Rachel Reaches Stella Point!

Congratulations Rachel! Our managing director and founder of The Phoenix Partners reached Stella Point, Kilimanjaro in the early hours of 22nd September.

We will get all of the details of Rachel's experience when she has recovered from her trek.

Rachel becomes Chair of IOD Leicestershire

Rachel Hargrave, our managing director and founder of The Phoenix Partners has stepped in as Chair for the Leicestershire branch of the Institute of Directors as the previous Chair has had to step down.

Rachel has been a very active member of the local branch for the last seven years and has previously acted as Chair and more recently, Vice Chair. She has stepped into the role and will stay as the Chair until next August when a new committee will be decided.

The Institute of Directors is Europe’s largest membership organisation for business leaders, supporting their 43,000 members through 44 regional branches across the UK and an international network that covers six continents. Its motto is ‘To support, represent and set standards for directors’.

The aim of the IoD is to provide members with a year round active business programme which offers members benefits such as high profile networking events and integrated regional support. It runs highly regarded professional development programmes and provides many training opportunities.

The next Iod event, the Annual Business Leaders Dinner is taking place on 22nd September in Nottingham.

For more information please contact:
Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

For more information on the Institute of Directors please visit www.iod.com/home/local-network/east-midlands

The Phoenix Partners to help launch charity campaign

We are very pleased to announce that we will be assisting International charity The Odysseus Foundation in launching a public appeal named ‘Penelope’ this month.

The Penelope campaign will encourage the UK population to check themselves and get to know their ‘Bits and Boobs’, and also to donate a breast and cervical exam for a woman overseas for just £16 a year.

To encourage UK women to care for themselves The Odysseus Foundation has created a free app available via www.bitsandboobs.co.uk. The app functions as a reminder to self-check and also offers a route to donate to the campaign.

Commenting on the aims of the charity, chief executive officer Justen Schafer Humes said: “We aren’t going to claim we can solve the problem and heal the world, but we are doing our bit. We are currently aiming to raise £1.6 million to screen 100,000 women for breast and cervical cancer by 2015. I am thrilled that The Phoenix Partners will be assisting us with the launch of the Penelope campaign.”

The Odysseus Foundation aims to work with women in countries in Asia, Africa, Middle East, Eastern Europe and South America who don’t have the opportunity to get checked for cervical and breast cancer, and provide them with free screening and awareness. Financial constraints, weak healthcare systems and a lack of trained professionals in the developing world all contribute to difficulties in preventing and treating cancers meaning that an estimated 88% of cervical cancer deaths worldwide occur in these areas.

For more information or to donate to The Odysseus Foundation please visit www.bitsandboobs.co.uk. Information is also available on Facebook www.facebook.com/FriendsofP and twitter page http://twitter.com/BitsnBoobs.

An insight into creating graphics for retail outlets

The agency has been commissioned to create a series of graphics by a global jewellery and watch brand.

Matthew Stokes our graphic designer, has been creating promotional images to advertise the new range of luxury watches and jewellery to be used in retail outlets across the Nation.

The illustrations will be used for a range of promotional pieces such as window displays, backlit pillars (Duratran), window graphics, counter backs, counter wraps, cobra pop up banners, posters and pillar wraps. Matt has been creating graphics and artwork for each space, adapting them to different sizes as they will be used for small graphics, large installations and larger exterior graphics.

The client provided Matt with a list of graphics to develop, using different styles of photography, and different models. Quarter three (autumn) uses autumnal colours and quarter four (winter) is predominantly red. Once approved they will be produced onto a variety of different racks and different plastics such as PVC and Vinyl.

For more information on how we can help you with your bespoke artwork needs please contact Roger Bradshaw, Head of Design at The Phoenix Partners on 01509 815026 or email roger@thephoenixpartners.com

How to Network effectively!

We asked Rachel Hargrave, our managing director and founder of The Phoenix Partners to consider the best ways of making the most of networking situations based on her own experiences. Rachel is the vice-chair of the local branch of the Institute of Director’s which hosts regular networking events.

These are her top tips –

1. Go prepared; know who’s going to be attending and choose who you’d like to talk to.

2. Research those you’ve chosen; don’t go in cold. Make sure you know something about them / their business to help the conversation start and move forwards.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; if you can’t find who you’re looking for, or you’d like a personal introduction – just ask the event organiser. It really is what they are there for!

