UK PR
CMYUK puts Shrewsbury on the wide-format map with strategic move to tailor-made premises
CMYUK puts Shrewsbury on the wide-format map with
strategic move to tailor-made premises
Strategic and diligent planning, plus the logistics behind the most suitable location from which to service its growing customer base, has led to the creation by CMYUK of its state-of-the-art showroom, training and demonstration facility in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Mrs Beverley Baker, was in attendance at the official opening ceremony held on 25 February 2015, where she joined by EFI’s Ken Hanulec, VP Inkjet Solutions, and Paul Cripps, Managing Director of EMEA, who flew in from overseas. They joined local companies and display production specialists who all played a major role in the development and creation of the new premises for the UK’s leading wide-format distributor.
The new showroom and demonstration facility has been tailor-made to accommodate a broad range of EFI, VUTEk and Mimaki wide-format printers, and Zünd cutting systems in a lay-out that enables visitors to ascertain exactly which technology is right for their application and business needs. Each machine is positioned to simplify access to, and viewing of, every part of a job’s work-flow so that customers can establish exactly how the equipment will function in their own premises.
CMYUK’s decision to base its showroom and demonstration centre, complemented by full training facilities, in Shrewsbury was the culmination of the need to match a variety of criteria all of which were crucial to the company’s ability to serve its growing customer base from the best location. Communication links to and from the north, south and west of the country have become increasingly important as businesses outside the east, south east and London regions, already served by CMYUK’s southern office, need a reliable and knowledgeable sales, service and technical channel.
Easy access to key parts of the UK make Shropshire’s second largest town an excellent choice logistically, with its good rail and road links boosted by the fact that CMYUK’s new premises is only an hour away from Birmingham and Manchester. With direct and remote communications increasingly playing a vital role in today’s businesses, particularly when investing in new technology, the wide-format specialist supplier believes strongly that its new Shrewbury base offers an efficient, well-connected hub that serves the entire country, to the benefit of all new and existing customers.
Robin East, Director of CMYUK, states: “Shrewsbury is growing exponentially as a centre for technologically based enterprises and to be part of this thriving business community now means that we can expand and increase our sales and support network throughout the UK.”
As the UK’s principal distributor of EFI wide-format and VUTEk printers plus Fiery end-to-end productivity software, CMYUK has been instrumental in driving the growth in digital printing technology throughout the display production, sign-making and commercial print markets. The company is also a prolific supplier of products from the Mimaki portfolio as well as Zünd cutting tables, and now covers all budgetary and production needs. For more than a decade the company has been involved in sales and support for a vast range of businesses, ranging from small enterprises through to major production houses that want to benefit from the adoption of ink-jet’s versatility for interior and exterior applications.
For further information please contact Robin East at CMYUK on robin.east@cmyuk.com, telephone +44 1743 810000 or +44 7739 518477.
CMYUK Demo & Training Centre: Unit 3B, Vanguard Way, Battlefield Enterprise Park, Shrewsbury, SY1 3TG
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 1st – 5th 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
***PRESS RELEASE***
Qbees – Giving tweens the ultimate in product personalisation
London, 24th November 2014: There is no place for standardisation in the tween world today – being told what to like, wear or share simply doesn’t roll – it’s all about choice, creativity and being unique.
The latest craze to hit the UK is all of those things and more – it’s fun, highly collectable and inexpensive to boot. Qbees are fashion accessories that snap around headphone cables, giving tweens and teens the opportunity to decorate and accesorise their look.
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.”
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 photo, use the word editor or choose from the Qbees fabulous range. They allow the user to transform their boring 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!
Move over playground trends, this craze is all about the wider world and letting tweens put their own stamp on it, literally…
-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.
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
***PRESS RELEASE***
Qbees – Giving tweens the ultimate in product personalisation
London, 24th November 2014: There is no place for standardisation in the tween world today – being told what to like, wear or share simply doesn’t roll – it’s all about choice, creativity and being unique.
The latest craze to hit the UK is all of those things and more – it’s fun, highly collectable and inexpensive to boot. Qbees are fashion accessories that snap around headphone cables, giving tweens and teens the opportunity to decorate and accesorise their look.
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.”
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 photo, use the word editor or choose from the Qbees fabulous range. They allow the user to transform their boring 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!
Move over playground trends, this craze is all about the wider world and letting tweens put their own stamp on it, literally…
-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.
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
***PRESS RELEASE***
Qbees – Giving tweens the ultimate in product personalisation
London, 24th November 2014: There is no place for standardisation in the tween world today – being told what to like, wear or share simply doesn’t roll – it’s all about choice, creativity and being unique.
