MEMBERSNEWS
Proud day for Facts International At the grand old age of 30, Facts International wanted to celebrate its anniversary in style. With a ‘go big or go home’ attitude firmly in place, an application for a Royal visit was submitted. One Royal visit by HRH The Countess of Wessex, one pro bono research gift, one piece of groundbreaking sexting research and one presentation at Buckingham Palace later, the ‘Facts’ hit the headlines creating a huge media buzz. Following a competitive round of presentations from Her Royal Highness’ charities, all vying to be awarded the pro bono research gift - the NSPCC won the project on behalf of ChildLine. Stepping into unchartered territory, Facts International conducted a nationally representative survey with parents of children between 11 and 18 years of age, the results of which raised great concerns for the NSPCC. Peter Wanless, Chief Executive of the NSPCC warned parents that “Sharing nude selfies can put young people at risk of bullying or being targeted by paedophiles”. Shocked by the level of ignorance surrounding sexting, he went on to say “It’s vital that parents talk to their children and that young people feel empowered to say no to sexting requests”. Tuesday 16th August 2016 saw the research results make top news stories across the UK, with coverage by Sky News, The Telegraph, The Times and ITV’s Good Morning Britain to name a few. The insight actions, which the NSPCC used to create vital support and guidance for parents on the subject, was also picked up by websites such as BT.com, the Huffington Post, and AOL. Independently assessed by Facts International’s sister PR Agency Teamspirit, the research, which cost in the region of £49,000, has contributed to the ChildLine research receiving more than £1.5 million in media coverage. Managing Director of Facts International, Emily Kettle said of the research “The team at Facts International was especially pleased that Her Royal Highness chose the ChildLine project, as it was an area where we felt we could do the most good. I’m hugely proud of everyone at Facts International for their dedication to this project and delighted that our efforts have been so successful in helping the NSPCC raise awareness of this important issue”.
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ThinkingBUSINESS October - November 2016
Funding support agreed for new Ashford college in Kent A new further and higher education campus in the heart of Ashford town centre has moved a stage closer after Ashford Borough Council agreed to provide additional funding support to help speed up the delivery of the new campus. The council will provide a further secured bridging loan of up to £1m, in addition to the £2m already approved in February 2015. Both loans will also be converted into a grant of up to £3m upon delivery of phase 1 and 1a of the Elwick Road campus. This would allow the £16m college to complete both phases of the new development by September 2017 and move all of their operations from the Jemmett Road site to the Elwick Road site. The creation of a new Ashford International College Campus within Ashford town centre has been an aspiration for all partners for the last 10 years. Planning consent for phases 1 and 1a was granted in October 2015. Demolition was undertaken at the end of 2015 and development work started in January 2016. Cllr Gerry Clarkson, Leader of Ashford Borough Council, said: “This is one of our Big 8 projects, identified as a priority within the council’s Corporate Plan. One of the key challenges to economic growth and greater prosperity within the borough is the improvement of the relatively low skills base.”
Mark Lumsdon-Taylor, Hadlow Group Director of Finance and Resources, said: “We are delighted that ABC are engaged and supporting this key project for Ashford. This is more than just a project for education; this is a symbol for the significant regeneration for the town and is a fundamental part of the Big 8 programme. “The new campus is designed to fulfil the current and future needs of students, staff and our many
stakeholders. I’d like to pay tribute to the co-operation, help, advice and support received from the council leader and his team – a superb example of sectors working together effectively to fulfil a much-needed project.” Paul Hannan, Hadlow Group Principal and Chief Executive, said: “The new campus will play a very significant part in ensuring our provision complies with the high standards we set ourselves.”
Offering a nationwide service Situated in Aylesford, CSP was founded in 1975. Part of the Delga Group, which includes Delga Press and Martin Paper Sales, CSP is a supplier of creative design and print. Originally established to provide business forms and stationery to the NHS, CSP has not lost sight of its roots and now provides print and printing services to over 100 NHS Trusts nationwide. Over the years this model has developed further and now local authorities, county councils and regional police forces benefit from this un-paralleled printing, storage management and delivery solution. Conscious not to be pigeon holed solely as a public sector provider, CSP has evolved in recent years to
enable to us to diversify our customer base and printing solutions. We now offer a full design and creative innovation for all our printing services which allows our customers to bring their imagination to life. This has been supported by a significant continuous investment program. This change in dynamic has allowed CSP to expand its service offering. Our new fresh approach has recently been supported by
a full rebranding of company literature. Out went a dated logo and in came a sharp, crisp, minimalistic design which has received excellent feedback from customers and suppliers alike. CSP operates 24 hours a day and boosts a staffing level of over 50 skilled and committed employees, each one having a wealth of industry experience. This knowledge is on hand to support and encourage customers through their experience.