4. Read the room; if people are standing facing each other then they probably don’t want to be interrupted. However, if they are standing in an ‘open two’ (shoulder to shoulder looking around the room, or at an angle to each other) their body language is saying that they are open to being joined by another. Go join them!

5. Have your pitch ready; when someone asks you what you do you need to be clear, succinct and most importantly – memorable! Work on your pitch and don’t be afraid to change it / ask for feedback on it.

6. Say ‘hi’ to those you already know; it’s all about establishing relationships so don’t ignore those you already know. Check in on them but don’t take the easy option and just stay with them!!

7. Follow up afterwards; always follow up those you’ve met afterwards no matter how interested they were in you / your business / your product or service. It’s not about now with networking but about now AND the future so …. Keep open the lines of communication. You never know who could become your next biggest recommender / referrer!!

For more information please contact:
Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

For more information on the Institute of Directors please visit www.iod.com/home/local-network/east-midlands

SPE Offshore Europe conference

Gita Bhatt, our project manager visited the SPE Offshore Europe (Society of Petroleum Engineers) conference last week as part of our ongoing work within the energy sector.

The conference ran from 6th-8th September in Aberdeen, known as the energy capital of Europe, with 1500 exhibitors across six halls and over 47,000 visitors.

The overall theme of the exhibition was ‘Securing Safe, Smart, Sustainable Supply’. One of the issues raised was considering ways of decommissioning old rigs in the North Sea both economically and in an environmentally sustainable way. Another aim of the conference was recruitment as there is currently a shortage of young people entering the industry.

Gita said: “Of particular interest to me was the opportunity to meet with UKTI representatives from around the globe on a one-to-one basis to discuss specific opportunities in their market.

“It was really beneficial that I had pre-booked some networking sessions as these were really useful. It was such a large venue and lots of people kept getting lost. However I found it quite a useful conversation starter with people on the stands when I did lose my way!

“Accommodation in Edinburgh was completely sold out so attendees had to travel in from hotels up to two hours away! Its best to book early if you ever go, and flat shoes are a must!”

For more information on how we work in the energy sector please contact:

Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

STOP PRESS! Rachel has smashed her fundraising target!

Rachel Hargrave, our managing director and founder of The Phoenix Partners has cracked her fundraising target just a day before she begins her journey to scale the world’s highest freestanding mountain in aid of Leicester Charity Link.

Her goal was to raise £1,500 for the local charity and this morning Rachel surpassed the target raising an outstanding £1,640 through donations from clients, suppliers, friends and family. Just last week Rachel’s fundraising total was at £380 but through her final push of fundraising, she has managed to raise a massive £1,260 in just seven days!

Well done Rachel! We hope you have a most fabulous trip!

To support Rachel in her Kilimanjaro quest please visit www.justgiving.com/Rachel-Hargrave

Design solutions for the Energy Sector

Staying in trusted hands, Scotia Gas Networks has commissioned The Phoenix Partners to design and produce a series of manuals and task cards as part of its Safety Health and Environment (SHE) commitment to a safe way of working.

This is the fifth year the agency has worked in partnership with SGN’s external communications team, utilising its significant experience in the energy sector with past clients such as BP, Castrol and Oil Spill Response.

The new 80 page Cable Avoidance Manual and associated task cards will be vital resources, communicating step by step the necessary procedures for the prevention of hazards and contributing to the firm’s excellent safety track record. Earlier this year the agency produced a new ‘Environment’ handbook, the sister document to SGN’s ‘Safe Person’ handbook last year.

Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) is involved in the distribution of gas to homes and businesses in Scotland as Scotland Gas Networks, and as Southern Gas Networks for the South and South East of England, to 5.7m customers through 74,000km of gas mains and services. The business also operates the Gas Emergency Service in these areas requiring staff to be highly responsive and acutely trained to ensure public safety at all times.

