Arts PR

Whicker’s World Foundation launches new grant for New York-based Chicken & Egg Pictures

Whicker’s World Foundation is expanding its reach to help ensure that more women enter the profession.
Chicken & Egg Pictures supports women non-fiction filmmakers whose artful and innovative storytelling catalyses social change.
Submissions for existing Whicker’s World Foundation Awards 2017 are being accepted.

Whicker’s World Foundation launches a new bursary for New York-based Chicken & Egg Pictures, to help fulfil their mission to increase the number of women documentary makers introduced into the industry pipeline.
Whicker’s World Foundation—set up to fund a new generation of documentary makers—is expanding its reach to help ensure that more women enter the profession. The Foundation, which awards one of the biggest cash prizes in documentary production (£80,000 to an individual) has created an additional annual £10,000 grant for Chicken & Egg Pictures’ Accelerator Lab program.

Accelerator Lab, open to applicants from around the world, provides first- and second-time women filmmakers with a $35,000 grant, a year-long creative support program with participation in three one-week labs (all expenses covered), mentorship catered to each individual and her project, and opportunities for networking with industry professionals and the filmmaker community. As Jenni Wolfson, Executive Director of Chicken & Egg Pictures, said about the program, “We don’t simply support films, we foster careers. This holistic approach is the key to successfully supporting women filmmakers.”

The New York-based organisation’s strategy uniquely aligns with Whicker’s World’s continued efforts to broaden the world of documentary. Announcing the new annual award, Alan Whicker’s lifelong partner and founder of the Foundation Valerie Kleeman said: “Alan wanted his legacy to help documentary makers the world over. He was ahead of time in his enthusiasm and support for the female perspective in his own filmmaking. At the Whicker’s World Foundation, we want to be sure that there is equal opportunity for men and women in documentary and I have been impressed by the fact that Chicken & Egg Pictures give to women when they most need it. I feel sure that funding at an early stage will make a huge difference to women in this industry.”

The Foundation is kicking off its support with a grant towards Assia Boundaoui’s participation in the Accelerator Lab program for The Feeling of Being Watched, an exploration of the FBI’s pre-9/11 counterterrorism activities in the filmmaker’s Arab-American neighbourhood outside of Chicago.

“We are so excited about this highly topical project and hope our support will help ‘accelerate’ Assia’s film towards receiving more funding and making the most powerful film she can. Last year, only one in five of our finalists for our main funding award was a woman. We hope the Whicker’s World grant to the Accelerator Lab will widen the base of would-be applicants,” said Jane Ray, Artistic Director of Whicker’s World Foundation.

Not the first time the two organisations crossed paths in the world of documentary, the Foundation previously made an ad-hoc payment of £5,000 to another Chicken & Egg Pictures grantee, Hana Mire, who is developing Rajada Dalka (Nation’s Hope), the working title of a film about Somalia’s women’s national basketball team.
-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

For press enquiries about Whicker’s World Foundation please contact:

Siobhan Connor
CONNOR PR
+44 (0)7966 177025
siobhan@connorpr.com
www.connorpr.com
twitter: connorpr
About Whicker’s World Foundation

Whicker’s World Foundation was set up in 2015 and gives one of documentary’s biggest cash prizes (£80,000) to an authored documentary-maker every year and £15,000 to the runner up. Entries for the main WWF Funding award close on February 14th 2017.

Applications for the Radio & Audio Funding Award close 28th February 2017

Applications for the 2017 Audio Recognition Award close 14th February 2017

Applications for the 2017 Sage Awards close 14th February 2017

For further information visit www.whickersworldfoundation.com

Join the conversation: facebook.com/whickersworldfoundation

https://twitter.com/whickersworld @whickersworld

Chicken & Egg Pictures
Chicken & Egg Pictures supports women non-fiction filmmakers whose artful and innovative storytelling catalyzes social change.

For more information, visit chickeneggpics.org or contact Cindy Choung, External Relations Manager, Chicken & Egg Pictures, at cindy@chickeneggpics.org

http://www.feelingofbeingwatched.com/home/#the-film

film, documentary, TV, Whicker’s World Foundation, Connor PR, specialist in film PR, Specialist in TV publicity

ALAN WHICKER COLLECTION NOW AVAILBLE TO VIEW AT BFI SOUTHBANK AS PART OF LATEST ACQUISITIONS EXHIBITION

Inside Whicker’s World: The life and travels of Alan Whicker

Alan Whicker collection on view now as part of an exhibition of material from the BFI National Archive’s Special Collections; ‘Latest Acquisitions’ is free to view in the Mezzanine Gallery at BFI Southbank until October 23

