Connor PR specialist in expert PR
Nadiya Hussain is supporting ‘Be School Ready’, PTA UK’s national campaign to help families with children starting school in September
Exclusive interview with The Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain
Nadiya Hussain is supporting ‘Be School Ready’, PTA UK’s national campaign to help families with children starting school in September. The Be School Ready magazines, produced by PTA UK, which is also celebrating its 60th year, have been distributed providing both practical and emotional support for parents, carers and children so they can start school life with confidence.
http://www.pta.org.uk/BeSchoolReady
Get your kids making their healthy after school snacks as well as eating them! Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story is a book of recipes and stories devised and written by Nadiya herself. Cook up a batch of Carrot and Nutmeg Cookies on a Sunday afternoon and share the story of Rapunzel’s Enchanted Carrots while the cookies bake or read about Ruby-Red and the Three Bears and their Very Berry Muffins while you wait for your own to rise! Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story publishes 8th September 2016 in hardback, priced £14.99
As a mother of three very lively children it is safe to say that I have had my fair share of ‘mum I’m starving’ ‘how long before dinner?’, I’m so hungry’, ‘please can I have a crisp?’, ‘if I can’t have crisp, can I have a small biscuit?’. Whether you have one child, three like me or more, I know it’s the worst feeling trying to decide whether your child should have a snack or should I just let them have whatever they want. If not to just keep them quiet before dinner but ease your own guilt.
I spent years wondering what the right thing was to do during that very intense time between school pick up and dinner time. I will not lie, there have been times where I have just given the kids the easiest option, a packet of crisps, a small bar of chocolate, a biscuit (or two). But I noticed that the kids were like yoyos. After school the kids slumped, tired and exhausted from the day. They walk through the door and as I rush around they have a quick sweet treat and they are then the polar opposite, high as kites, excitable before the inevitable sugar crash to follow.
A few years ago I decided that I needed to overhaul my eating habits along with the kids. I just couldn’t do the constant peak and trough that come with lots of sugar all day long. Better eating habits didn’t mean taking everything away, it just meant eating sugar in moderation and incorporating more fruit and vegetables where possible. I thought it would be a difficult change to make when in fact the transition was the opposite of our sugar crashes and slumps. The transition was smooth.
One of the first things I knew I had to tackle was the time between school pick up and dinner. Upon picking the children up my first question is always ‘how was your day?’ and all three kids always respond with ‘Great, what’s for dinner?’ One of my first tips is that I always take a bottle of water (not chilled). I find children are weary of drinking chilled water because it’s cold and harder to drink quickly. So I take a bottle of water at room temperature and allow them to drink to their fill as soon as I see them. I never believe my children when I’ve asked them if they’ve drunk lots of water through the day. What I like to address is the fact that they may just be very thirsty.
As a fruitier alternative to plain water I like to have water bottles with wide necks and to this I add slices of oranges, kiwi and strawberries and leave it to infuse during the day and take that with me on the school run. Once they have drunk all the water they can finish the fruit inside too.
In between sorting the children, preparing for dinner, finishing emails and doing laundry, I always have a few snacks that I have pre prepared or snacks that can be quickly made. Here is a list of a few of our favourites:
- Frozen Yoghurt – small pots of yoghurt, I just pierce a lolly pop stick through the covering and stick the whole thing in the freezer. When frozen, peel off the top of the yoghurt pot and ease the frozen yoghurt out of its pot.
- Frozen Blueberry Yoghurt Sticks – take a wooden skewer and pierce it with about 10 blueberries. Dip the whole stick into yoghurt and place the sticks on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen take them off the sheet and place inside a freezer bag and store in the freezer.
- Apple and Peanut Rings – core and horizontally slice a green apple, spread the tops with smooth peanut butter and eat straight away.
- Houmous Celery Sticks – cut slices of celery sticks about 2 inches long. Fill the inside with houmous and serve.
- Summer Fruit Spring Rolls – take a circle of rice paper and soak for a few seconds till soft. Squeeze off any excess water and place down. Add any fruit, the more colourful the better and wrap like a spring roll.
- Boiled eggs – I like to keep boiled eggs in the fridge during the week. They are quick simple and nutritious and very easy to eat.
- Turkey Ham wrapped Cheese sticks – take a small stick of cheese and wrap around a slice of turkey ham.
