector, developing fundraising strategies and raising vital funds for organisations including Cancer Research UK, Parkinson’s UK, and Changing Lives. I’m passionate about connecting people to causes that matter and helping them see the real-world impact of their support.