Items on display include Alan Whicker’s passports, a BBC Audience report for Whicker Down Under, interview question cards for Papa Doc: The Black Sheep (1969) and The World of James Bond (1967), photographs, correspondence, and shooting schedules
Test your knowledge by taking part in a travel quiz made by the Whicker’s World Foundation – https://whickersworldfoundation.com/2016/10/quiz-how-well-do-you-know-whickers-world/

Submissions for Whicker’s World Foundation Awards 2017 are now being accepted

As well as caring for one of the world’s richest and most significant moving image collections, the BFI National Archive also holds world-class Special Collections of scripts, posters, designs, photographs and other documents, including the archives of some of Britain’s most important film and programme makers. This exhibition presents highlights from some of our exciting recent acquisitions including the papers of Oscar-winning costume designer Jenny Beavan, television journalist and documentary-maker Alan Whicker, and S John Woods, the man behind many of the best-loved Ealing Studios posters. The exhibition is open now and free to view until October 23rd 2016 at BFI Southbank, Mezzanine Gallery, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XT.

The BFI National Archive is now home to the archives of pioneering investigative TV journalist, Alan Whicker, donated by Valerie Kleeman, Whicker’s World Foundation. The collection contains meticulous records of one of the most enduring and influential careers in British television history, spanning the late 1950s into the 21^st century.

This is an extensive and significant donation covering the entire career of a world-renowned broadcaster, and represents a unique insight into the production methods of a master documentarian. Alan Whicker’s name is a by-word for brilliantly crafted and revealing studies of people and places, whether exploring behind the scenes of the Miss World competition, interviewing Papa Doc in Haiti, or exposing the lifestyles of the hippies of San Francisco, with an enquiring mind and a sceptical tone. This unlikely figure, clad in Gucci tie and blazer, found his way into the nation’s hearts as he went where his audience was unlikely to follow.

The meticulously kept Alan Whicker archive spans the years 1938-2014. It includes a school report from 1938, documents relating to his war career and letters, photographs, extensive production files, audience reports, interview notes and questions (including Whicker’s hand-annotated question cards) and transcripts of every TV programme he made, along with some, as yet, unidentified films. The archive gives an insider’s view of some of the key events, social trends and personalities of the 20^th century, while fully documenting the changing world of television reportage across more than five decades.

Around Whicker’s World in 13 Guesses

Test your knowledge of Alan Whicker’s Life and Work by taking part in our quiz

https://whickersworldfoundation.com/2016/10/quiz-how-well-do-you-know-whickers-world/

Submissions for Whicker’s World Foundation Awards 2017 are now being accepted

The Funding Award

This is the primary focus of Whicker’s World Foundation. Each year £80,000 will be awarded to a new director with the most promising pitch for an authored documentary which fulfils the core criteria of the Foundation and can be completed for screening with this award. The money will be paid in instalments to the director’s film company, enabling a project which deserves to reach as wide an audience as possible. This year it was won by Alex Bescoby for Burma’s Lost Royals. The closing date for entries is 31st January 2017 and the shortlists will be announced in May 2016. Entrants must be aged 35 years or younger on the closing date for applications. The first winners will be announced by Whicker’s World Foundation at the Sheffield Doc/Fest Award Ceremony, which will take place on the final night of the 2017 festival, 13th June 2017.

The Whicker’s World Radio and Audio Funding Award (RAFA)

For 2017 we are introducing a new Funding Award for Radio and Audio documentary projects in association with the Radio Academy. This is for a documentary, 15 minutes or over, broadcast or published online in the previous year. The Whicker’s World Radio and Audio Funding Award (RAFA) has a £5,000 first prize and £2,000 runner up award. The deadline for this award is the 23rd of December, with the best pitch being announced at a special event in March 2017.

The Recognition Awards

In addition to our funding awards there are two further annual prizes to recognise completed work: the ‘Audio Award’ and the ‘Sage Award’, the latter of which is for the finest industry newcomer over the age of fifty.

Alan worked in radio before TV and was snapped up by Radio 2 in the late 1990s, adding what Jim Moir, the Controller from 1996 to 2003, described as “great lustre to my network”. Initially Alan’s radio programmes revolved around re-visiting his most memorable encounters from Whicker’s World: from the ‘Ten Pound Poms’ to Margaret Rutherford’s transsexual adoptee who ‘gave birth’ to a mixed-race daughter in South Carolina. He went on to create a radio history of television called It’ll Never Last.