- Mini omelettes – whisk up some eggs and add onion, cheese, chives and chopped peppers. Pour the mix into a 12 muffin cupcake tin and bake in the oven. Once cooled these can be stored for a week.
- Steamed edamame beans – these are great placed in a bowl, splashed with a little water and the covered in cling. Cooked in a microwave for 3 minutes and then sprinkled with salt and paprika.
- Plain popcorn – plain popcorn, quickly popped and a large handful is just enough.
In terms of drinks on a warm day I love to make the kids a quick cold smoothie after school and a nice warm drink on the colder school days.
Cold Drink – in a smoothie maker I like to add ice, mint, 1 green apple, the juice of a lime, half water and half apple juice and whizz.
Hot Drink – in a pan add coconut milk and heat up, to this I like to add unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract and honey, boil and serve.
These are all great ways to give the kids a little something to eat to take the edge off the hunger before dinner. But also a great way of getting some of their 5 a day in too.
This is just enough food to keep them sustained long enough to get on to help cook dinner in the kitchen with me, which is their favourite thing to do after school.
Connor PR working with Shirley Oaks Survivors Association (SOSA) on the ‘Don’t Touch It. It’s Mine’ campaign
CHILD ABUSE SURVIVORS UNITE IN MUSIC VIDEO TO RAISE AWARENESS OF HISTORIC HIGH POWER PAEDOPHILE RING & CALL FOR A REINVESTIGATION INTO HANGED BOY, PETER DAVIS’, DEATH
LONDON, 24th November 2015: The victims of one of the world’s most horrific and high profile cases of child abuse will today unite to appear in a music video as part of a landmark venture to try and raise awareness of the high power paedophile ring, which included politicians, celebrities, scout masters, members of the Catholic church, that infiltrated more than 20 children’s homes in the Lambeth area from 1950’s – 2000’s. The “Don’t Touch It. It’s Mine” campaign aims to bring justice to the hundreds of victims that suffered at their hands, 12 of whom committed suicide, and lift a 100 year access restriction order on the victim’s files. Award winning author and chair of the Shirley Oaks Survivors Association (SOSA), Alex Wheatle MBE, himself a victim of abuse at Shirley Oaks and now seeking justice, is hoping that the campaign will encourage more witnesses to come forward enabling police to reopen an investigation into 15 year old Peter Davis’ death, who was found hanged at Shirley Oaks in Croydon in 1977.
Written by music mogul, Raymond Stevenson, who discovered Jessie J when she was 15 and was himself physically abused going on to become the founder of SOSA, with input and melodies by X Factor / Alien Uncovered star, Temple Praise, the track is entitled ‘Don’t Touch It. It’s Mine’ and will be released in early December this year. The track features haunting testimonies from the victims. The video will tell the story of the true horror suffered by vulnerable young children during decades of abuse at Shirley Oaks and aims to encourage more people who have any information to come forward and speak out, so that police investigations can be reopened and Government can lift the 100 year access restriction on files for former Shirley Oaks residents. The video will be made available to download from the first week of December 2015 (date TBC) with all funds going towards helping SOSA track down victims from across the UK and around the world.
Raymond Stevenson, SOSA founder, said: “I have done many campaigns and they have always been motivated by personal circumstances and issues that blight communities. Maybe because I survived the hell of Shirley Oaks I believe it’s my duty to help others. I say this not just because I was a victim but there can be no greater crime levied at humanity than paedophillia. Then add that these were abandoned children in the state’s care already unloved and frightened, some already victims and others whose parents died. Then add the lies, the cover-up, the conspiracy and now we learn that this could have all been prevented. This video will enable victims to tell their story through a medium that cannot be tampered with or edited. The chorus in the song simply says, ‘you don’t know what they done to me’. The video will show the fear horror and abuse through art. A line in the song that asks the question, ‘what happens if it was your child?”
Amongst the alleged abusers are Jimmy Savile, as well as former Lambeth Labour councilors, Toren Smith and Susan Smith, who have been convicted. There have been two major police investigations into abuse at children’s homes in South London and a total of three people have been convicted of offences; one relating to Shirley Oaks, swimming instructor, William Hook, and the remaining two including Michael John Carroll who ran Angell Road children’s home and Les Paul from South Vale Children’s Home.