The latest craze to hit the UK is all of those things and more – it’s fun, highly collectable and inexpensive to boot. Qbees are fashion accessories that snap around headphone cables, giving tweens and teens the opportunity to decorate and accesorise their look.
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.”
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 photo, use the word editor or choose from the Qbees fabulous range. They allow the user to transform their boring 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!
Move over playground trends, this craze is all about the wider world and letting tweens put their own stamp on it, literally…
-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.
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 promoting Qbees, Connor PR expert in launch PR, Connor PR expert in youth PR, Connor PR expert in tween PR, Connor PR and Siobhan Connor,
Hot Yoga hits Shropshire in today’s Shropshire Star
Hot yoga hits Shropshire, great piece on My Soul Space it today’s Shropshire Star www.mysoulspace.co.uk
Siobhan Connor from Connor PR compering Shrewsbury School Charity Fashion Show
SHREWSBURY SCHOOL PRESS RELEASE ____________________________________________________________________
Runway ready – Shrewsbury School’s Charity Fashion Show prepares for take-off
Organised entirely by A level students at Shrewsbury School, the 6th gala Charity Fashion Show takes place at the School on Saturday 4th October.
Lead organiser Georgia Bruce, aged 17, is putting into place the final touches to what promises to be a hugely entertaining evening for audience and participants alike.
“We are hoping to raise lots of awareness and money for Brain Tumour UK and Ethiopiad whilst creating a fabulous night of fashion that also helps to support local businesses and boutiques.”
“We’re thrilled with the wonderful response we’ve had from local shops. We’re really looking forward to showing off some gorgeous clothes from the autumn collections at Templeton Jones, Jones, Chequers, EA Jones Vintage. Harry Mundy, an former pupil here is bringing a sample of his collection of Saville Row tailored suits. We are so excited to be able to wear jewellery from Boodles.”
“We’ve also been given some fabulous raffle prizes and we’re extremely grateful to everyone who has donated. In honour of the Fashion Show we are giving a beautiful bouquet to the ‘Best-Dressed Lady’ of the evening”
Georgia has lined up 15 fellow students – boys and girls – to model the outfits. Students will also be providing musical entertainment during the interval, while others will be busy behind the scenes, building the catwalk and controlling the sound and lighting.
Adding an extra glamorous sparkle to the event, Georgia is delighted that the evening will be compered by local PR guru and lover of fashion, Siobhan Connor, Director of Connor PR.
The students of Shrewsbury School hope to raise more than £2,000 for Brain Tumour UK and Ethiopiad. _________________________________________________________________________________
Notes to editor: For further information and images, please contact: Annabel Warburg, Website and Press Manager, Shrewsbury School afwarburg@shrewsbury.org.uk tel. 01743 280522 / 07800 571174 www.shrewsbury.org.uk
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
Middle Farm Press holds exclusive launch party at Waterstones
Middle Farm Press Holds Exclusive Launch Party at Waterstones, Shrewsbury
With a turnout to be proud of, new venture Middle Farm Press held its launch party last night in Shrewsbury’s Waterstones.
With canapés provided by Momo•No•Ki,, guests included: Jenny and Marcus Bean (Brompton Cookery School); Colin Young (BBC Radio Shropshire); John Barton (Coach and Horses); Chris Burt (Momo•No•Ki.), Sam and Claire Barker (Greak Berwick Organics) and Suree Coates (The King and Thai), who all turned up to support Sam Gray and Kate Taylor as they celebrated their new company and its first book, Doing it in Wellies, which was launched at last week’s Ludlow Food Festival.
The evening is perhaps best summed up in the speech given by previous President of the Booksellers Association of Great Britain and Ireland, and Middle Farm Press’ Chairman, Bing Taylor:
“Like many other industries, and perhaps the music industry is the closest analogy, the publishing world has changed dramatically since I started my career as a university publisher at Longman in the early 1970s. With a little more experience under my belt I realized, by 1975, that people not only needed access to books (and large swathes of Britain didn’t have a bookstore within 100 miles in those days) but they needed selection, advice and guidance – the sort of help you would get from a good local bookshop. A friend of mine and I started The Good Book Guide which made English books available all over the world, at English published prices. We even published a separate edition for children. At about this time a man called Tim Waterstone and I were invited to speak at a conference called Children’s Books and the Chocolate Factory. Tim said he was thinking of starting a thinking person’s bookstore chain but that he would never stock children’s books as they were low ticket items and could never be profitable. He quickly changed his mind. Both Harry Potter and Waterstones were no doubt grateful.
