Passionate Blog

Recent radio appearances: Linda tells the world she has an "honest face"

WHO would have guessed that Linda had so much in common with the broadcasting giant Jeremy Vine?

They are both pretty useless when it comes to operating self-scanners in supermarkets, it would appear.

And that's why a rather breathless and manic sounding Linda found herself being interviewed by Jeremy last week.

They discussed a report saying people were using said contraptions to shoplift. Linda announced she had an "honest face" and would be gutted if anyone thought that of her. Suggesting it had left her on the brink of a nervous breakdown was taking it a bit far, I fear.

The kids are back to school - so who fancies a treat then?

OK, so it's the first day back at school and I don't know about you, but after six (nearly seven) weeks of the little darlings being at home, I think I deserve a break! I thought you might feel the same so let me tell you about an exciting competition being run by Walsall's Village Hotel.

Fancy putting your feet up and having a slap-up three-course meal cooked for you and up to five others? Of course you do!

Simply find a family member or friend to nominate you as to why you deserve a night off (hell, you can even nominate yourself!) and you could be sitting in your own home, with somebody else (yes, really!) not only cooking and serving up the dinner, but also washing up afterwards! Sounds like a dream come true...

Read on to find out more...

Passionate on the move

THE Passionate team literally stopped traffic the other day, as we had photos taken for our own press release - in the middle of the road! The lorry driver didn't look impressed as he sat waiting for the wind to die down so our hair wasn't blowing in our faces for the shot.

Thanks to Jim at Gingersnaps Photography for putting up with five vain women!

Linda's now regretting using the whole bottle of fake tan beforehand, but we had to get the word out about our move and recent successes.

Read on for the press release that accompanies it.

Get your kids an eye test - NOW!

WE'VE all booked our kids in for an eye test after working on our latest story for Colin Lee Opticians. They managed to save not just the sight, but the life of one of their patients, by helping diagnose a brain tumour with a routine check up.

It's really scary to think your child could have a cancerous tumour growing for years without them displaying any symptoms, but that's just what happened to 10-year-old Jack Cosnett. Luckily, Colin Lee caught it at a critical stage and it was removed in the nick of time.

We'd like to say a huge thank you to Jack and his mum, Theresa, who have coped really well with the demands of press photo shoots and radio interviews over the past couple of weeks. And what an amazing young lad Jack is. He's taken everything in his stride - and he's just glad he can play his computer games again!

Jenny, who conducted Jack’s eye exam at Colin Lee’s Ward End practise in Birmingham, said: “It’s just a really fortunate coincidence that Jack was brought in when he was, but it does underline the importance of having regular eye-tests from an early age.

“Children can be tested from as young as three, and we would recommend a yearly check-up as maintaining the health of the eyes from an early age can avoid problems in later life.

“More common conditions in children include squints and lazy eyes. These can be rectified before children reach seven, after that it may become more complicated and can lead to permanent vision loss.

“As has been proved in Jack’s case, symptoms aren’t always obvious and the equipment we use is often the only way to pick up on problems.”

So get on the phone and make that appointment!

Compton Hospice's major new facelift

READ all about the exciting work under way at Compton Hospice here.

We wish everyone involved well and hope it's not too stressful a time. Plans include sensory gardens, outdoor therapy areas and wheelchair accessible woodland walks.

The changes are aimed at creating an enriching environment, promoting privacy, dignity, independence and choice for patients and visitors at the hospice.

Sue Hope, director of Hope Studios and manager of the renovation project said: “Surroundings can make a huge difference to a person’s feeling of wellbeing and we want to create an environment that instills a sense of hope and inspiration as well as being inviting and comfortable."

It'll be great to see the result, so that the wonderful work carried out at Compton can continue, at full steam ahead! [Carol]

Mumtrepreneurs' funky togs go global

TWO ‘mumtrepreneurs’ who hatched their upmarket babywear business plan over a bottle of wine are celebrating after seeing their brand ‘go global’.

Friends Emma Williamson and Melanie Harvey, hit on the idea to combine healthy eating messages with funky, retro designs as they relaxed in Emma’s kitchen after a hard day looking after their children – and battling to get them to eat veg!