SOSA is demanding answers for one very specific matter – the sudden death of 15-year old Peter Davis in 1977, found hanged in a toilet with a cord around his neck. Following signs of sexual acitivy, a coroner ruled “death by misadventure“, but friends who grew up with him believe he was the target of paedophiles. Peter was the chief witness in a rape trial at the Old Bailey two years before he died where he gave evidence in regard to both his and his sibling’s rape. When the BBC looked for court documents from the time, they found that in 2003 they had been made secret for 100 years. Former senior detective Clive Driscoll said reopening the case would be a “great opportunity for detective work”.
Chuka Umunna, Labour MP for Streatham, who has constituents who are Lambeth abuse survivors said: “This is an important step for the campaign. I hope the excellent work that the survivors association are doing will help other survivors feel able to come forward and speak out. By the police’s own admission, previous investigations were ‘of the time’ and did not meet the standards we would apply today. The police owe it to the survivors group to reopen the investigation into Peter Davis’s death.”
The Metropolitan Police said officers looked at available material relating to Peter’s death in September 2014. A statement said: “In the absence of further new witnesses or new lines of inquiry, the matter remains closed. If new witnesses are identified who are prepared to provide police with statements that challenge the recorded decision then an assessment of that material will be undertaken.”
SOSA and Urban Concept’s1 research and on-going investigation is focused specifically on 1965 onwards when Lambeth took over the controls of Shirley Oaks. There have been multiple inquiries, most recently by the Metropolitan Police and Lambeth Council from 1998 – 2003, which cost millions of pounds, and resulted in the arrest of one paedophile from Shirley Oaks and two other paedophiles from other south London children’s homes. In the first eight months of interviewing over 300 children who attended Shirley Oaks and other South London Children’s Homes, Urban Concepts1 uncovered more than 16 paedophiles. When they discussed this with the Police their response was dismissive. A few weeks later Urban Concepts discovered a document produced by the Police and Lambeth Council which stated that 16 paedophiles died before or during the Police operation. This included one suicide during the trial in March 2003, 19 cases the alleged paedophile could not be identified and one case where the victim died before being able to give evidence. In some 11 cases the CPS took no further action and one case fell through after the suspected paedopile committed suicide during his trial.
Singers for the “Don’t Touch It. It’s Mine” campaign include 23 year old Millie from Essex, 21 year old Sophie from West Sussex and 21 year old Royal Opera House ballet dancer, Lucy from Stoke. The group known as ETHAMIA were selected based on their suitability to understand the subject matter and to empathise with the victims. When Urban Concepts1 played the track, the girls burst into tears and demanded to be part of the project. Taking their roles as ambassadors for victims seriously, the girls did their own research and went to Shirley Oaks and also accompanied the victims as they made a presentation to Lambeth council.
Principal crew for the music video will include: director, Giles Borg (Flutter, 1234, Home) with over twenty years of experience in music, film and television directing music videos, full length feature films, commercials and TV programmes; Jospeh Crone, a multi-talented fashion stylist and costume designer with a diverse list of clients and credits in the music, commercial and film sectors of the industry, from James Blunt to Dizzee Rascal, Investec to Innocent; and Ryan Jenkins, one of the UK’s most sought after choreographers, recently appointed creative director by UK government to represent and create work for Great Britain National day at Milan Expo 2015.
Choreographer, Ryan Jenkins, said: “This project has opened my eyes to the unimaginable pain and torture these people have experienced. It makes me so angry to know that nothing substantial has been done by those in authority. I want to help bring justice for these people. This is a story that needs to be told and the time is now.”
The Shirley Oaks campaigners are part of a wider phenomenon – a “survivor” activism that is changing the balance of power in relation to child abuse. Where once victims were ignored or silenced, now they are coming together through social media, forming support groups and building a crescendo of noise that the authorities are forced to acknowledge.
Lambeth Council is supporting the Shirley Oaks Survivors’ Association in their campaign to identify further victims and offer counselling to those who have not already received it but feel they would now benefit.
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Join in the conversation @ShirleyOaksSA / #ShirleyOaks
**CAMPAIGN AMBASSADORS, RAYMOND STEVENSON AND ALEX WHEATLE MBE, ARE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW UPON REQUEST**
Connor PR working promoting Shirley Oaks Survivors Association’s latest campaign, Don’t Touch It. It’s Mine”
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.
