I’m not going to start this post with the usual 2020 tropes, but what I will say is that this year has certainly thrown us several curveballs. However, we’ve been lucky to work on some fantastic projects with clients across a wide variety of industries including hospitality, education, not-for-profit, electric vehicles and industry in the last 12 months. Here I’m sharing twelve of our favourite highlights.
Cotswold Cottage Gems
The year has been bookended by two sterling pieces for Cotswold Cottage Gems, run by Gemma Elizabeth Conway. Gemma Elizabeth provides a five-star personalised concierge service to guests staying in one of the company’s luxury self-catering cottages across the Cotswolds. She has been known to organise personal chefs, offer lifts to the races and even look after owners’ pets.
The Sun’s travel editor, Caron Curnow, stayed with Gemma Elizabeth at Century Cottage in Moreton-in-Marsh and even bumped into Cotswold legend Prue Leith resulting in a full-page review in the paper and covered online.
1) MORETON THE MERRIER Cotswold town Moreton-in-Marsh has plenty of Christmas cheer this festive season – The Sun, December 2019
And this Christmas, Tom Hutchinson stayed at Ivy Cottage in Bourton-on-the-Water, producing a double-page spread in Daily Star and Mirror on Sunday.
2) Spend it Like Beckham… – Daily Star & Mirror on Sunday (Print editions), 19th December 2020
“We had a weekend to explore the area while enjoying a stay at a gorgeous stone property, which felt rather like our very own Beckham-style mansion. Ivy Cottage, just five minutes from the town centre, is huge. The original house has been extended with a conservatory complete with giant dining table, two bathrooms, side by side – which helped prevent family arguments – and cosy loft bedrooms.
“The owner, Gemma at Cotswold Cottage Gems, has clearly sought to keep the warm and welcoming feel to the place, while making sure modern families are catered for. There’s a brick fireplace with woodburner and window seats to curl up on with a book. Plus there’s Netflix, lightning-fast internet connection and a lovely country kitchen to try your best Gordon Ramsay impersonation.
“The best part about staying here, however, is when Gemma herself assumes the role of your own personal chef. All Ivy Cottage guests are cooked complimentary breakfasts at The Lansdowne guest house directly opposite.” – Daily Star, Saturday 19th December
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Earthwatch Europe
When the first national lockdown kicked off, Earthwatch Europe, an international environment charity, quickly switched its fundraising tactics to launch a new online outdoor/indoor learning service called Wild Days. We helped the team raise awareness of the programme helping to reach parents stuck at home and now in charge of home learning.
In April, parenting correspondent, Rosa Silverman included Wild Days in her Easter at home activity roundup.
3) ‘It’s going to be an Easter holiday unlike any other’ – how to spend the school break at home – The Telegraph, 8th April
“Mya-Rose Craig, aka Birdgirl: “Birds are at their busiest in spring and are everywhere. Watch the skies for birds returning here after wintering abroad, or look outside and see how many birds are carrying bits of material to build their nests. Identify them by looking them up online. I used to draw the birds I saw in a notebook and keep a record of all the different types I’d see. Why not try that with your kids too?” @BirdgirlUK on Twitter, and ambassador for Wild Days – Telegraph, 8th April
Wild Days also featured in Chris Packham’s roundup for the Guardian.
4) Naturalists flock to Chris Packham’s DIY ‘Springwatch‘ on Facebook – The Guardian, 4th April
“Osprey webcams are already up and running this year, the majestic birds returning from Africa in recent weeks, others will be online early in April. Among them will be Wild Days on the Earthwatch Europe platform, featuring Strachan as part of a team offering an hour’s worth of daily activities online, to show you what’s going on in your gardens, patios and balconies.” – The Guardian, 4th April
Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association (MPMA)
As part of a campaign to highlight that metal packaging is infinitely recyclable amongst consumers, MPMA commissioned a survey to discover who was responsible for championing recycling and forming good eco-habits within the home. Turns out that children play a really important role in encouraging parents to recycle over two million people read the story but my favourite was from Gemma Francis, environment reporter for the Independent
5) Children ‘shame’ parents for poor recycling knowledge – The Independent, 2nd June
And in the heart of lockdown, when demand for canned food surged, Robert Fell, MPMA CEO and director spoke to Michael Odell at The Times on the new tinned food renaissance.
6) Make delicious dinners from your tinned food supplies? It can be done – The Times, 19th March
“There are certain people we turn to in a crisis. The emergency services. Our political class. And then there are unsung but vital figures such as Robert Fell, the chief executive of the Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association (MPMA).”
“We hear from the media in a crisis because everyone turns to tinned food,” he says. “It makes me sad in a way because people should know: tinned food is not just a standby. We are not a last resort. That’s old thinking. A tin of food is a totally recyclable, low-energy-to-produce option full of nutritious food which is low on waste. We should celebrate them.” – The Times, 19th March
Altelium
In November, the UK government announced its 10-point plan for putting the country on track to reach net zero carbon emissions with £12bn investment. However, Charley Grimston, CEO of Altelium, a trusted warranty partner delivering information for the electric vehicle market, felt that the level of investment in battery storage fell woefully short. His comments were included in a write up by Fiona Harvey and Jillian Ambrose in the Guardian’s green economy section.
