FRANK'S FLOORING WINNING WITH PR & ADVERTISING

Graham writes.....Frank's Flooring is well known for a distintive type of asdvertising; it is a no nonsense simple message delivered by true North Easterner Frank on radio & TV and in the presss. It has been paying off with comnpany growth and some serious job creating investment. Our media release was widely covered in all the regional press and showed the serious side to a fun advert that has been delivering great results. Read the story here:

FRANKS FLOORING STORE ROLL OUT MAJOR EXPANSION AND INVESTMENT

Franks the Flooring Store is set for further growth across the North East, as it plans to open up to ten new sites and make a £1 million investment at its County Durham distribution centre.

Expansion by the region’s largest independent flooring retailer will create up to 60 new jobs as the company looks to increase its store portfolio by a third in the next 12 months to 35.

The £1 million investment at its distribution centre will pave the way for a second state of the art carpet cutting machine, along with a new delivery docking area, which will greatly increase the speed carpets can be off loaded from lorries.

Already this year, Franks has recruited 30 members of staff, and opened a number of stores across the region in Washington, Ashington and Shiremoor. The group currently employs 150 people across the region.

Franks the Flooring Store dynasty was founded by William Maguire Snr in 1981 who began trading from small premises in West Auckland. There are now three generations of the family working in the company.

Jason Maguire from Franks the Flooring Store, said: “As the North East’s leading flooring retailer we have benefitted from the growing number of people who are improving their properties buying new carpets and rugs, rather than moving homes.

“Due to this increased demand we are delighted to announce this growth and a £1 million investment. This decision will allow Franks the Flooring Store to plan on opening a further 10 stores across the North East and create 60 new jobs.”

LEADERSHIP AND PR PUT FOOD PRODUCT IN TOP THREE

70 years ago when TS Elliott wrote about things that were culturally identified with Britain he put Wensleydale Cheese on his list. Well, thanks to brilliant leadership from the Wensleydale Creamery and sustained PR from the team at Recognition (Frances, Graham and Helen) Wensleydale Cheese is once more recognised internationally as a icon of the UK. An extensive survey of 4000 people conducted has identified ten things people associate with Yorkshire. The poll was conducted by Visit York to celebrate Yorkshire Day on August 1st, and places Wensleydale Cheese at number three after Yorkshire Pudding and Yorkshire Tea. This is a well deserved ranking for a firm that has worked so hard to promote a distinct product that rightly seeks protected status from the European Union.

COLLEGE IN WALES RECEIVES PRAISE FROM ‘THE FONZ’

Recognition was delighted to be in contact with Hollywood actor Henry Winkler to promote the Priory Education Services innovative partnership with Coleg Gwent. the partnership provides specialist educational facilities for students with Asperger’s syndrome and tackles the long-term employment issues associated with the condition.

Henry Winkler has been associated with campaigns on this condition for some time.

In 2007, the National Autistic Society launched a report calling for better support and services for young people during the crucial transition stages between school, higher education, training and employment.
The ‘Don’t write me off’ campaign found that only 15% of adults with autism were in full-time paid employment, which could be greatly increased if the right planning, support and service is offered to people with autism during the transition stage.

Priory Coleg Wales is a co-educational college for students aged 16 to 25 designed to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of its students. The Coleg will accept its first students in September 2010.

Priory Coleg Wales is set within the grounds of Coleg Gwent, the largest further education college in Wales with 5 separate campuses. The learning centre is located on the Pontypool campus and comprises of classrooms, IT facilities, a therapy room, learning kitchen and dining room.

The learning centre is a safe area within a mainstream setting providing retreat when students feel challenged by social situations. It is also the base for the College’s in-house programme of support. Local buses and transport are used to travel between the campuses with the help of support workers where required, but with the overall aim of increasing independent travel skills for the future.

A number of therapies are also offered to students to help with their on-going personal development including art therapy, speech and language therapy and counselling.

The Priory Coleg Wales will initially create 10 jobs in the area, potentially reaching 50 plus jobs in the next couple of years.

Henry Winkler, best known for playing The Fonz in Happy Days, who is promoting the My Way! campaign, sent a message to Priory Coleg Wales: "Every child learns in their own way and no matter what that path is, each child must be celebrated."

Positive start to July!

Graham writes....we have had a really positive start to July at Recognition. First we won a great new client - TAS Engineering Consultants, which has an enviable track record advising some top international firms. Secondly, we have recruited some new people, increasing our staff numbers and our talent pool! Richard Hall joins us as a PR consultant, he recently worked in the Newcastle Building Society press office; Anna Dawson joins us as a PR assistant, she recently worked at a local advertising agency and is now responsible for booking our TV crews. Kate Power joins the team as the PA to the Partners, Kate recently worked for chemical firm Croda.
Finally some excellent coverage for www.shopsafe.co.uk, which is operated by Darlington internet firm Edward Robinson. The Daily Mirror highlighted the fantastic service they provide to internet shoppers. Click here.

BUDGET 2010

Recognition has organised a special event for Stockton-based Henderson Insurance Brokers and the Institute of Directors which was attended by business leaders from North-East. Budget Live! on June 22 allowed guests to watch George Osborne’s emergency Budget and then hear a panel from politics, business, and trade unions discuss its implications. The Budget was broadcast live to an audience of leading North East business leaders and was followed by a Question Time-style debate featuring a panel comprising Peter Wilkinson, Group Claims Director of Henderson Insurance Brokers, Alastair Thomson, North East Chairman of the Institute of Directors, Alan Milne, Regional Officer, of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union and Lord Bates, of the Conservative Party.