For further information on the range of design solutions call Roger Bradshaw on 01509 815026 or email roger.bradshaw@thephoenixpartners.com

Charlotte Gill Work Experience

I am currently studying English and Film at Leicester University. After deciding that I would like to work in PR after graduating I thought that it would be beneficial to gain some work experience. I therefore contacted The Phoenix Partners and was thrilled when they offered me a few days work. On my first day at The Phoenix Partners I met with Nikki Lee to discuss my understanding of Public Relations. I was then asked to take an existing press release and upload it to the company’s blog using blogger.com. After doing this, I was shown how to use Vocus Public Relations software. Before coming to The Phoenix Partners I wasn’t aware that such software existed, it was so interesting to learn how to use it, and to put these skills into action creating a contact list for one of the company’s current clients. I was also shown useful ways of searching for different contacts, and I was informed which would be the most useful depending on why they were being found. After doing this I went on to write a press release about the Managing Director, Rachel Hargrave participating in a trek up Mount Kilimanjaro in a few weeks time. My last task of the day was to email a press release out to several contacts. It was so nice that the company were happy enough with my work to send it out to contacts. I then worked on a contact list for one of the company’s current clients.

On my second day at The Phoenix Partners I completed the contact list that I had been working on the previous day. After finalising the list I developed the press release I had written the previous day in order for it to be used on the company’s blog. I then put this on to blogger, ready to be uploaded on to the company’s website. After doing this I researched appropriate venues in the East Midlands for the company’s ‘Phoenix Moments’ events in the future. I was then asked by the staff to come up with ideas for a teaser campaign that they are currently working on as they thought it would be interesting to get some fresh ideas. To do this I researched the client and created a mind map of any ideas that I thought would be appropriate.

On my third day at The Phoenix Partners I wrote a press release about the company beginning to work with a charity. This was the first press release that I had wrote for the company completely independently, which was quite intimidating but I took all that I had learned from Nikki and gave it my best shot. After I finished writing the piece, there were a few changes that needed to be made but aside from those, the press release was good. My last task of the day was to create another contact list on Vocus for the same charity client. It’s amazing how easy it is to find contacts when using the software.

I really enjoyed my time at The Phoenix Partners. The people are all so friendly and helpful and I felt that I had the support of the full team throughout my time there. It was clear that they all wanted me to get the best experience and learn as much as I could. I feel that I gained so much experience and learned so many useful things in the short time that I was there.

Rachel now in final weeks before charity Kilimanjaro trek!

Rachel Hargrave, our Managing director and founder of The Phoenix Partners is now only weeks away from beginning her journey to scale the world’s highest freestanding mountain in aid of Leicester Charity Link. Rachel has managed to raise £380 so far but is planning a final push of fundraising before the trek begins on the 14th September.

Rachel will travel to Tanzania to carry out a twelve day climb. The route of her journey will culminate in views from the Uhuru Peak which at 5895m is the highest point in Africa.

Commenting on the challenges and risks ahead, Rachel said: “Mountain sickness can strike anyone at anytime, but it didn’t hit me when I trekked to Everest Base Camp so I’m reasonably confident. I have a mountain to climb, but boy am I going to do it! It’s all about getting into the zone as it’s the last bit that’s the slog and scrambling up scree can be soul destroying at the best of times let alone when you’ve been trekking since midnight!

“But the challenge that I will face is no less than a lot of people face every day of their lives as a result of poverty, family break ups or loss.”

The Lemosho route Rachel will be taking is one of the least trekked. It approaches Kilimanjaro from the west and crosses the caldera of Shira Volcano before traversing beneath the southern icefields of Kibo, Kilimanjaro's highest volcano.

In 2007 Rachel trekked to Everest base camp and already has her sights on completing another of the world’s seven highest summits next year when she takes on Mount Elbrus. Her big ambition is to complete the seven summits over the next 7 years – one mountain a year.

In 2010 Leicester Charity Link raised over £724,000, changing the lives of 5,495 people in desperate need throughout Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. For every £10 donation the Charity raises £50 from charitable trusts. A donation of just £10 provides £50 worth of food vouchers or a donation of £20 can buy a bed for a child to sleep in.

Speaking on behalf of the charity Susan McEniff, director of marketing and fundraising, said: “We were thrilled when Rachel called to say she wanted to dedicate her walk to us. Every penny will help us to reach local people and children in desperate need and make a real difference to their quality of life.”

To support Rachel in her Kilimanjaro quest please visit www.justgiving.com/Rachel-Hargrave or for more information about Leicester Charity Link please call 0116 222 2200 or visit www.charity-link.org.