7) Is £12bn enough to get UK on track for net zero carbon emissions? – The Guardian, 18th November
“Some in the electric vehicle industry were also nervous. Charley Grimston, the chief executive of Altelium, which makes software for electric vehicles, said: “£500m for mass-scale production of batteries does not compare to investment in countries such as Germany, where figures are in the billions for new battery manufacturing plants.”- The Guardian, 18th November
As part of an ongoing thought leadership programme for Altelium, we also helped place over twenty comment and opinion pieces in key industry titles including Smart Transport, Automotive World, CAT Magazine and Motor Pro.
One topic, which covered why EV fleet managers must have complete data on battery state of health authored by Alex Johns, Altelium’s business development manager, really struck a chord.
8) EV fleets need complete data on battery state of health – Electronic Specifier, 14th August
“How can we expect fleet managers to embrace EV if they’ve one hand tied behind their back?” says Alex Johns, business development manager at Altelium, which specialises in lithium ion battery information.
“With a traditional petrol or diesel fleet, there’s a wealth of information available about the vehicles – a full-service history. Yet in the electric vehicle (EV) market, a crucial piece of information is missing – battery state of health – because it is commercially sensitive information.
“This can severely limit the ability of operators to manage fleets efficiently and cost effectively, and further down the line limit their ability to capitalise on the second life market.” – Electronic Specifier, 14th August
Re-Fashion
To my sheer delight, we also began working with Re-Fashion, an online retailer which specialises in secondhand clothing sold in aid of charity whilst also reducing landfill. My entire lockdown 2020 wardrobe came from this site!
In the summer, Re-Fashion launched its partnership with fashion stalwart, Very. Specialist upcycled denim press packs were sent to retail, fashion and lifestyle journalists and influencers, including a Re-Fashion donation bag. Interview with founder, Steve Lyons, was covered in Drapers Magazine.
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9) Re-Fashion’s aim to be ‘the Asos of charity shopping’ Drapers – 25th November
And the partnership was selected by The Sunday Mirror’s Notebook magazine as part of the ‘10 things to make a note of this week’ column.
10) Designer deals: Second Chance, Notebook Magazine – The Sunday Mirror (Print edition) – 8th November
“Every year we’re guilty of chucking a shocking £140m worth of used clothes into landfill. Instead of wasting pre-loved threads, shoppers at Very.co.uk can request a donation bag and fill it with good-quality old favourites to be enjoyed by someone new. Second-hand clothes specialist Re-Fashion does the hard work for you, so get online and start your winter wardrobe edit.” – The Sunday Mirror, 8th November
British Fluid Power Association (BFPA)
This Autumn, the BFPA launched its ‘Choose Q for Quality’ campaign which raises awareness of the BFPA Approved Hose Assemblies Scheme and its associated Q logo. The scheme sets best practice guidelines for hose manufacturing, distribution and fitting. Members who sell and fit hoses under the Q mark must meet strict criteria to carry the accreditation.
The BFPA wanted to reach professionals within the construction industry and also highlight why hose re-ending, a practice Q members will simply not do, can cause serious injury. Twelve launched a thought leadership campaign targeting construction titles.
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11) Implement zero tolerance towards hose re-ending, urges BFPA – Construction Plant News, 20th October
“The UK’s fluid power trade association has launched its ‘Choose Q for Quality’ campaign highlighting BFPA Approved Quality Members. “The pandemic has us all under extra strain and I know that many company owners or workers across the construction industry will be looking for ways to save money – but let me tell you now, re-ending hoses to save a few pounds is not the answer,” comments Nigel Thomason, BFPDA Chairman.“ – Construction Plant News, 20th October
Qube Learning
Last but by no means least is this piece for HR Director secured on behalf of Qube Learning, a training and learning provider which has been helping young people reach their full potential and employers tap into funding available through an Apprenticeship Levy Transfer.
There hasn’t been a more important year than 2020 for ensuring all avenues for training are explored and taken advantage of. Twelve has helped Qube Learning reach HR professionals across several industries including logistics, care and retail to raise awareness of the government-backed training funds available to them to implement traineeships, apprenticeships and other training programmes for their future and current employees.
12) Guide to tapping into apprentice levy transfers – HR Director, 22nd June
“Every HR Director in organisations with an annual payroll of £3 million or more will be well aware of the apprenticeship levy, with 0.5% of their payroll going to the levy, that amount of money is hard to ignore. Yet from our experience it looks like many businesses are ignoring it, missing out on thousands of pounds available to fund training by not utilising the Levy transfer option.” – HR Director, 22nd June
That’s our year in review! We’ve enjoyed working with all our clients and exciting projects in 2020 and from all of us at Twelve PR, we hope you have a great new year. If you’re looking for support for your campaigns in 2021, please don’t hesitate to get in touch for a virtual coffee date (at least until physical meetings resume!) – Jessica@twelvepr.co.uk