Tasty treat for Village people

WALSALL'S Village Hotel cooked up a treat for 80 VIP guests as they hosted a charity launch night for their new restaurant, Verve Grill, in aid of Acorns Children’s Hospice.

Street magician Russ Stokes conjured up some fun as he astounded with his up-close and personal tricks at the tables, and a barman from the hotel’s Victory Pub, Adam Smith, serenaded with classical tunes on the piano.

A charity auction raised £630 for Acorns Children’s Hospice, with prizes including a full spring-clean of someone’s house by the hotel housekeeping team, Verve Grill’s head chef cooking a three-course a-la-carte dinner for six at the winner’s home and a signed West Bromwich Albion shirt.

Adding some Bollywood spice

WOW! What a night. In between learning Bollywood dance moves, having henna tattoos and watching a fabulous fashion show by Coconut Couture, ladies at India Gates Restaurant's charity night raised £200 for Breast Cancer Care.
The event attracted 80 guests who all had a Bolly-Good time!

Thanks to Desi Nach Dance Troupe, Coconut Couture, Digital Aisa Entertainments, Shally's Beauty Parlour and Oxford Blue Jewellers for making the party go with a Bhangra!

A Passionate encounter for kids' TV star

IT'S a tough job but someone has to do it!

Here's Katie getting up close (but not quite personal, thank you!) with the lovely Mark Rhodes.

Mark was at a very special event last Saturday. He spoke movingly of what a wonderful woman his mum was when he attended a remembrance service organised by Compton Hospice.

Just don't call them "the twins" Big Brother!

TAMBA'S Twins, Triplets & More Week is fast approaching and this year it's a pretty low-key affair. That means I'm helping out voluntarily.

Please consider voting and commenting here if you would like to help my small part in continuing to help raise awareness of issues affecting twins, triplets or more. I've a few ideas up my sleeve as to what to do with the results. Big Brother will hopefully be a good hook...

In the past, we have worked on local, regional, national and yes (get me) international coverage. It's listed after the cut if you'd like to know more.

Passionate advice in Press Gazette and Writers' News

AS Linda is far too modest to mention this, allow me to draw your attention to her advice in Press Gazette this week about sourcing and writing women's weekly magazine stories.

Apparently, she tells us, it's all down to the gift of the gab and attempting to "charm the birds out of the trees."

Now I'd like to say something witty about doing as she "says," rather than "does" but as she talked me into joining her in the company, I can't really can I?

There's another dose of advice for freelance journalists in this week's Writers' News courtesy of Alex Gazzola. That's off the back of a forthcoming book. Watch this space for more details, if Linda can get her head through the door. At least she has had the good grace to acknowledge how unrecognisable she is from that picture. [Carol]

'You've got your hands full' in The Telegraph

LINDA'S blog all about multiple birth children, You've got your hands full is featured in an in-depth piece in The Telegraph today, by Diane Shipley.

As she can bore for England on the subject of blogging, (that's Linda of course, not Diane) it's great to see some recognition. She was also interviewed about twins on Radio Stoke earlier this week, in the wake of the sisters on Big Brother.

It's a shame more depressing and predictable news has taken over where that show is concerned. Suddenly Samanda don't seem so bad. [Carol]

Katie's hard work pays off in dazzling wedding fayre

I'VE been meaning to add this for a while.

Katie's meticulous planning and hard work paid off big-time when an Asian wedding fayre at Walsall's Village Hotel proved a hugely popular and stylish event.

More than 200 brides-to-be flocked to the venue, along with friends and family, to enjoy the display of glittering fashions and Eastern delicacies.

So just because Shilpa Shetty or Liz Hurley were nowhere to be seen, their influence still proved a massive boost. [Linda]

Passionate highlighted in UK flexible working survey

We were delighted to welcome employee relations adviser Mike Emmott from the CIPD recently to help him in his mission to compile a report on how small businesses can embrace flexible working.

Olympic boost for Midlands firms

Hundreds of West Midlands companies are going for gold in the race to win vital contracts for the 2012 London Olympics.

The firms have signed up to an innovative alert service from our client the West Midlands Collaborative Commerce Marketplace which matches opportunities to bid with the companies’ expertise.

Here's the story over at BBC Online.