Our video shows highlights from the event, which was also covered by the regional media and the BBC's Newsnight on BBC2

Social networking widgets

More and more clients want to ensure that our media releases are distributed using social networking in the internet. Now our journalist's page includes buttons so that journalists who also blog and use social network tools (which includes many forward thjinking journalists) can simply click a button and put our client's stories on their facebook or twitter feeds. See the buttons below to use the system on this blog!!

National TV - hatrick coverage

Graham writes.....three of Recognition's associates featured on an important BBC report about the economy this week. In his preview of the Bank of England's interest rate decision the BBC's business reporter, Nigel cassidy, came to the North and interviewed EOS, a company which makes steel framed housing, Arlington Financial, a Hartlepool based financial advisory firm and the convenience store group, Mills.

The BBC covered the North East Chamber of Commerce/Northern Echo/Arlington Financial shadow MPC which suggested interest rates stay on hold at 0.5%. See the video here....

Duncan's soccer aid drive

Bannatyne’s Health Clubs across the UK will be ‘keeping it up for Soccer Aid’ this weekend (22/23 May) to raise money for UNICEF’s crucial work helping children around the world.



Bannatyne’s has organised a range of fundraising activities at its 60 UK health clubs to support UNICEF’s Soccer Aid initiative, which is being spearheaded by pop star and football-fanatic, Robbie Williams.



Members who raise over £50 for UNICEF will be entered into a special Bannatyne’s prize draw to win a pair of tickets for the celebrity Soccer Aid football match on June 6 in Manchester. The prize also includes an invitation to a VIP reception at Old Trafford before the game.



Among the activities planned for the weekend of 22 and 23 May, Bannatyne members will be taking part in sponsored ‘keepy uppy’ challenges. Using a football or a balloon, members will use their feet, legs, arms, chest and head to juggle a ball without letting it touch the ground – the longer they can do it, the more money they can raise.



Bannatyne’s will also be hosting a simultaneous spinning class at its 60 UK health clubs. Over a thousand members from across Britain will take part in the cycle-based challenge on Saturday 22 May, which will start at every health club at 10am.



Bannatyne’s is backing Soccer Aid after it named UNICEF as its primary charity for the next three years. Company chairman and founder Duncan Bannatyne is a UNICEF Ambassador and has visited a number of the charity’s programmes around the world to support its exceptional work.



Some of the money raised by Soccer Aid will be used to help children affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Duncan was due to visit Haiti with UNICEF the week the earthquake struck and he has committed to raise money to support the charity’s work in the country.



Duncan Bannatyne said: “We’re encouraging all our members to ‘Keep it up for Soccer Aid’ and help millions of children worldwide through UNICEF’s work.



“Every minute of every day, children die from common diseases like measles, diarrhoea and malaria. Millions of children don’t go to school, or have food, shelter or clean water.



“Children all over the world suffer from violence, abuse and discrimination, are forced to work in dangerous conditions and denied the chance to play. This is wrong, but through the work of UNICEF we can help to put it right and the lives of these children can be dramatically improved.”



Nigel Armstrong, Managing Director of Bannatyne Fitness, said: “The ‘Keep it up for Soccer Aid’ activities we’ve organised should be great fun and raise money for an extremely important cause. Whether they’re going to use their football skills, endurance on the spinning bikes or take part in any other ‘Keep it up for Soccer Aid’ fundraiser, our members will be helping to make a real difference to the lives of children.”



Michael Newsome, Director of Fundraising for Soccer Aid said: “Bannatyne’s have truly risen to the challenge. Across the country, people from all walks of life will be keeping it up for Soccer Aid’, which is fantastic! With every spin of the wheels, with every header, toe-tap and goal, children across the world will benefit. What better motivation is there to get fit, join in and have fun whilst getting sponsored to make a lasting change to children’s lives. Tune in to ITV 1 on June 6 so see what a huge difference these activities make.”

NEW GOVERNMENT

Graham writes.....the new Government's agreement document has been of interest to many of Recognition's clients. I've also had requests for details from both the Lib Dem and Conservative manifestoes. Already a number of our clients have been in the media commenting on the Cameron Coalition. Charlie Mullins of Pimlico Plumbers gave a great reaction in Business Matters Magazine; Tony Earnshaw of UK Commercial Cleaning was on Radio 5 Live; Duncan Bannatyne has been tweeting; George Rafferty of NOF Energy has been giving views on the outlook for nuclear power. We are at the early stage of planning a big IOD event in the North on the day of the emergency budget (which if it is 50 days on Tuesday will be 30th June). Now the Government is formed the media will have new aspects to write about it, scrutinising the detail of policy, and our clients will all be using Recognition to give their views, whatever they may be.

Publicity at the election is not just for politicians!

This video is timely, it is Gordon Brown - not the THE Gordon Brown - making good use of the publicity surrounding the general election. Recognition produced this You Tube video which has received coverage in regional media. Other clients to get involved with the election were Duncan Bannatyne - who backed Gordon Brown's Labour Party and Charlie Mullins, of Pimlico Plummbers and Tony Earnshaw of UK Commercial Cleaning who backed David Cameron's Conservatives. We also placed our client Jon Sturrock of Arlington Financial in Hartlepool on the BBC's 5 Live national radio economy debate. All earned the respect of the media and good coverage for getting involved in the debate.