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Connor PR’s latest TV project 41 Dogs In My Three Bed Semi – Friday 9th October 2015, 8pm, Channel 5
41 Dogs In My Three Bed Semi
Friday 9th October 2015, 8pm, Channel 5
- Dog-mad Lynn Everett loves her pet dogs so much she shares her semi-detached home with 41 of them
- Meet animal owner of 60, Steve Lucock, who claims his appearance on Britain’s Got Talent contributed to a failed marriage and left him with a home full of animals
- Dog enthusiast Emmie Stevens, 27, is so devoted to her pets that she has spent £60,000 on pampering them – with two hounds even getting hitched
Lynn Everett
There are estimated to be 71 million pets in Britain today, and 45% of households now own at least one. However, for some, one is nowhere near enough. In this remarkable film, a Middlechild production – we reveal Britain’s most staggering animal obsessives and witness what happens when animal obsessions get out of hand; the animosity, the relationship breakdowns, the risk of losing everything, and the tales of people who love animals so much they collect dozens of them in their homes.
In this one-hour documentary screened on October 9th at 8.00pm on Channel 5, we meet 57-year-old dog-mad Lynn Morgan from Barnsley, a dog obsessive. Many people have one of their favourite breeds of dogs as a pet, Lynn has one in every colour! At last count, Lynn had 41 dogs, all living inside her modest semi-detached home. Lynn lives with 25 French Bulldogs, six Chinese Crested dogs and 10 Miniature English Bull Terriers.
41 Dogs in a 3 bed Semi
We follow Britain’s Got Talent performer Steve Lucock and his 60 animals as he battles to put food in the mouths of his beloved wild family, whilst attempting to feed his own obsession; and dog-lover Emmie Stevens from Croydon who has a paw print tattooed on her wedding finger.
Lynn Everett and husband, Tony Morgan, live amongst their 41 dogs in her three-bedroomed semi on a very normal-looking street in Barnsley. The dogs are free to roam the downstairs of the house and share the sofas with Lynn and Tony. 41 is the maximum number the council will allow her to keep but if she could, she’d have many more. It’s a stressful existence living amongst 41 dogs and Lynn and Tony have a very fiery relationship, especially when it comes to matters concerning the dogs.
41 Dogs in a 3 bed Semi
In this film, we learn all about their lifestyle and witness the effect it has on their relationship. We meet Lynn’s disabled dogs and she explains how she gives every dog a chance, no matter how much it costs her. We reveal that Lynn breeds some of her more prized pooches and that this helps fund the upkeep of her extra-large family.
Lynn leaves the house just once a year, to go on a scouting mission to Crufts. Lynn began by breeding Bull Terriers but soon found that she couldn’t bear to part with them once born. She has sold some of her more prized puppies in the past but even though she has been breeding dogs since she was 18, she admits it’s becoming nearly impossible to let any new ones go. And now, as long as she sticks within the 41 she’s allowed, instead of selling, she’s buying too! Lynn has five chest freezers and spends £280 on tripe each month to feed her pets. She also buys copious amounts of fabric softener for the dogs’ blankets and there are beds set up for them in the front room.
Not many people could cope with the set-up the couple have in the house but Lynn’s personality seems to suit it perfectly. The worst consequence of their lifestyle choice is the abuse they attract from outsiders who don’t believe the dogs can be healthy or happy in such an environment. This has resulted in substantial trolling over the Internet, on dog-based forums and social media. The pinnacle of the abuse came during Christmas 2014, when a brick was thrown through their window.
Meanwhile in Blyth, Northumberland, animal addict 47-year-old Steve Lucock was at the peak of his career as a magician in the mid-2000s, performing around the country with his wife as his on stage assistant. As Steve is so obsessed with animals, he based their entire show around them. When their act featured on the TV show Britain’s Got Talent, the exposure resulted in 100 animals in need of a home being dropped on their doorstep, in addition to the 60 they already had! Steve’s reluctance to part with the new animals put a strain on his marriage, eventually leading to divorce and plunging Steve in financial disarray.
Not every animal act on Britain’s Got Talent goes the same way as Pudsey or Matisse it seems. Now, unemployed and without a performing partner, Steve has been forced to reduce the number of animals he lives with back to a more modest level of 60. Steve’s living room is home to a parrot and around the rest of the house you’ll find dogs, cats, meerkats, owls, raccoons, skunks, snakes, turtles, rats, doves, rabbits and Steve’s showpiece… his foxes.