Soap stars pampered at Eden Day Spa

Linda went along to write about a day of pampering which saw actresses from all the UK's major soaps united under one pretty luxurious roof.

Pauline Fleming, who played Coronation Street’s flame-haired factory owner Penny King, was among the soap stars being looked after by the team at Eden Day Spa. The actresses relaxed at the spa, near Yoxall while on a break from appearing as aspiring pole dancers in The Naked Truth at the Prince of Wales Theatre in Cannock.

But she wasn't the first member of the Passionate team to get up close and personal with a Corrie star, as you can see - click on 'continue reading' below to see what on earth Carol was up to here...

Katie in the slammer

Always a glutton for punishment our Katie is again going to extreme lengths to raise money for Compton Hospice.

This Friday she's being locked up in the cells at The Molineux in Wolverhampton until she raises enough bail to be released.

All the money raised will be donated to the Hospice so we're keen to raise as much bail as we can. We have to come up with a reason as to why Katie finds herself behind bars. Judging by this picture, it's got to be for crimes against fashion.

Carole's one step ahead

We always like to report on what our clients are getting up to, especially when they're raising money for charity.Here's a couple of pictures of Carole Doyle from Acutec when she took part in the Breakthrough Breast Cancer 60km walk in Birmingham. You can read more about it here.  Hey Carole, I wonder if you'll be signing up for this next? [Carol]

Wings flying higher

I'm pleased to report that wings is going from strength to strength now, with groups running in Cannock, Leicester, Stoke, Tamworth and Walsall.  We've had some lovely coverage too. See here and here for a couple of online stories.  We're are also on the business page of this week's Staffordshire Newsletter. 

We've attracted lots of interest from local businesswomen, so there's clearly a need for this kind of networking group.  Not just in this area either. We're also getting enquiries from women in other areas of the country wanting to set up groups, so I'll update you as soon as we are ready to launch the next lot. [Carol]

Picture shows Julia Canham of The Retreat, Tracy Pound of MaximITy, Carmen MacDougall of CMA Coaching & Training, Barbara Oldham of Forever Living Products, and Carol Garrington

Related posts: Women in business? We must be comedians, Thanks Adrian!, Gargoyles, us?

An emotional journey

I visited Acorns Children’s Hospice in Walsall yesterday, along with a group from the Village Hotel who have been doing some fantastic work raising money for them.  They’ve already raised over £1,000 and have plenty more fundraising events in the pipeline - watch this space. . .  The group also arrived laden with gifts of toys and sweets, which I thought was a lovely gesture and was very well received.

Well done Philip and Simon

Here are some pictures from Newell Palmer director Philip Stepp as he reached the top of Ben Nevis with his partner's son Simon - raising £4,000 for Compton Hospice. 

Well done to both of them for making it to the top. We can only imagine what it must be like to achieve such a goal. Oh except for Katie of course, she managed this last year. [Carol]

Today's Birmingham Post

Great page lead in the Birmingham Post today for our client Carl Jarvis of Internet Marketing Services.  See the full article online here, or here with the picture. It's the first press release we've worked on for IMS and there are more in the pipeline.  When I spoke to Carl this morning he said he'd already received a number of calls and emails from people who'd read the piece, before he'd even had a chance to see it himself.  [Carol]

An evening with the Badger

Who's that with the Badger? We recently reported on this and have just had these pictures through from what was a really enjoyable evening.  Ruth was on fine form as she gave an entertaining and thought-provoking after dinner speech to 60 Midlands businesswomen at Patshull Park. Her dedication to Compton Hospice came across loud and clear as she spoke about her long term commitment to the charity.  She also spoke about her upbringing, her family and of course her legendary appearance on The Apprentice.

Bulgarian Villas launches new brochure

We've just finished working on a brochure for Bulgarian Villas Ltd and here it is.  It's the first eight page brochure they've had produced and we had four weeks from start to finish to get the design, copy and images together so they could take it to the Places in the Sun exhibition at the NEC. And while I was working on this, Katie was reporting on this which resulted in some excellent coverage so it was a great result all round.  [Carol]

If you'd like a brochure you can contact Helen Toney on 0870 950 9332 but here is a bit more of a taster too...