Whicker’s World Foundation will award an annual £5,000 prize for the best audio project of over 15 minutes in length, broadcast in the last year. A runner-up will receive £2,000.

The Whicker’s World Sage Award

‘Retirement’ was not a word in Alan’s vocabulary. He was 83 when he wrote and presented Whicker’s War, a much acclaimed account of his army experiences in Italy for Channel 4. He made his last series for BBC Two, Journey of a Lifetime, in his late eighties. The Sage award will recognise a TV or audio professional who has come to air with an authored story for the first time, a prize of £5,000 will be awarded annually to an applicant aged 50 plus. Submissions of no more than 10 minutes; this can be for presentation but must be their own work. A runner-up will receive £2,000. Keith Earnest Hoult won this award for for Fluechtlinge – Refugee. Keith, a fan of Alan Whicker’s ‘gentle approach’ to interviewing, was inspired to create a ten-minute film about Syrians seeking refuge in a disused airport used for the Berlin Airlift. When he witnessed his friend’s wife Caroline trying to help refugees against a growing backlash he ‘felt the urge to film it if only for her family to reflect on later in life’. Keith learnt his film-making skills at the SAE Institute after redundancy and divorce turned his life upside-down. Judges were impressed that he made this entirely self-funded film as ‘a simple tale of ordinary people helping other ordinary people at their time of most desperate need.’

For further details on the awards and entry forms please go to

www.whickersworldfoundation.com

-ENDS

Notes to editors:

For images, media information and interviews please contact:

Siobhan Connor at Connor PR siobhan@connorpr.com + 44 (0) 7966 177025

For Terms and Conditions and award Criteria please go to http://whickersworldfoundation.com/application-forms/

Join the conversation: facebook.com/whickersworldfoundation

https://twitter.com/whickersworld @whickersworld

About Whicker’s World Foundation

On 7 June 2015 Whicker’s World Foundation, whose principle aim is to give a much needed fillip to authored documentary storytelling in the UK, launched three new documentary awards worth over £100,000 for the promotion of curiosity in programme making, generously funded by a legacy left by the celebrated broadcast journalist Alan Whicker. The launch took place in the Sheffield Winter Gardens led by Alex Graham, chair or Doc/Fest, Jane Ray, Artistic Director for the foundation and Kim Longinotto, multi award winning filmmaker. Entries for 2017 Awards opened on September 26th 2016 www.whickersworldfoundation.com

ALAN WHICKER COLLECTION DONATED TO BFI NATIONAL ARCHIVE

ALAN WHICKER COLLECTION

DONATED TO BFI NATIONAL ARCHIVE

London – Thursday, 5^th May 2016. The BFI National Archive is pleased to announce that it has received the archives of pioneering investigative TV journalist, Alan Whicker, donated by Valerie Kleeman, Whicker’s World Foundation. The collection contains meticulous records of one of the most enduring and influential careers in British television history, spanning the late 1950s into the 21^st century.

The material will be stored at the BFI National Archive’s paper store at Berkhamsted where it joins over 600 named collections from individuals such as producers Michael Balcon, David Puttnam and Betty Box, directors including David Lean, Joseph Losey, Michael Powell, Carol Reed, Mike Hodges, Muriel Box and Derek Jarman, writers such as Emeric Pressburger, Janet Green and Trevor Griffiths, and documentary filmmakers such as Humphrey Jennings, Derek Armstrong and Michael Orrom. Among the most recent additions to the collection are the archives of Ken Loach, Alan Parker, Jenny Beavan, Richard Lester, Karel Reisz, Jack Clayton and Halas & Batchelor. The Whicker papers will be able to be consulted by researchers and students of television history once cataloguing is fully completed.

Robin Baker, Head Curator, BFI National Archive said, “This is a major collection that gives us a unique insight into one of the great figures of 20^th century television. Alan Whicker was a household name, famed for his daring and insightful investigations of people from all walks of life, from close to home and around the globe. His standards were meticulously high and his programmes set a benchmark for longform television documentary. The Alan Whicker collection is a very generous and important donation from Valerie Kleeman of the Whicker’s World Foundation, for which we are extremely grateful. We’re delighted that Whicker’s papers are now part of the national collection of film and television. “

Valerie Kleeman, Whicker’s partner in life and work for over 40 years and founder of the Whicker’s World Foundation said, “The Whicker’s World archive is now where it belongs – in the safekeeping of the BFI – where, I hope, its content will be of help and guidance to generations to come.

