Meet the Hooray team

Richard is Managing Director of Hooray Recruitment which he founded in October 2017. Richard has a Diploma in Recruitment Management and is a Fellow of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals.

Since founding the business, Hooray has grown the business to a team of over 20 people, and it is now an award-winning recruitment agency which is committed to working ethically, responsibly and with the highest levels of integrity.

Committed to continuous improvement, Richard and the team are dedicated to supporting a variety of people-focussed causes and initiatives in the community as well as supporting a wide range of organisations with their recruitment strategies.

With over 15 years of Business Development and Account Management experience, Ian has worked in the Property and Recruitment sectors extensively and brings a wealth of knowledge to Hooray. Ian manages the day to day operations at Hooray, overseeing everything from Finance to Marketing as well as looking after a portfolio of valued clients. Ian lived in Australia for 6 years and set up his own organic food business, creating a healthy muesli brand and distributing it to over 50 health food stores and cafes in Sydney.

Having been in recruitment since 2017, Dan has spent the last five years specialising in recruitment for the Healthcare + Education sectors. Covering temporary and permanent vacancies from entry through to Director level, Dan is equally successful finding niche social care specialists as he is at finding business support candidates for the increasingly busy and challenging Healthcare sector. Prior to his recruitment days, Dan had a successful career in Hospitality managing a busy Gastro Pub with a team of twenty five at the age of 22. Dan believes he has a special connection to the Queen, can you guess what it is? They share the same birthday!

Beth recently joined Hooray in February 2024 to join the growing Temporary Division, bringing with her valuable experience from the recruitment field. Prior to her venture into recruitment, Beth honed her customer service and communication skills in the world of hospitality, enabling her to thrive in her current role.

During her earlier years, Beth showcased her leadership skills as the captain of the Gloucestershire County Rugby team for three successful years. Notably, in 2013, she secured the 2nd position in Great Britain for acrobatic gymnastics! During her free time Beth loves to cook and is passionate about food and exploring new cuisines. If you’re looking for recommendations her favourite place is Petit Coco…

Aimee joined Hooray in January 2024 as a Talent Resourcing Executive, joining our busy Healthcare and Education Department. Aimee‘s previous role was in the education sector, and she has a background in digital marketing. Aimee has developed and honed her communication and customer service skills, which are perfectly suited for her new role. Aimee studied International Politics and Policy at the University of Liverpool. Aimee is an avid reader; she sets herself the goal of reading 100 books a year – she has achieved this goal 3 years in a row!

Stephen has a wealth of recruitment experience gained from a career in both agency and RPO environments. Having worked for large consultancy and financial services businesses in London and Birmingham for the previous 10 years, Stephen returned to his recruitment roots and joined Hooray in 2020 and now leads the Professional Services specialist division. Originally from London, Stephen and his family moved to the Cotswolds 6 years ago and like everyone else, they wished they’d made the leap sooner. In a former life, Stephen lived and worked in Australia undertaking work on cotton farms in Queensland amongst other temporary roles to fund further travel.

Following on from working in Insurance Sales & Customer Service, for the past 4 years, Jess has gained a very strong background and knowledge in the Financial Services industry making her a perfect fit for our Professional Services division. Prior to this, Jess worked in the retail/hospitality sectors since the age of 17, even living in Greece for 6 months during a stint of being an Entertainment Host. Jess loves being on stage and watching musicals, meaning she is extremely enthusiastic when it comes to karaoke and handling a microphone! Jess also works seasonally as a professional scare actor so the spooky season and all things cosy/autumnal is where she is at her happiest.

Emily relishes in getting to know new people, meaning a career move to recruitment in July 2023 made sense. Emily has a history in customer service, marketing and fundraising. Raising £40,000 for charity within 6 months being her proudest career achievement to date. Her drive to help people has always pushed her towards success in both her professional and personal life. In and outside of work, Emily is a vegan food fanatic and tea drinker. Recharging on scenic walks with her Chow Chow is what Emily looks forward to each weekend.

Following a career spanning 20 years within the Estate Agency industry, which culminated in running his own successful Sales and Lettings business, Michael made the move into recruitment at the end of 2020. During this time he has been able to transfer his strong skill set of customer service, relationship building and business acumen to help both clients and candidates alike. A Cheltenham resident since 2008, Michael is well-travelled, having lived in Cyprus, Indonesia and Germany. A particular fan of Cheltenham’s vibrant food and drink scene, you will frequently find him sampling the latest fare on offer!

Jacqui joined Hooray in September 2023 following eighteen years working in finance within the property industry. Before that, she pursued varied careers, including a decade in the Royal Air Force and roles in estate agency, mortgage broking, and insurance. Though resident in Cheltenham for the last few decades, Jacqui has lived abroad in Germany, Cyprus, and Malaysia, hence her aversion to the cold!

Jacqui will be working in the dual role of Finance & Office Manager, where she will deal with all aspects of the accounts process, office operations, and facilities management.

In her spare time, Jacqui is a keen genealogist and fiction writer, currently working on her sixteenth novel. She cut her teeth on historical mysteries but has recently launched a locally set psychological crime fiction series.

With a first-class degree in photography and a background in branding and marketing, Prudence is a creative thinker that combines her love of photography, design, PR, and social media to create impactful and ethical marketing solutions. Her main focus has been establishing and strengthening the brands’ identity and the relationships with clients and candidates in order to best serve their needs.

Prudence loves problem solving and perseveres to find original solutions to problems. She is motivated to learn and develop new skills independently and loves a challenge. Whilst on the job, she is also working towards her level 3 Digital Marketing Diploma. Prudence is passionate about the environment and socio-political issues and in her spare time has produced work that raises awareness about global warming, plastic pollution, and the refugee crisis.