A fixed term contract to leverage the delivery of the Productivity & Skills directorate, which included creating and implementing individual campaign plans as well as maintaining a forward content plan.

As the only comms employee for this local Business Improvement District, I was responsible for leveraging the activities of 300+ local businesses in the town centre and promoting Rugby as an attractive place to work, visit and shop. Before being made redundant, my work highlights included:• Running ‘shop local’ social media campaigns during two national lockdowns.• Creating and launching a new food and drink website.• Producing all copy and visuals for four social media channels and increasing followers month on month.

Providing senior level media relations, social media management, copywriting, event management, internal communications and crisis management support for clients. Highlights included:• Managing the press office at Coventry University while a permanent team was recruited generating daily national media coverage and managing the Clearing campaign.• Managing press trips, providing expert comment, creating interview opportunities, liaising with policy advisors on issues, working with the public affairs team to shape the agricultural agenda in Westminster and Brussels and generating national media coverage during a six month contract for the National Farmers Union. • Engaging with stakeholders on major policy changes affecting the housing sector and preparing an annual PR plan for Birmingham City Council, where I was the first point of contact for national, trade and regional media enquiries. • Boosting internal communications for the merger of Tarmac and Lafarge during a six month contract, by managing the production of four monthly divisional newsletters, organising an MP visit, running staff focus groups and a Chief Exec townhall event.I also completed interim contracts for - • Barques Design (Jewellery Quarter BID).• Ben Tesh (chef.• Birmingham City Council.• Chartered Institute of Housing.• City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.• Clive Reeves PR.• Coventry University. • Great British Food Festival.• Lafarge Tarmac.• National Farmers Union.• NEC.• One Black Bear (National Express).• Regent Court shopping centre.• Sweet As patisserie.• The Coach & Horses.

Responsible for internal communications and media relations for an international food company, who produce own label chicken products for retailers including Marks & Spencer, Tesco and KFC. At the time, the company also owned Harry Ramsden’s and Fishworks restaurants, Fox's Biscuits and Matthew Walker Christmas puddings. Achievements included:• Providing content for internal communications, and facilitated a daily management conference call to engage with 6,000 employees in 12 UK sites.• Copywriting, food photography styling, print and production of a marketing brochure for a new £30m factory.• Managed the PR for Harry Ramsden’s and Fishworks. Secured interviews on Channel 4 Undercover Boss, Channel 4 Hugh's Fish Fight, BBC Business News and Radio Five Wake Up To Money, Live for Harry Ramsden’s CEO and coverage in Olive and Time Out for Fishworks.• Handling media enquiries, interview requests and crisis communication.

As a freelance PR consultant, I have provided forward planning and proactive media relations support to the Local Government Association (London), Business Link West Midlands (Birmingham) and Birmingham City University (BCU).Achievements included:• Created a bank of case studies of BLWM clients which generated media coverage including BBC2’s ‘Working Lunch’.• Leveraged an event at the Grand Designs Show with Kevin McCloud for BCU, that also secured media coverage with The Daily Telegraph, Ideal Home and Beautiful Home.

At Marketing Birmingham I established a corporate PR team in this newly created permanent role for a destination marketing agency. I produced a three year corporate PR plan and managed a team of three as well as a roster of regional and national agencies. Achievements included:• Launched five national consumer campaigns including art, food, fashion, sport and tourism.• Secured £10,000,000 worth of media coverage.• Acted as a media spokesperson for the company.• Demonstrated a 10: 1 return on investment for the PR budget.• Created and implemented a stakeholder engagement strategy to enhance funding streams, with an increase in funding from £1,000,000 to £4,000.000 over two years.• Facilitated the communications steering group of major city events including the Conservative and Labour Party Conferences.• Successfully launched major new consumer events in the city, including Style Birmingham and Taste Birmingham, in collaboration with national media partners Sunday Times and Channel 4 and event management agencies.

As a self employed PR I launched six, new, independently owned restaurants and a bar in London. Achievements included:• Secured coverage in Sunday Times Style magazine, The Times, Vogue, Independent on Sunday and Waitrose Food Illustrated.Negotiated tie-ins for corporate dining offers with Chelsea FC and Sadlers Wells.