The 90 boxes, carefully curated by archivist Catherine Kirby, contain an intimate and personal take on the last half of the 20^th century. Beginning with a letter informing him he has passed his School Certificate and continuing throughout his life in the Army Film and Photographic Unit, journalism and television, Alan Whicker observed both the light and the shadows of life.

Often he witnessed history in the making: war trials in Strasbourg, race riots in Alabama. He had access to the unaccessible: dictators, witch doctors, cults – and even the occasional royal. ‘Whicker’s World’ covered everything from bullfighting and the first gay weddings to the horrors of Papa Doc’s Haiti, always with intelligence, often with humour.

Whicker wrote and filmed what he saw, he had no preconceived ideas, no axe to grind. His motivation was to stimulate, to interest, to entertain…..and to allow viewers to come to their own conclusions.

The archive contains 60 years of carefully documented work: transcripts, notes, diaries and photographs, a lifetime of watching the world through thoughtful, quizzical eyes.”

Alan Whicker CBE (1921-2013) was a renowned journalist, broadcaster and television presenter. During the Second World War he joined the Army Film and Photo Unit, and by the 1950s he was working as a foreign correspondent for a Fleet Street agency, and then as a broadcaster for BBC Radio. In 1957 he was spotted by producer Alasdair Milne (later Director-General of the BBC) who gave him a regular ‘Whicker’s World’ slot on the ground breaking Tonight programme. This paved the way for the longer format Whicker’s World which began in 1965 and ran for 40 years on the BBC and ITV.

His reportage spanned the globe and covered a huge range of subjects which reflect all aspects of 20th century culture, politics and history. These include race relations, gay marriage, gun culture, bullfighting, haute couture and interviews with significant (and often controversial) figures of the 20th century, for example, Francois Duvalier (‘Papa Doc’), the notorious Haitian dictator, and oil billionaire John Paul Getty. At the height of his popularity Whicker’s programmes commanded audiences of 15 million people. Whicker’s work was also significant in terms of style and format, for example, he was an early pioneer of the ‘blue light’ programme, a format that is now well-established and perennially popular (shadowing police in their daily and nightly duties). Alan Whicker is a significant cultural figure and a household name for a whole generation. He won many awards during his career including the BAFTA Richard Dimbleby Award and the Screenwriters’ Guild Best Documentary Script (in 1963). His legacy lives on through the Whicker’s World Foundation which supports new documentary talent.

About the BFI

The BFI is the lead organisation for film in the UK with the ambition to create a flourishing film environment in which innovation, opportunity and creativity can thrive by:

Connecting audiences to the widest choice of British and World cinema
Preserving and restoring the most significant film collection in the world for today and future generations
Championing emerging and world class film makers in the UK – investing in creative, distinctive and entertaining work
Promoting British film and talent to the world
Growing the next generation of film makers and audiences

The BFI is a Government arm’s-length body and distributor of Lottery funds for film. The BFI serves a public role which covers the cultural, creative and economic aspects of film in the UK. It delivers this role:

As the UK-wide organisation for film, a charity core funded by Government
By providing Lottery and Government funds for film across the UK
By working with partners to advance the position of film in the UK.

Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter.

The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Josh Berger.

About the BFI National Archive

The BFI National Archive was founded in 1935 and has grown to become the one of the largest and most important collections of film and television in the world with over 180,000 films and 750,000 television programmes. For over 80 years the BFI has been an international leader in film preservation and guardian of Britain’s unparalleled film and TV heritage. The BFI is an innovator in presenting films to audiences in new and dynamic ways, from cinemas to film festivals, outdoor events to online video-on-demand. At the heart of all its activities is the BFI’s central aim to ensure that everyone in the UK has access to the widest possible range of film and their own film heritage.

That heritage includes all time great British directors Alfred Hitchcock, David Lean and Powell and Pressburger; and the rich vein of documentary filmmaking, in which Britain led the world, including the lyrical work of Humphrey Jennings. The archive also boasts a significant collection of filmmakers’ papers as well as extensive stills, posters and production and costume designs along with original scripts, press books and related ephemera.

Expert teams undertake the time-consuming and complex task of restoring films at the BFI John Paul Getty Jr Conservation Centre in Hertfordshire. The BFI’s most precious film materials are kept in optimum conditions in the world-leading Master Film Store in Warwickshire.