A night to remember

We thought it was about time that we started to put some of the coverage our PR clients gain on the blog. Here's a double page spread that has just come out in a glossy regional title called West Midlands Life about Walsall's Village Hotel and the relaunch of its Salingers restaurant. Katie is working with the hotel to organise future events to also raise more cash for Acorns Children's Hospice so watch this space.

Here she goes again

Carol is in the Evening Mail tonight. Read all about her (again) here. Hopefully she'll find time to grace this blog with her presence in the morning and post the lovely picture the paper has used. It's a smasher. Good job we haven't both got a face for radio.[Linda]

Related posts: Women in business? We must be comedians, Thanks Adrian! Gargoyles, us?

An evening with The Badger

Hmmn. Haven't mentioned the Badger for a while. Here's our latest press release.

Ruth Badger is set to test out her straight-talking advice on Midlands businesswomen next month, before embarking on filming her new Sky One show, The Big Idea. Female entrepreneurs in the region will have the opportunity to hear Ruth speak at the networking event and will also get to chat to her over dinner. The evening, to be held at Patshull Park Hotel on Thursday, September 14, has been organised as a fundraising event by Compton Hospice, who Ruth works with as a voluntary ambassador.

Sally Woods, corporate fundraiser at Compton Hospice said: “Since Ruth shot to fame in The Apprentice, she has been called on to speak at conferences and award ceremonies across the UK.

“Knowing how dedicated Ruth is to helping the people of her home town, we asked if she’d deliver a talk at a fundraising dinner that would benefit both the hospice and local businesspeople.

“We know how busy her schedule is, so we’re really grateful that she’s agreed to help.

“And with Ruth’s appearances elsewhere demanding over £100 per ticket, I think we’re offering a bargain at £38 to include dinner as well.”

Ruth said: “I never wanted or expected fame on entering The Apprentice, but if I can use it to benefit others, it’s been worth it.

“The networking event is an inspired idea – using my skills to help both local businesswomen and the hospice.

“Even though I’ve been offered my own TV series, I’m still passionate about remaining loyal to my roots in Wolverhampton and intend to dedicate as much time as possible to my role as ambassador for Compton Hospice. They need to generate over £4million each year to continue their service to people in and around Wolverhampton coping with a terminal illness. Any small part I can play in helping them achieve that is worthwhile.”

To find out more about the evening with Ruth Badger, or to book tickets, call the hospice on 0845 2255 497 or visit www.compton-hospice.org.uk.

We've said it before and we'll say it again, go Ruth, go Ruth!

For more information, call Sally Woods on 0845 2255 497. [Katie]

Related posts: Our Apprentice favourite, Ruth Badger following in Sir Alan's footsteps, Without a doubt, we're working with the Badger

BBC Radio 5 Live - turn on and tune in

Yesterday I secured a one hour live interview for my client Gabriella Goddard on the Anita Anand show which will air tonight at 11pm on BBC Radio 5 Live. 

During the hour, listeners will be invited to phone in and chat to Gabriella about their fears and how to overcome them, and Gabriella will encourage people to pledge their Gulp!

She will also be talking about her virtual book tour that's taking place over the next week as well as the Gulp! Together Campaign.[Katie]

So what's a virtual book tour, then?

Graham Holliday makes some interesting points about bloggers being asked to review stuff in a piece for Comment is Free.

(And here's me thinking it was just print journalists who got stuff through the post and did nothing with it, save moan about how rubbish it all was or give it to their mates as birthday presents rush to file an objective review for their chosen publication.)

Now Passionate Media client Gabriella Goddard is embarking on a 'virtual book tour' - which she says is a genuine first in the UK. The 'virtual book tour' is apparently a well-worn marketing tool in other parts of the world but new to these shores.

When I first heard the words 'virtual book tour' I imagined this was something akin to bloggers being sent a copy of Gabriella's book and being asked to write about it - something that Graham illustrates may be as useful as a chocolate teapot. In fact it's something much more ambitious and sophisticated than that.

In her press release, Katie writes that Gabriella will use the "combined innovations" of online messaging, podcasts, blogs and forums to ‘tour’ the country, which she says will mark a new era in book tours and book signings.

The virtual tour, set to start tomorrow, will involve Gabriella engaging in Q&A sessions at pre-arranged times on blogs and forums as well as video blogs on Youtube.com and conducting live web chats on Skype, Typepad, MSN Messenger and Myspace.

