About
About Little Reservoir Consulting
Little Reservoir Consulting is built on a simple idea: that purpose-led organisations do their best work when they have a partner who's genuinely in it with them. We work with leaders to help them understand their numbers, strengthen their systems, deliver bold plans and make confident long-term decisions.
Meet Rachel
I'm Rachel Coaker, a chartered accountant (FCA) with around 25 years in senior finance roles in complex, multi-entity organisations across the charity, public and private sectors.
I started Little Reservoir after years of seeing the same thing: capable people doing important work, but without finance that genuinely helped them, systems that served them, or change that actually landed.
I think in systems as much as numbers. I'm interested in how an organisation really works - what drives it, where it gets stuck - and in turning that into something clear enough to act on. I care about being a committed partner - giving practical, grounded support and helping the work actually get done.
When I'm not working, I'm usually outside - on the farm with my two huskies, walking or cold-water swimming.
What we stand for
Integrity
Straight, independent advice you can trust.
Clarity
Making financial information easier to understand and act on.
Calm
A steady, reassuring approach during complexity, pressure or change.
Rigour
Professional, thoughtful and commercially sharp financial support.
Sustainability
Helping organisations build stronger foundations for long-term impact.
Why Little Reservoir exists
Many purpose-led organisations are working under increasing pressure. Funding can be uncertain, systems can become stretched, and leaders are often expected to make important decisions without the financial clarity or strategic support they really need.
Little Reservoir exists to close the gap between basic financial reporting and senior strategic finance leadership. It helps organisations understand their position, strengthen their systems and make confident decisions that support long-term resilience and impact.
Little Reservoir Consulting
The meaning behind the name
The name Little Reservoir has a personal connection to a small reservoir on my non-working farm in Rossendale, in my family since 1980. Built to serve a mill along the River Irwell, it's a small piece of the area's rich textile and industrial history - a place shaped by both nature and purpose, with practical roots.
For the consultancy, the meaning carries through. Little Reservoir stands for the careful management of resources, resilience, and the capacity to think and act well through change. A name grounded in heritage, usefulness and long-term strength.