The foxes are house-trained and his red fox, identical to the ones who roam the streets at night, is as tame as a ‘well-trained dog’. He often takes his fox when he entertains at children’s parties, much to the amazement of the attendees, who cannot believe how domesticated it is. Steve’s animal obsession has had serious financial repercussions. He only manages to feed his animals through donations given to him after shows he puts on for free locally. However, he is determined to continue growing his collection and is always on the lookout for new additions. In this film, we follow Steve as he tries to turn his fortunes around. We witness a rather tragic performance at a holiday camp and see evidence of Steve’s problems with money. However, he’s come up with a new idea for a show that he hopes will be a big hit on the kids’ party scene. Called Animalgique, it tells the story of the animals’ struggle against man and what children can do to help. Steve rehearses his show and promotes it around Blyth before the big night of his premiere arrives.
In Wiltshire, Mary Cunningham’s small house is overrun with cats. For many years she’s been taking them in and providing homes to any that are offered to her. Her whole life revolves around her feline family. Mary’s house is also brimming with clutter, she claims that this in fact just ‘stock’. Mary raises money for her cats by visiting car boot sales and fetes, selling her ‘stock’. In this film we learn that Mary faces the threat of eviction if the number of cats increases in her home, or if she can’t maintain the property. We watch as Mary attempts to secure a pitch at the biggest event of the year, The Calne Summer Festival and Carnival. If she can get a stall there, she’ll clear a lot of her ’stock’ and make enough money to do some decorating.
Emmie Stevens’ is an animal obsessive in training – her current 12 dogs are some of the most pampered pooches in the country. Emmie, 27, from Croydon, South London, is obsessed with dressing up canines and even calls them her children. Over the past seven years she has spent £60K on them. To Emmie, her dogs are her children and she feels a very maternal connection to them. As she says, “parents like dressing their children up” and that’s precisely what she does with her dogs. She has a whole room devoted to their outfits. Recently, Emmie married two of her dogs at a lavish ceremony attended by 30 of their best doggie friends. In the film we learn that Emmie’s addiction to dogs started after enduring years of confidence-destroying bullying before buying her first dog, Doodles. The love and happiness she got from him, and the compulsion to care that grew inside her, drove her to seek that ‘buzz’ over and over again. If there was more room in her house she’d have more dogs and one day Emmie fully intends on increasing her collection.
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PUSSIES GALORE: THE WOMAN WITH A THOUSAND CATS
PUSSIES GALORE: THE WOMAN WITH A THOUSAND CATS
Friday 18th September, 8:00pm – 9.00pm
Channel 5
There are over 9 millions cats in our UK homes, with most owners living with a single feline friend, however for someone just isn’t enough. In this extraordinary one hour programme we meet some of the most fanatical kitty lovers who have taken their love one step further. We meet a woman who can’t stop taking local strays in, a man with a cat tattoo obsession, we get an insight into the world of cat competitions and we visit a unique establishment that allows you to enjoy your food whilst stroking a pussy.
Lynea Lattanzio is the embodiment of a crazy cat lady, she has over 1000 cats on her premises and is still unable to say no to more. What started off as company for the divorced retiree, has now spiralled into taking over her whole existence.
Lynea was refused a cat as a child and has been working hard since, making up for lost time. We visit her Californian home and see her surrounded by her furry family, witnessing just how she manages to keep things ticking. With a thousand cats on the property is it all getting too much for Lynea or will she always be thinking of the many more roaming the streets?
From Crazy Cat Lady to Crazy Cat Man, we meet pussy magnet Andy Richards who has spent the last 20 years of his life dedicating his time to helping cats. Andy, the manager of the East Lancashire Cats charity store and owner of 18 of his own, has now racked up 40 cat related tattoos! We join Andy as he embarks upon his latest design, as he goes under the needle for two more tatts. Will Andy’s cat inking obsession come to an end or will he run out of space first?
Later in the episode we meet up with some UK based cat crazies as we discover the world of the Cat Competition. We follow Sue Miller from Devon, a self admitted cat obsessive, who is taking seven of her eighteen cats to the West of England and South Wales Cat Society Show in hope of adding to her vast collection of ribbons and rosettes. We see the preparation, the judging and the results and find out just how much her little superstars winning means to her. Will the pressures of the competition get too much for Sue or will see come away with more accolades?