A great deal of what I learned about people and books I learned from working at The Good Book Guide. For us, a quality selection and customer care were all important to retaining customer loyalty. Being a mail order operation we couldn’t provide on the spot guidance that you would expect from a friendly local bookseller so we got people with specialist knowledge to recommend books for the general reader such as Yehudi Menuhin on Music; Antonia Fraser on Biography and somewhat unexpectedly the Duke of Edinburgh on Wildlife Conservation. We learned a lot from our customers – the girls in the order processing department even got marriage proposals from people whose orders they had sorted out satisfactorily. And from our mistakes – one lady, who turned out to be one of our loyalist customers, lived in Papua New Guinea and ordered a copy of Quick Headache Relief without Drugs. We sent her The Joy of Sex. She wrote to say that miraculously her headaches had never returned.
When I was MD of Jonathan Cape in the mid 1980s we had, as our offices, a five story house in London’s elegant Bedford Square. Now Cape is housed in two rooms on a floor of Penguin, lately merged with Random House. When I started in the 70s there were more than fifty publishers, now there are about five major publishers with the number ever dwindling. What is missing from these vast, foreign owned, conglomerates is the personal care, nurturing and involvement of the editor / publisher. Some publishers have been able to retain this to a degree – Bloomsbury and their John Lewis style partnership with their authors is a rare example – but many books by major authors these days are far too long as editors dare not edit them for fear that the increasingly promiscuous authors will go elsewhere. Loyalty and trust between author and publisher, as between bookseller and customer, is an increasingly rare but highly valued commodity.
Fortunately here in Shropshire you are lucky enough still to have, against all the odds since the disappearance of the net book agreement and the advent of Amazon, surviving independent bookstores and to have branches of a chain that act as independent book shops with their emphasis on the customer of which this branch of Waterstones is a prime example and something which will I believe become increasingly the case under the leadership of Waterstones CEO James Daunt.
You are also the host town to an excitingly original new publishing enterprise Middle Farm Press, the brainchild of two indefatigable, multi-talented young ladies Sam Gray and Kate Taylor. Sam’s background as a pig farmer might not strike everyone as the logical training for a publisher (and if you think that you don’t know much about the publishing industry) but she is a natural entrepreneur as is Kate Taylor who has a more conventional background as a writer and publisher and despite that, has retained an endless supply of energy, enthusiasm and expertise. She’s come a long way since, as a little girl, she remarked to a dinner guest named Salman Rushdie that she didn’t read books as she thought all books were boring.
Now they have channeled their enthusiasm to form a remarkable partnership approaching publishing from a fresh perspective, cutting out all unnecessary middle-man costs, electing to sell books through the traditional book trade rather than through Amazon and putting a high premium on providing the sort of customer advice, support and guidance that used to be a hallmark of British publishing but has now all but disappeared from the scene. As a former President of the Booksellers Association of Great Britain and Ireland who fought long and hard to protect the independent bookseller it is a particular pleasure for me to be associated with their company as Chairman and to be here at the launch of, I’m sure the first of many beautifully produced books Sam Gray’s entertaining, informative and above all inspirational account of her year as a pig farmer on her 35 acre small holding in Church Stretton ‘Doing it in Wellies’.
Middle Farm Press is putting the book, and its proceeds, firmly back in the hands of the author. The publishers won’t be taking their traditional 85% to 90% of the profits from the authors but instead MFP will be relying on their personal relationships and experience to get the best deals from their designers, printers and suppliers. Thus allowing the author to not only benefit from the publisher’s business acumen but to keep the proceeds from all their book sales.
Amazon excitedly announced a few weeks ago that they will be the sole suppliers of Paris Hilton’s jewelry designs – no doubt a mouthwatering prospect for some but the writing is on the wall – the times are changing. A self-published book was on the Man Booker Longlist for the first time; HMV onetime owners of Waterstones, went bust a few years ago. It now has a new Chief Executive and has reopened its flagship Oxford Street store emphasizing the need to return to offering advice, guidance and support and to putting the customer first. And here in Shropshire Middle Farm Press is opening its doors to authors everywhere and enabling them, for the first time, to reap the true benefits from their creativity and plain hard work.”
Middle Farm Press makes high-quality books, specialising in produce, food and cooking but by no means exclusive to this genre. The company makes stunning books that allow authors to make a real profit. They support bookshops and champion authors – with a particular focus on producers, small farms and passionate chefs.
Middle Farm Press is the brainchild of writer and editor Kate Taylor and her author colleague Sam Gray, who runs her own smallholding. They set up the company to help authors who are considering self-publishing. Bringing with them the very best designers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, photographers, food economists, printers and cartographers, their aim is to help authors produce the same high-quality books produced by leading UK publishers without having to give away most of the profits. Since the founding of Middle Farm Press, it has been evolving to include all manner of things.
House of The Rising Sun Restaurant Review in this month’s Shropshire Magazine
Connor PR specialist in launch and event PR has secured a fantastic review in this month’s Shropshire Magazine for client House of the Rising Sun, in Shrewsbury, Shropshire
and Australia’s strong ties with Japan also help determine the taste and style.
