Frances Brennan, one of the IEP’s inaugural Fellows, passed away from cancer on the 25th of October. In a career in the employability sector spanning four decades, Frances was well known to the many people she dealt with as a passionate advocate for people needing help to secure employment.
Scott Parkin FIEP, Group CEO, IEP said “The employability sector is better for having Frances committing her whole life to helping others. She will be so missed by all.”
Frances was a dedicated Fellow of the IEP and a remarkable force for good in the employability sector. Over her 45-year career, Frances worked across the public, private, social enterprise, and charity sectors, always driven by a passion for helping others and delivering inclusive growth. She was always forward-thinking, envisioning a labour market shaped by integrity and opportunity for all.
Frances’ career demonstrated that new approaches thrive with the right people, a clear vision, and strong, principled leadership. Her wisdom and contributions will leave a lasting legacy in the employability sector and beyond.
We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.”
Frances left school with six ‘O’ Levels. She began her working life at Portsmouth Unemployment Benefit Office and progressed steadily. When Working Links was formed in the year 2000, she was seconded in as Southwest Zone Director. She became Regional Director for the Southwest in 2008, managing a patch that stretched from the Isles of Scilly to Gloucester. She revelled in helping thousands of people through New Labour’s Employment Zones and on specialist programmes for families and for people with disabilities, mental health conditions and substance misuse challenges.
“I first met Frances in 2002 when she interviewed me for an Administrator Role at Working Links in Plymouth and, 22 years later, I am still working in the sector. Quite simply, Frances became my mentor, and my career developed in line with the successful SW region in Working Links that she worked so hard to create and grow. Frances was a force of nature and incredibly driven to succeed. I remember her as demanding yet loyal, serious yet funny, single minded yet compassionate. Above all, Frances was a good human being who was kind and proud of her family. An example of her kindness is that she would crochet a blanket as a gift for each new mother across the Southwest team. Frances will always be the person who gave me the confidence to achieve my potential, and I will be forever grateful to her for that.” – Ed Atter “I first met Frances 24 years ago, when I was interviewed for the role of Employment Consultant at Working Links in Plymouth. Always to the point, she told me that my first interview was, as she put it, “crap, but I saw something, and I wanted you in my team.” (I think it was some kind of backhanded compliment). I can honestly say that working alongside Frances was the best time of my working life. She had incredible vision and innovation, but she was also very grounded and had the ability to come back down to work at all levels and make sure everyone understood. A very keen and sometimes wicked wit and we had some great laughs. Frances always wanted to celebrate success and was not backward in coming forward in telling the world what a fantastic job she and her team were doing. I always felt valued. Frances was an extremely focused and ambitious individual, but this did not get in the way of putting people first and she was incredibly kind and supportive when it really mattered. I experienced this kindness several times and felt privileged to work for such a compassionate leader. She did have her boundaries, never spell her name with an ‘i’ or car in her parking space, which was big trouble! I was lucky enough to speak to Frances just a few weeks ago, I really did not know what to say but she started the conversation with “hello trouble!” That immediately put me at ease, and we had a good old yarn about the old days and what was to come. Her sense of humour and wit was still very much alive but also her bravery and realism of her situation was unquestionable and very much Frances. Thank you, Frances, for sharing your wisdom and giving me that opportunity many years ago that changed my life and for which I have so much gratitude. I will miss you terribly.” – Mike Cherry |
Frances joined Pluss in 2015 as Strategic Stakeholder Lead and was pivotal in designing and implementing Pluss’ highly successful Big Lottery BBO Positive People programme for those who were furthest from the labour market, helping Pluss to become the largest provider of BBO contracts in the UK. Her expertise also helped Pluss secure the DWP’s Work and Health Programme contract for Southern England, a remarkable achievement for a relatively small and largely regional organisation at that point.