Gabriella said: "With more people "social networking" online and buying books over the web, it seemed a logical step to create an online book tour where I can spend more time interacting and engaging with my potential readers, which can be difficult to do at book signings.

"You are also opening yourself up to a much bigger audience at every stop on the tour, one that is international, versus the more traditional methods of book signings and talks which are limited only to those that can make the journey to see you."

Through her virtual book tour, Gabriella, will offer advice and support to anyone facing a challenging situation, whether in their career, relationship or life in general.

Gabriella has various blogs and forums already booked into her schedule, including publisher, Penguin’s own podcast site.

Katy Szita, publicity director at Healthy Penguin said: "Publishers are always looking for innovative ways to promote their books and we know that there is huge scope for reaching a much wider readership online than through print media. When Gabriella Goddard suggested undertaking a ground-breaking virtual book tour we jumped at the chance to get involved."

Ruth Badger following in Sir Alan's footsteps

Well done Ruth Badger on clinching the top spot on Sky One’s new series The Big Idea this week.

We've met Ruth a few times now since she became an ambassador for Compton Hospice and can't wait to see her in this new series.

One thing's for sure she'll be following in Sir Alan's footsteps when it comes to straight talking.  I hope all those wannabe entrepreneurs are ready for The Badger.

And for those of you who aren't quite ready to launch your business ideas to Ruth in front of millions of viewers there's a chance to spend ‘An evening with Ruth Badger’ next month at a charity dinner to raise funds for Compton.

We've booked our tickets already, and there are still some available but places are limited. Click here to book your tickets.

Watch out Sir Alan, The Badger is back!

Katie

Wings is spreading its wings

I took my first ever trip to Leicester on Friday for the launch of the new Wings women's networking group.  After getting lost around the centre of Leicester for half an hour I arrived to be greeted by a room full of businesswomen all chatting away as if they'd known each other for ages.

The atmosphere was great and there was alot of interest and enthusiasm so hopefully this group will go as well as the first group in Cannock.

I'll be launching the Walsall group on 8th September at The Village Hotel at 12 noon, all Walsall businesswomen welcome.

Tamworth and Stoke will be launched in October and I'm really excited about how it will all develop. 

Who knows, Leicester today, New York, Paris and Milan tomorrow (anyone want to re-locate?).

Take the “Gulp! Together” Challenge

You may have seen in our business news that we are working with a fantastic lady at the moment.  Gabriella Goddard is a confidence coach and author of  "Gulp! : The Seven Day Crash Course to Master Fear and Break Through Any Challenge” (Penguin, April 2006).

During the week of September 4th - 10th, she is urging you to face your fear, step through that scary "gulp" moment and make an important change in your life or do something that you keep putting off. 

As an added incentive you can publically pledge your Gulp! online, and get friends and family to sponsor you and raise some money for a charity of your choice. 

We think this is a great idea and here in the Passionate Media office we are experts at putting things off until we are slimmer, richer, or older. 

So our Katie, seen here going to extreme lengths to raise money for Compton Hospice last year has been the first in the office to decide to pledge her Gulp! in September.  Good on ya Katie.

You'll have to wait and see what she's decided to do.  I'm still thinking about my pledge and I know Linda will take some pursuading but I'm working on her.  Watch this space....

Carol

Since when did a school have a 'brand'?

Sam Oakleigh over at a new PR Forum talks about 'moving' stories to lessen the impact of potentially negative media coverage when things go pear shaped, citing the example of a school with a poor Ofsted report.

Sam, a PR for North Yorkshire County Council reports of his client:

He was a head teacher of a school that had just been slammed by OFSTED and had a rough time of it in the local press. He was worried about the damage to the school brand and asked me how he could stop the story.

“You can’t,” I answered. “You have to move it.”

Sam then details how he saw Max Clifford interviewed on the telly about a possible 'orgy' scenario and how this fits with his plan to 'move' a story about a dodgy Ofsted report.

I don't get it. Our experience of dealing with this very story (the Ofsted report not the orgy) was that we advised our then client to be as honest and open as they could about how they were addressing  criticisms made.When they came out of special measures, they lapped up the deserved positive coverage.