Gypsies, Come Dancing!
Press Release
Gypsies, Come Dancing!
Forget Got to Dance and Strictly Come Dancing, telly bosses are currently battling it out for the rights to bring an even more sequined dance event to our screens, the World Gypsy Dance Championships! The first and only worldwide contest for dancers from the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller community is to be hosted in London later this year. Organisers have already begun the worldwide search for the next Gypsy dance star, and are expecting stiff competition for the coveted gold medal.
Running the contest is Irish Romany Gypsy, Róisín Mullins, a former Irish Dance World Medallist and dancer with Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance. Róisín has judged thousands of Gypsy acts, including performing horses, in TV talent shows such as Travellers Got Talent and Gypsy and Traveller Face of the Year, alongside singers David Essex and Jentina. But now Róisín will be encouraging Travellers to swap their twenty stone wedding dresses for flamenco skirts, hitch up their wagons, and hit auditions at Traveller fairs, sites and events throughout the UK.
Róisín Mullins said: “The World Gypsy Dance Championships is a fantastic opportunity for dancers to take centre stage. We have already seen singers from the community make it on TV talent shows, but for me, the dancers represent our culture best”.
Joining Róisín to organise the contest will be her Gypsy partner, Irish dance show producer, Jack Jacobs. The pair are keen to show off a more positive side to the community, at what they hope will be the biggest gathering of gypsy dancers in history. Event organiser Jack is particularly excited about revealing the community’s hidden talent.
Jack Jacobs said: “The contest is a real first for the Gypsy and Traveller community. There are some incredibly talented dancers out there, and traditional dance styles that we, in the UK, have never seen before. So the chance to pull Gypsy dancers together from all over the world to compete against one another will be an amazing site”.
Celebrities rumoured to be taking a seat on the judging panel alongside Róisín include world famous Gypsy dancers, and stars from the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
As well as heavily diamented costumes and fake tan, the contest promises to deliver an all out battle of traditional versus modern, with Flamenco and Irish dancing facing off against hip hop and street dance.
Entrants can compete in any dance style, but must be from a Gypsy, Roma or Traveller background.
To enter visit www.worldgypsydancechampionships.com
Press Enquiries:
For all media enquiries please contact: siobhan@connopr.com Tel: 07966 177025 or Jack Jacobs at jackjacobs@live.co.uk
Connor PR entertainment PR Specialist, Connor PR working with Gypsies, Come Dancing
Memorial held for TV globetrotter Alan Whicker
Memorial held for TV globetrotter Alan Whicker
Yesterday I attended the Memorial Service of my dear friend Alan Whicker at The Grosvenor Chapel in London’s Mayfair.
Sir Michael Parkinson and Monty Python star Michael Palin were among the guests.
Former BBC boss Michael Grade described Whicker as “one of the corner stones of the golden age of British television”.
Whicker died in July 2013 after a TV career lasting nearly six decades.
He was best known for Whicker’s World which ran from 1959 to 1988 on both the BBC and ITV.
He had… eyebrows that could speak a thousand words when raised slightly at the right moment.”
Lord Grade
“Alan Whicker belonged to that very exclusive club of gifted individuals who over so many decades consistently delivered memorable programmes for what is more usually such a transitory medium,” Lord Grade said.
“He had that unmistakable voice with its delicate inflections so easily mimicked, eyebrows that could speak a thousand words when raised slightly at the right moment… and an unerring instinct to know when to listen.”
Whicker’s dapper dress sense – which included his trademark smart blazer and tie – made him one of the most recognised figures on television.
Palin, who spoofed Whicker in a Monty Python sketch, said Whicker was “a towering figure” in the world of television.
He said Whicker had the “enviable ability to deliver introductions and summings up that were as crisp and precise as the clothes in which he delivered them”.
Palin recalled how he had been the fourth person the BBC had asked to present travel series Around the World in 80 Days, the first choice having been Whicker.
“I was later told – apocryphally I’m sure – that the reason he turned it down was that the BBC, in soliciting the great man’s services, had taken him out to lunch at the Pizza Hut in Shepherd’s Bush.
“Alan didn’t do Pizza Hut.”
Sir Michael Parkinson said Whicker had “inspired an entire generation of young journalists” to seek a television career.
“He never let celebrity cloud the business of being a proper journalist,” he added.
Whicker’s long list of famous interviewees included Peter Sellers, Joan Collins, the Sultan of Brunei and notorious Haitian dictator ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier.
Reference Tim Masters, BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27606893
Connor PR expert in publishing PR, Connor PR expert in Travel PR, Siobhan Connor worked with Alan Whicker