Stills

A selection of stills for press use in connection with this story can be found at:

www.image.net/BFI/BFI National Archive/Whicker

Press contacts:

Brian Robinson, Communications Manager, Archive & Heritage, BFI

Email: brian.robinson@bfi.org.uk

Tel +44 (0) 207 957 8940

Mobile: 07740 171968

Judy Wells, Head of Press and PR , BFI

Email: judy.wells

Tel +44 (0) 207 957 8919

Mobile: 07984 180501

For press enquiries about Whicker’s World Foundation please contact:

Siobhan Connor CONNOR PR +44 (0)7966 177025 siobhan@connorpr.com

Connor PR promoting The Dog Rescuers Puppy Farm Special

The Dog Rescuers Puppy Farm Special

Channel 5, 8pm

Tuesday 27th October 2015

In this special puppy focused episode of Dog Rescuers Alan Davies reveals how the RSPCA cracked one of Britain’s biggest puppy farm operations in Manchester, rescuing 87 puppies from harrowing conditions and eventually bringing the owners of the racket to successful convictions just one week ago. Operation Pagan lasted 5 years and we will see exclusive footage from the raid and talk to the Special Operations Officers who conducted the investigation, who explain how they managed to bring this barbaric business to an end.

We see incredible footage of the puppies being rescued and taken to be examined by [RSPCA?] vets and we also visit them now to see how their lives have been turned around by living in loving new homes.

The programme also features; information on how viewers can give a rescue puppy a loving home, brand new dog rescues; and a story from Somerset, where we meet three adorable Japanese Chin puppies who, at six weeks old, are enjoying their final days at the animal centre before getting rehomed.

And finally we meet Bruce and Rebel, two 18 month old Lurcher pups who are long term residents of Newbrook Animal Centre. They were saved from living in terrible conditions for days on end and we will do a “live” appeal to see if we can find them a new home. In their heart breaking story we’ll hear how they will have to be rehomed together as Bruce has a degenerative eye disease and will be blind within a year, so will need to rely on best mate Rebel to lead him around in the future.

Connor PR specialists in TV promotion, Connor PR specialists in Entertainment PR, Connor PR and The Dog Rescuers

Halls Commercial Department Celebrates its First Anniversary

by hosting a Property Seminar on Thursday 30 April at Halls

Holdings House, Shrewsbury

To mark their first anniversary, Halls Commercial will be hosting a special celebratory property seminar at their headquarters in Shrewsbury alongside Dyke Yaxley. The evening will be supported by sponsors including Watson Watson, Handelsbanken, Henshalls Insurance Brokers, ASK Mobile Phones and Prince Rupert Hotel and is in aid of Hope House Children’s Hospice.

The evening will be opened by Daniel Kawczynski MP and will feature interesting speaker topics focusing on the property investment market, with contributions from Watson Watson and joint hosts Dyke Yaxley. There will also be drinks and canapés, an art exhibition, music from the very talented Alice Lloyd Brown and an auction of promises to round off the evening.

James Evans from Halls Commercial said: “To mark a successful first year for Halls’ commercial department, in which we have seen a strengthening in occupier and investor confidence, coupled with an increasing number of our trademark blue boards across the county, we are very pleased to be joining forces with Dyke Yaxley to host a Property Seminar in aid of Hope House Children’s Hospice.”

2015 will present a real opportunity for people looking to invest in the commercial property market and the first half hour of the evening will feature a short presentation on how investors can leverage this.

Taxation experts from accountants Dyke Yaxley, commercial property specialists from solicitors Watson and Watson will be on hand to highlight key legal and accounting issues as well as the full range of Halls experts from Commercial Property, Agriculture to Fine Art.

Stewart Watson from Watson and Watson added: “We have seen the volume of commercial property transactions significantly increase over the past twelve months. This has not only been evident in the number of transactions, but also the values involved. Multi-million pound deals are becoming commonplace again. Green shoots? Certainly.”

Laurie Riley, Managing Director of Dyke Yaxley said: “Dyke Yaxley are delighted to be supporting this event which brings together the Shropshire business community, mixing business with pleasure, while raising valuable funds for Hope House Children’s Hospice.”

Hope House Children’s Hospices provide vital care and support to terminally ill babies, children and young people and their families across Shropshire, Mid- and North Wales.

They are currently supporting over 650 families and respite care is being provided to over 300 terminally ill local children both at the hospices – Hope House in Shropshire and Ty Gobaith in North Wales – and in the families’ own homes. Other families access their bereavement support and counselling services.

Area Fundraising Manager, Vanessa Thomas, commented: “We are delighted that Halls Commercial, Dyke Yaxley and the other sponsors are staging this exciting event in aid of Hope House. We receive just 17% of our funding from the government and NHS, so are wholly dependent on fundraising events like this to help us raise more than £4 million each year to keep our vital services running for the local terminally ill children and their families who rely on us.