How is that 'moving a story' and what 'brand' does an educational establishment have? Surely what's needed is straight-talking - that the media, staff and parents will understand - not PR jargon about a 'brand' that makes people tut and roll their eyes and wonder what the PRO is talking about?

Anyway, Sam's site All About PR is a relatively new one and I wish him well. [Linda] 

Update: Ian Green at Green Gathering gives an excellent breakdown of expert crisis management. There was a tiny part I disagreed with and his further explanation is here.

An 'exclusive' pays off

Here’s a piece by Emma Brady at the Birmingham Post about a new treatment for cancer available at a clinic in Solihull. The same story is featured on the BBC Online here. Since the story has appeared, the surgeon, Manu Nair, our client, has received calls requesting radio interviews. Making a patient available to interview to explain the impact on his life made all the difference. We’re also obviously delighted that it has been covered so well. Thanks Emma. We had a choice when presented with this story – as with every story – and that’s either to prepare ‘general’ press material and distribute it widely or present it to an objective journalist on an influential publication as a genuine exclusive. On this occasion, the second approach has really paid off. There used to be a time when if our press release was re-written in the regional media, that we took that as a mortal insult! But we’re wiser these days. Of course a skilled journalist – especially one covering a particular field such as health – will take our material and add to it, as Emma has done here. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be? [Katie]   

Thanks Adrian!

Transcript of BBC Radio WM interview with Adrian Goldberg: 

Adrian:

A local mum has been named as the most exceptional working mum in the country by a national support group for working mums called Mother at Work.

Her name is Carol Garrington from Cheslyn Hay, she has overcome a disability to run a public relations firm as well as being a mother to two young boys.

The 34-year-old was born with a number of medical conditions that made doctors warn her that she would never walk and never have children.  She made the decision to have her left leg amputated below the knee at the age of 12 and faced years of on-going treatment.

Let’s get a word with Carol now. Hi Carol. Blimey that sounds a list of stuff that you had to go through. Were you born with some kind of condition then?

Carol:

No I had a deformity on my left side when I was born that the doctors couldn’t put down to anything in particular, they didn’t have scans in those days so they couldn’t have picked it up any sooner.  It was just a process of elimination really and I had a number of operations to try and find out the cause, but there was no explanation in the end, just one of those things.

Adrian:  And you made the big decision at the age of 12 to have your left leg amputated?

Carol:  That’s right yes

Adrian:

What was that like? Did someone sit down and go through options with you and you came to the idea that that was the best thing?

Carol:

No, it was something that my parents thought would be better for me from an early age but they couldn’t make that decision for me it had to be my decision and by the age of 12 I was off to high school and wanted to be like everyone else and wear the nice skirts and shoes.  It was a cosmetic thing for me at that age more than anything else.  I was being bullied at school as well so for me it was just something I had to do and I didn’t even give it a second thought.

Adrian:  And do you give it a second thought now?

Carol:  I do yes.

Adrian:  I mean do you regret it?

Carol:

I don’t regret it at all no, but I do think back and think what a big decision it was to make at that age but I don’t regret it, I’ve absolutely never looked back.

Adrian:  And you were told that you might not be able to have kids?

Carol: 

That’s right yes, I’ve got a complication with my womb that meant that I wouldn’t be

able to carry children and was told all through my first pregnancy that I could lose it at any stage, so that was quite stressful really but against the odds we got through and now I’ve got two lovely boys that I’m really proud of.

Adrian:

Well they can be proud of their mum as well because so much for your disabilities. It’s more about your abilities that has brought you to national attention. You set up your own PR firm, your own business, not an easy thing for anyone to do at any time.

Carol:

No not at all but I think that the determination that I’ve got and from people telling me from an early age ‘you can’t do this, you can’t do that’ its given me a real fighting spirit to think well if someone tells me I can’t do something I’m absolutely going to prove that I can, so I think its that really that’s got me through so many things.

Adrian:  And having children at the same time, being a working mum, never easy?

Carol:

No it's not. It's very demanding being a mother and there’s lots of challenges to face and the same with running a business as well so the two combined can sometimes be quite stressful but at the same time it is so rewarding.

Adrian:  What does it mean to get this recognition?