| 11/10/2006 - 25/02/2009 | Communications Consultant, First Great Western, Swindon/London
Initially invited to provide short-term support to communications team to promote new franchise investment providing :
* Media relations cover, including press release production /managing press facilities
* Planning, editing and producing internal publications
* Stakeholder communication strategies
* Developing external stakeholder electronic newsletters
* Producing DVDs to capture the investments and communicate vision goals and values
However - this was a troubled brand and media / stakeholder interest was very high.
From August 2007 I managed the media team, and trained new staff.
Brand now operates in much quieter public arena environment.
One of many senior managers who left following down-turn cut-backs. |
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| 02/10/1991 - 30/10/2006 | Senior External Relations Manager, Royal Mail, Bristol/Birmingham
September 1991 as Group Press Officer South Wales, South West (Post Office Ltd, Parcel Force and Royal Mail brands). Promoted 1996 to Senior Media Relations Manager.
* Managed media team
* Developed campaign strategies, set targets, evaluatedresults
* Deputy External Relations Director
* Regional media spokesperson
* Crisis communications
* Strategic planning role for change management communications (
* Extensive MP, local authority, watchdog and pressure group liaison
* Close involvement with internal communications
A time of tremendous change for Royal Mail. The name changed from Post Office Group, to Consignia and finally to Royal Mail Group in a year.
A very busy team,(25,000 employees in South)with frequent high profile media issues.
Much personal contact with MPs and local authority scrutiny commitees during 15 years, particularly concerning issue of planned Post Office closures due to changing habits and government policy to pay pensions directly into bank accounts.
Other major change issues included moving sorting offices to new bigger mail centres, improved sorting technologies, and the change from 0930 delivery to around lunch-time.
Falling market share and the impact of cost-cutting challenges very common themes, leading to much agitation through media from the Communication Workers Union.
Commuted to Birmingham in final year to help-out the Midlands team which subsumed the Bristol office when it closed.
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| 04/04/1983 - 30/09/1991 | Freelance PR and writing , Self employed, Bristol
A busy period of self employment, balancing journalism with copy writing and public relations. Much of this work was in-house.
Copy writing was largely though agencies.
Journalism - principal outlets:
BBC Radio Bristol features for 6 O’clock Rock and Compass 1983-4
Bristol Evening Post shifts - news, consumer, radio and TV, youth,
features 1983-6
Western Daily Press – Regular features, also twice weekly children's column 'Leonardo' 1984-6
South West News and Pictures - shifts 1985. General reporting.
Sunday Observer 1986-8 regular shifts reporter 2-3 days a week, news features covering West region
Courier 1987-8 South West reporter in-house Royal Mail newspaper, news, features, sport
BBC Points West – Regional Journalist shifts 1984 - researching, scripting, working with film editor, setting-up features
Public Relations
Post Office Group Public Relations – 1987-91 press officer shifts - answering media calls promoting products and services, press releases, event management, setting-up photographs
BBC Press Office 1985-7 (Whiteladies Road). Regular press office shifts producing radio and television programme information, press releases, liaising with producers and with local and national journalists. Antique Roadshow publicist.
HTV Press Office regular press officer shifts, 1985-1991. Similar role to BBC. HTV was involved in drama production, games shows, local news and current affairs. I was dedicated Telethon publicist in 1988 with regular news slot to fill.
Attitudes PR - publicist for Talking Pages (BT), Bristol and Brighton 1988
Leedex PR – wrote for Wales Gas News 1984 |
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