Halls Commercial

Halls Commercial provides a range of specialist commercial property services to clients of all sizes across the UK. We have a comprehensive knowledge of our markets developed over many years of operating in this sector. Our service is forward-thinking, personal and professional, designed to achieve the best results for our clients whatever their requirements. Although we operate nationwide, we retain a particular emphasis on the Midlands. We have been providing commercial property services to the region for many years from our offices in the West Midlands, Worcester and Shrewsbury.

Dyke Yaxley

Dyke Yaxley is one of Shropshire’s leading independent firms of Chartered Accountants working with individuals and many of the county’s most successful businesses, both established and growing. We are very proud of our Shropshire roots and the great relationships we have with our clients. We have a great team of people based at our offices in Shrewsbury and Telford – all experts in their field.

Watson Watson

Watson Watson Solicitors are a niche law firm. Our core practice areas are Corporate and Commercial, Commercial Property, Mergers and Acquisitions, Financing and Private Equity. We also have significant experience and offer advice in specialist areas including Tax, Intellectual Property, Information Technology, Competition, Real Estate and Employment. Our clients include companies of all sizes, funds, private equity houses, banks, entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals, charities and football clubs.

Hope House

Hope House Children’s Hospices provide vital care and support to terminally ill babies, children and young people and their families across Shropshire, Mid- and North Wales.

It costs more than £5 million every year to fund our services and we currently receive just 17% of our funding from the Government and NHS – 83% comes from donations from people who believe in what we do and want to help. No charge is ever made to families who need our help – and we can only help them thanks to our generous supporters.

Connor PR working with Halls Commercial, Connor PR expert in auction PR, Connor PR expert in event PR, Connor PR and regional PR, Connor PR working with Hope House Hospice

Let’s spread the Qbees love with your Valentine’s Day Qbees

***PRESS RELEASE***

Simply say ‘I Love You’ This Valentine’s Day with www.loveqbees.com

We’re gearing up for the most romantic date of the year here at Qbees with unique limited edition Valentine’s Qubes.

Valentine’s Day comes only once a year, and it’s a much celebrated event for both children and adults. Who doesn’t remember delivering Valentines to their friends when they were in school? So whether you’re a hopeless romantic or a last-minute cupid, Qbees will help you win their heart.

Qbees are fashion accessories that snap around headphone cables, giving tweens and teens the opportunity to decorate and accesorise their look. Qbees are made up of mini plastic snap-frames and interchangeable images (called Qubes) that sit inside, and they cost a mere £3 for the pair, regardless of whether you choose to upload your own Valentine’s design or photo, use the word editor or choose from the Qbees fabulous range. They allow the user to transform their plain headphone cables into works of art, message boards or personal statements. The product is so versatile it provides an ever-changing platform for young creative minds.

The concept was born during a ride on the London Underground when Jason noticed the people sitting opposite all had the same white cables hanging down around them. ‘How boring’ shifted to ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if they were more individual and colourful and interesting to look at’ and with that, the brand was born.

Not content with simply providing a variety of fun shapes, colours and images, the team behind Qbees have opened the doors to a new kind of product – offering people the chance to become Qube designers by submitting their ideas online. Winning designs will bag the artist £50 and they will get to watch as their Qube moves up the trending wall!

Jason Palmer, Qbees Creator said: “Young people have so much passion and creative drive so why not let them be a part of designing the accessories they choose to wear. We want to champion young artists and commend creativity and this product does exactly that. And for those who prefer to choose ready-made designs, they can choose from a fantastic selection created either by our designers or their own peers.”

Let’s spread the Qbees love with your Valentine’s Day Qbees.

-Ends-

Notes to editors:

Media information: For all media enquires please contact Connor PR www.connorpr.com

siobhan@connorpr.com Tel: 07966 177025

lisa@onewomanworkforce.com Tel: 07970 727801

Join the conversation

Twitter handle: @LoveQbees

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loveqbees

Website: www.loveqbees.com

About

Entrepreneur Jason Palmer lives in Barkingside, Ilford, with his wife Sue and children Max and Ellie. With a history in the travel industry, Jason has invented and developed Qbees with a creative and passionate team of people who are intent on developing an environmentally friendly, cost-effective product. They believe in hard work and producing products that make people smile! If you want to know more about the T&Cs, please click here.

Qbees will be showcased in front of more than 70,000 retailers at the acclaimed Spring Fair in Birmingham ( February 1^st – 5^th 2015). The event features the world’s biggest collection of British-designed products and the latest products from new and popular brands.