In the final instalment of the hour we enter a unique establishment that allows people to eat their lunch and drink a coffee surrounded by their favourite feline. We meet Katie Jane Glazier who has opened up Newcastle’s first of its kind, the Cat Café called Mog on the Tyne! In a café influenced by its phenomenon success in Japan, you can now eat your lunch at the same time as stroking a pussy. Will Katie’s unique business venture be a roaring success or will it be doomed to failure?
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Connor PR specialist in TV programme promotion, Connor PR working with Channel 5, Connor PR expert in entertainment PR
Whicker’s World Foundation launches new documentary awards at Sheffield Doc Fest
Whicker’s World Foundation launches new documentary
awards at Sheffield Doc Fest
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Three awards worth a total of £100,000
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Supporting authored storytelling in the UK
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First winners to be announced at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2016
Sunday 7th June at Sheffield Doc/Fest: the new Whicker’s World Foundation, whose principle aim is to give a much needed fillip to authored documentary storytelling in the UK, today launches three new documentary filmmaker awards worth a total of £100,000 for the promotion of curiosity in programme making, generously funded by a legacy left by the celebrated broadcast journalist Alan Whicker, who died in 2013. Details of the Whicker’s World Foundation and the awards will be announced by filmmaker Kim Longinotto at a special event at Doc/Fest, following the screening of Whicker’s World: Conflict in Kentucky.
Says Mark Atkin, Acting Festival Director, Sheffield Doc/Fest: “I am very enthused that this foundation aims to encourage authored documentary at a time when TV is becoming increasingly formatted and when most foundations have requirements to promote social issues. This is exactly what the industry needs right now”.
The three awards – the Funding Award (worth £80,000 / £10,000 runner up) to a debut filmmaker under 30 years of age; the Recognition Award (worth £4,000 / £1,000 runner up) to the finest industry newcomer aged 50 years of age or over; and the Best Audio Documentary (worth £4,000 / £1,000) to be awarded at the In The Dark audio festival, also part of Doc/Fest – will be looking for a spirit of inquisitiveness that will leave the viewer wanting more, and tell something new and unexpected about the world.
The panel of judges, chaired by Valerie Kleeman, photographer, programme consultant and Whicker’s partner for more than 40 years, will also be looking for projects that are playful with how the story is told, either breaking new ground, or taking a familiar path to come up with a new style.
The Alan Whicker Foundation consultant, top ranking international TV executive Jane Mote, says: “Whicker’s World opened my eyes to the most amazing stories, people and places. Alan’s unique style and sharp wit was inspirational and I am so excited to be part of creating a Foundation to nurture the future trailblazers for international documentary film-making”.
Jane Ray, the Consultant Artistic Director for the Foundation is a multi-award winning documentary maker and executive producer in radio and television with a journalistic background and nearly 28 years’ service at the BBC. Her awards range from the Sony Award for best news programme (2002) and the TRIC award for best children’s programme (1993) to China’s Golden Kapok award for best director (2014). She worked with Alan throughout the 90s on various projects for radio. She also wrote and directed Radio 4’s archive programme about Alan: Around the World in 80 Years, presented by Michael Palin.
The first award winners will be announced by the Whicker’s World Foundation at the Sheffield Doc/Fest Award Ceremony, which will take place on the final day of the 2016 festival.
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For further information for Whicker’s World Foundation contact:
Siobhan Connor siobhan@connorpr.com
+ 44 (0) 7966 177025
For further information for Sheffield Doc/Fest contact:
Sarah Harvey Publicity
+44 (0) 207 232 2812
+44 (0) 7958 597426
Sarah Harvey sarah@sarahharveypublicity.co.uk
Nikki Cummins nikki@sarahharveypublicity.co.uk
Joe Bond joe@sarahharveypublicity.co.uk
Join the conversation:
facebook.com/whickersworldfoundation
https://twitter.com/whickersworld
About Doc/Fest:
Sheffield Doc/Fest is the UK’s premier documentary and digital media festival. It is the place to see world and UK premieres of the best creative documentaries from the cinema, television and online arenas, and to hear from and meet filmmakers at Q&A sessions. Highlights of the film programme are honoured with an award programme including the Sheffield Grand Jury, Innovation, Environmental, Interactive, Youth Jury, Inspiration, Student Doc, Short Form and Audience Awards. In 2014, 3,263 full festival pass holders attended the Festival and it attracted over 26,700 members of the film-loving public.
