Duo from South East London win Best New Freelancer award two years in a row.
Grove Park based; Rachel Baines scooped the coveted New Freelancer Award at the 2022 IPSE Awards on Wednesday 23rd November.
After leaving a corporate Head of Digital role earlier this year, Rachel quickly secured a raft of clients supporting them with marketing consultancy. She did this alongside building a marketing agency, Chime Agency with Founder Claire Hutchings, also from Southeast London.
The win was made all the more special as Claire won the same New Freelancer Award in 2021 after getting made redundant in the pandemic led her to self-employment.
Chime Agency has grown substantially since its inception in 2022 off the back of Claire’s Freelance career and 2021 win. It now supports a range of copywriters, designers, marketers and content creators to build successful freelance careers and deliver content marketing for UK independent agencies and consultancies.
The judges commended Rachel on the quality of work she provided her clients and her support of future Freelance talent across the country. She received the award from ceremony host, Paul Sinha and IPSE CEO, Derek Cribb.
IPSE is the only not-for-profit membership organisation to support the self-employed. Its annual awards recognise the work of freelancers across the UK and the role the self-employed workforce plays in supporting businesses and the economy.
Rachel Baines, Head of Strategy and Campaigns, Chime Agency said of her win, “It was a total shock to be awarded the IPSE New Freelancer Award as the competition was so strong. Freelancing while working with Chime Agency has been my best career move yet. I’ve worked with some incredible clients and feel privileged to make an impact to so many small, independent businesses. This award is an honour.”
Claire Hutchings, Founder and MD of Chime Agency said, “I had no idea Rachel had entered the award until she told me she had been shortlisted. I’m so proud of all she has achieved this year for Chime Agency and her own freelance clients. It was a magical moment to see her on stage accepting the IPSE New Freelancer Award and pass the baton on. We are both passionate about creating a flexible and autonomous work culture at Chime Agency, freelancers will always be part of our story as we scale the agency.”