Platform Inspiration

Platform Inspiration Limited was set up in 2014 by Jason Palmer as the parent company for the Qbees range of products, Platform Inspiration Limited is registered In England No.8589869. Trading will initially be via Platform Inspirations e-commerce website www.loveqbees.com

Connor PR specialist in product launch PR, Connor PR working with www.loveqbees.com.Connor PR specialist in parenting PR, Connor PR specialist in consumer PR

Launch of Middlefarm Press in November issue of Shropshire Magazine

Shrewsbury School Charity Fashion Show raises £3000 for charity

I was asked to compere the annual Shrewsbury School Charity Fashion Show which took place a few weeks ago. Organised entirely by A level students at Shrewsbury School and now in its 6th year, the show raised £3000 for Brain Tumour UK and Ethiopiad which is a fantastic achievement. I also met the fabulous Jeans Woods Since who you may recognise after her appearance on Channel 4’s Fabulous Fashionistas, a documentary about stylish older women.

http://www.shrewsbury.org.uk/news/£3000-raised-charity-catwalk

Connor PR working on Martin Scorsese’s film Tomorrow with Stephen Fry, Joss Stone

PRODUCTION COMMENCES ON BRITISH FEATURE FILM “TOMORROW”

Martin Scorsese and Sebastian Street

Martin Scorsese’s voyage into British feature film gets underway

Cast to include: Stephen Fry, Stephanie Leonidas, Joss Stone, Paul Kaye, Sebastian Street, Stuart Brennan and Sophie Kennedy-Clarke

LONDON, 22 SEPTEMBER 2014: Landmark British feature film, Tomorrow, presented by Martin Scorsese, will commence production from today in London with confirmed cast to include: Stephen Fry (The Hobbit), Stephanie Leonidas (Defiance), Sebastian Street (Age of Heroes), Stuart Brennan (Risen), Sophie Kennedy-‐Clark (Nymphomaniac 1 & 2, Philomena) Paul Kaye (Blackball, Game of Thrones) and Joss Stone (The Tudors).

Produced by London based production companies, Roaring Mouse Productions & Studio 82, Tomorrow marks Martin Scorsese’s first ever voyage into British feature film as he takes on an executive producer role. It also heralds the feature film directional debut of Martha Pinson, Scorsese’s long-‐time script supervisor. Pinson has directed an award winning short film and off-‐ Broadway plays as well as collaborating with Oliver Stone and Sidney Lumet. She has also worked on Scorsese’s four most-‐recent narrative films: The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island, and Hugo. The script is being penned by Stuart Brennan and Sebastian Street who are producing alongside Dean M. Woodford, while Emma Tillinger Koskoff and Scorsese come on as Executive Producers.

Martin Scorsese said:“I’m honoured to join Martha in her directorial debut. Through her vision, the great cast, and dedicated team, this story will resonate for years to come.”

With a BAFTA Award winning cast already confirmed, Tomorrow has begun principal photography for six weeks across London locations to include Battersea, Borough and Shoreditch, as well as Tedworth House in Wiltshire, home for recovering soldiers, and Spain in October.

Tomorrow is a moving and inspirational feature film, which candidly explores the difficulty and loneliness soldiers encounter as they try to reintegrate back into society having served for their country; moving on from losses and injuries to forge a life, find sustaining work and experience love. The film is a very personal journey for both writers and boldly explores several hard-‐ hitting yet underexposed issues such as post-‐traumatic stress disorder, as well as HIV and AIDS.

Martha Pinson said: ““Tomorrow” is a great script. The dialogue is brilliant and believable; the reversals and surprises are well placed and powerful. The characters and situations are vividly drawn. It explores the difficulty of moving on from loses and injuries, to forge a life, to find sustaining work, and experience love. This is an acute challenge for a person in their mid-‐late 20’s, which has not been extensively explored. For an injured veteran or someone who is HIV positive it is colossal.”

The subject matter of the film is both topical and timely, with the end of the UK combat mission in Afghanistan due to take place in December 2014 when British troops will be withdrawn after 13 years of intense fighting, which has claimed 453 British lives alone. The project is working with charity ‘Help for Heroes’ to collaborate in building a national awareness campaign for the film and the serious issues it deals with.

-‐ENDS-‐ For more information or images please contact:

Join in the conversation @Tomorrowfilmuk

Connor PR specialist in film PR, Connor PR promoting Tomorrow presented by Martin Scorsese, Connor PR specialist in TV and Film PR

Give Up Clothes For Good exhibition by world famous photographer Jason Bell

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Give Up Clothes for Good campaign, TK Maxx and Cancer Research UK are hosting an exclusive exhibition of works by world famous photographer Jason Bell. I arrived at the Pall Mall Galleria and was proud to see my PR campaign from 2014s Give Up Clothes for Good campaign on display.