“I was Frances’ line manager at Pluss where she helped us develop propositions and used her excellent networking capabilities to open doors and build partnerships. Her knowledge of DWP programmes was critical in Pluss securing a prime provider contract for the Work and Health Programme. One of our DWP interviews for this coincided with Frances’ leave so we flew her back for the day from Spain so she could attend, thereby maximising our chances of a successful outcome. A routine I remember with fondness was her regular unscheduled 7.30am phone calls to keep me updated on progress and her plans for the forthcoming day. This led me to invest in some headphones so I could do my morning shop whist still continuing the conversation. Frances was a one off. The welfare to work community have lost a great servant who devoted her life to helping others.” – Nigel Williams “In the series of Dialogue Sessions forming part of DWP’s selection process for the Work and Health Programme, Frances’ performances were a tour de force. The sessions were staged over several weeks. There was always a degree of tension in the room. There was a lot at stake. This was, in effect, combat by debate, and Frances relished it. In an occasional quiet moment, it sometimes weighed on Frances that she had left school at sixteen. She had never been part of the gilded world of academia. Armed with her six ‘O’ Levels, she had needed to work her way up patiently rung by rung. She could be suspicious of entitled men with plummy voices. She liked to champion women in the profession. She loved debate. She was never deferential and always curious. Perhaps that’s why she relished encounters like those Dialogue debates. In response to the cross-examination of senior DWP officials she was imperious, polite, engaging, always on top of her brief, concise (mostly) and intensely knowledgeable about every nuance of working across the south of England. On those days in Sheffield it was a joy and a privilege to sit beside her.” – Paul Wilson “Having been aware of Frances’ standing in the sector from afar, I first met this whirlwind of a personality when Frances joined our Business Development team at Pluss in 2016. What first struck me was that behind this incredibly forthright and knowledgeable individual who would help take Pluss to the next level was a warm, dedicated, tenacious, humorous, and caring individual who was driven to achieve real positive impacts on individuals and communities that enriched lives, despite the challenges they faced. Frances is one of a very small number of people who I truly learnt from and from whom I was able to develop my own career through her guidance and to trust in my own abilities, something I will never forget. I remember with fondness, our ‘Thelma and Louise’ road trips engaging with the great and good whilst developing Pluss’ Big Lottery and WHP submissions, chatting about the sector, the changes we hoped to make and how we would look to change the world. Outside of work, Frances continued to strive to make an impact and lasting changes by being involved strategically with key bodies (LEP’s) and more locally through being a parish councillor and supporting local VCSE’s in her community. Community was at the heart of everything Frances was involved in. Most of all, Frances was passionate about her family and friends which were always a key part of our conversations on these road trips. Her deep love, pride and support for her family shone through, they were clearly the epicentre of her life that kept Frances grounded and were the foundation of all that she was. ‘Duchess’ will be sorely missed, the sector has lost a beacon of light, and I personally will always be grateful and privileged to have worked with and furthermore consider a good friend, that force of nature that is and always will be Frances.” – Mik Belcher FIEP “Our Cornish Queen, Frances Brennan, touched and inspired so many people (including me), but God forbid anyone who spelt her name ‘Francis,’ I did, and was one of the few who lived to tell the tale. Frances had a fabulous choice in shoes and was always keen to add to the collection, often looking for discount codes, a keen bargain hunter. At work, Frances presented like an opera singer, so knowledgeable, very articulate, humorous, cheeky, and always commanding the room. None could hide from Frances, she somehow always knew what was going on, was in control and led like a true leader. My fondest memories of Frances, are her passion for Cornwall’s prosperity, speaking out about what she believed was the right thing, her love for her family, her home, shoes, stained glass, and holidays to Lanzarote. Frances certainly made a positive impact on so many lives and will be sadly missed!” – Avril Bankes-Fey FIEP |
In 2021, Frances supported Case-UK to embed the Able Futures Mental Health Support programme across the Southwest which continues to grow year on year.
“I was truly indebted to Frances, and we will continue to see the positive impact for years on the lives of individuals and families her work has touched.” – Ian Benbow FIEP |
As Vice Chair of the Heart of the Southwest LEP and Cornwall LEP, Frances worked diligently on strategies for Cornish growth and economic empowerment. As Chair of the LEP’s Common Purpose Advisory Board she was focused on helping to develop local people’s leadership skills.
“In 2003 I was at a crossroads and looking for a new direction. Not able to secure a job interview I popped into the job centre for advice and was told they couldn’t help me because I was overqualified. However, they did point me in the direction of the Working Links consultant who suggested I could work for Frances’ team in Plymouth. I took up the offer, and 20 years later I’m still employed in the sector. The team was full of characters from a broad range of backgrounds and ages with a smattering of eccentricity. High in energy and commitment they were very effective at helping people. I gravitated towards business development and worked closely with Frances over the years, successfully developing propositions in Working Links, Pluss and Awenek. She was an innovative thinker who was able to draw upon her extensive network for partnership development. Frances was a strong woman with the determination to reach the highest level in her chosen profession. She was adept at the art of self-promotion; however she knew what she was talking about and therefore commanded respect. Beneath her outward bravado she was a thoughtful person with a great intellect. She had a great sense of humour and could laugh at herself. She was a great colleague and friend, and it was always a pleasure working with her as she showed a genuine appreciation for your efforts. Frances’ adopted home was Cornwall. She particularly loved the Scilly Isles which she visited every year. She took immense pride in her family and was a doting grandmother. Frances faced her illness with characteristic stoicism and remained cheerful until the end. A few weeks before she passed, she told me that she wanted to be remembered as someone who had made a difference. In this respect she improved the lives of thousands of people through her tireless work over the years. This is her lasting legacy.” – Ian Dring |
In retirement, Frances developed Awenek Studio CIC (Cornish for ‘Welcome’) with her daughter, Rosie. Now a highly valued community asset, Awenek uses art and craft to promote people’s wellbeing across the Rame Peninsula community in South and East Cornwall. This was Frances’ home turf, a place in which she was a respected Parish Counsellor and an area for which she felt a deep connection and showed a lifelong commitment.