Give Up Clothes For Good encourages donating your old clothes to raise money for children’s cancers.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/512015/Jerry-Hall-shows-off-her-youthful-looks-at-Cancer-Research-and-TK-Maxx-charity-launch

Launched in 2004, Give Up Clothes For Good is a biannual campaign based on encouraging people to clear out their wardrobes and donate quality unwanted clothes and household items to raise money for the treatment and cure of childhood cancers. The donated items are collected from TK Maxx stores and later sold across the network of CRUK stores.
I needed to come up with a witty and motivating call to action that encouraged the whole nation to take part in the biggest clothes collection ever. We took the double meaning of ‘Give Up Clothes For Good’ to suggest we all go naked for a good cause. A simple proposition that would guarantee stand out across all media. In order to engage the public and ensure extensive coverage, we set about contacting a host of celebrities to pose for some very tasteful and modest, naked themed shots, playing on the campaign strapline ‘Bare as you Dare’. Celebrities including Jade Jagger, Bruno Tonioli, Liz McLarnon, Sol Campbell, Lucy Benjamin, Julia Bradbury, James Anderson, Christopher Biggins, Kate Walsh all ‘dared to bare’ For the cameras in aid of raising valuable funds for charity and encourage the public to
strip their wardrobes bare too.

Whilst I was confident that images of naked celebrities shot by renowned celebrity photographer Jason Bell would provide us with a compelling news pictures, we also felt that the campaign project merited a pre awareness launch and a series of regional launches around the country that would serve to maximize awareness.
During the pre awareness stage TK Maxx, HomeSense and Cancer Research UK teamed up with online auction site eBay for a celebrity clothing auction. I set about contacting celebrities – Sharon Osbourne, Duffy, David Walliams, Jade Jagger, Tyra Banks, Nicky Hilton, Rupert Grint, Leighton Meester and the Duchess of York are just some of the celebrities who pledged an item. The team got busy selling in to fashion bloggers, showbiz desks and celebrity titles.

A week before the media launch day on April 6th the celebrity images were seeded with Press Association and Heat magazine offered the magazine exclusive. Over the Easter bank holiday weekend, the national picture desks and showbiz desks were spoken to in order to ensure the messaging and campaign credits were correct. National and regional sites were targeted, as well as relevant fashion blogs, entertainment and lifestyle outlets. encourage bag drops.

Local celebrities across six key regions with high regional media density also helped drive awareness. Regional photo-calls took place on launch day with local talent wearing a large Give Up Clothes For Good bag including Paul Potts in Cardiff, TV presenter Amanda Hamilton in Edinburgh, Ex Gladiator in Leeds, BBC Midlands presenter Suzanne Virdee in Birmingham and Orlaith McCallister in Belfast, as well as a photocall in Southampton. The team got busy selling in the pictures to regional targets. Inorder to target the fashion press, we worked with Jade Jagger who carried out interviews for Stylist and Stella. In addition we secured interviews with Bruno Tonilio in OK Magazine, Kate Walsh in Closer.

To keep the momentum going throughout the three week campaign and to encourage bag donations we scheduled regional activity during this time, including ‘naked’ radio drops using two naturists from Living’s ‘Four Weddings’ Fame in the final week.
TK Maxx, HomeSense and CRUK have smashed the 2008 till point donations revealing £258,097.65 worth of donations.
On Monday 5th April, the pictures and press release were issued under embargo to all national and regional newspapers and all major online outlets, supported by an aggressive call round.

The following morning I had secured newspaper coverage within The Sun, Daily Mirror, Metro, Daily Record, Daily Star, Daily Mail, The Times, Daily Telegraph.
The story was also successful in reaching newspaper websites including The Sun Online, Daily Mirror Online, Metro Online, Daily Mail Online, and The Daily Telegraph Online, as well as a fully credited.

Other key outlets secured include BBC Entertainment News, Sky News, Yahoo! and MSN, all crediting TK Maxx, HomeSense and Cancer Research UK. Online coverage continued to mount throughout the day, with stories appearing on online outlets.

The campaign became part of the ‘naked’ zeitgeist and discussions on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and articles in the Evening Standard ‘Naked London’ affiliated TK Maxx and CR-UK with the story. As well as TV presenter Kate Walsh talking about the campaign on Live At Studio Five and Liz McClarnon on The Wright Stuff.
Total coverage
149 clips
£582,888 AVE
100,090,554 Circulation