Sheffield Doc/Fest 2015 takes place from 5-10 June
Connor PR launching the Whicker’s World Foundation, Connor PR expert in travel PR, Connor PR expert in presenter PR, Connor PR specialist in TV publicity
Film Producer Dean Woodford talks to the Mail online about living with a birthmark
Living with a birthmark
“My birthmark gives me something so many crave after, uniqueness“.
Dean Woodford, Film Producer
This inspirational story ran on the Mail online
A former Wiltshire College student has recently finished filming on his big screen debut with the legendary film director Martin Scorsese. Dean Woodford, 31, is a producer on the film called Tomorrow, which explores the difficult reintegration into normal society of battle-worn soldiers. Dean was born with a birthmark and is passionate about encouraging others with birthmarks to pursue their dreams, he is a supporter of the Birthmark Support Group.
Dean said: “Throughout my teens and adult life, I have been called names, stared at and even stabbed with a pencil because of my birthmark. Well these days I am embracing it. My birthmark gives me something so many crave after, uniqueness. You can get all the tattoos, haircuts and clothing you like, but you will never look as unique as myself and others that have one”.
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.
Dean Woodford added: “I am now 31, working in the film industry as a producer, alongside the likes of Martin Scorsese, Stephen Fry and Joss Stone and have two more films coming up. It really doesn’t matter what you look like, just as long as you’re confident looking like you do, as believe me, self confidence shines a hell of a lot brighter than hair extensions and fake tan.”
Stephen Fry (The Hobbit), Stephanie Leonidas (Defiance), Sebastian Street (Age of Heroes), Stuart Brennan (Risen), Sophie Kennedy-Clark (Nymphomaniac 1 & 2,) who has recently been nominated for a BAFTA for her role in Philomena. James Cosmo, (Braveheart, Games of Thrones), Paul Kaye (Blackball, Game of Thrones) Joss Stone (The Tudors) Ricki Hall and Will Tudor (Game of Thrones) round out the cast of Tomorrow.
Dean is currently working on a graphic Novel, due for release next year.
Looking for film PR agencies and PR companies? Connor PR provide expert film and entertainment public relations for all your UK film PR needs.
-‐ENDS-‐
Dean Woodford is available for interview
Join in the conversation @tomorrowfilmuk and www.facebook.com/tomorrowukfilm
For more information or images please contact:
Siobhan Connor at Siobhan@connorpr.com or call 07966 177025
My Soul Space – Shrewsbury’s only dedicated Hot Yoga Studio launches teacher training courses in the new year
PRESS RELEASE
My Soul Space – Shrewsbury’s only dedicated
Hot Yoga Studio launches teacher training courses in the new year
My Soul Space – Shrewsbury’s only dedicated yoga studio will be rolling out a series of teacher training courses in the new year.
The yoga studio headed up by experienced local teacher Emma Burton will be proving opportunities for people to become yoga instructors.
My Soul Space offers classes six days a week for men, women, young and old in Hot Yoga, Facial Yoga, Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Olit Yoga, Yoga for Teenagers, Pregnancy Yoga and Yoga for Men. Hot Yoga provides a host of physical and mental benefits such as weight loss, back, neck and shoulder pain relief, healing and the prevention of sports injuries, easing depression, anxiety and stress and increasing fitness and stamina.
With their team of six inspirational and uplifting yoga instructors, the studio will be offering opportunities to practising yogi. The courses starting in February 2015 are provided over five days. My Soul Space is offering a Teen Yoga course which will train to teach yoga and mindfulness to 11-18 yr olds. It is now taught in several continents across the world and will run from 16th February to 20th February 2015, 9:30am to 5pm.
The course has been constructed with the help of specialist adolescent Neuroscientists, Anatomists, Psychologists and Yoga Teachers. Teen Yoga Training is registered RYSC with Yoga Alliance UK, demonstrating that the studio has met the stringent requirements set by Yoga Alliance UK as a sign of highest standard.
Charlotta Martinus launched this course for the first time in 2004 in response to the growing need to care for our young people and give them respite from stress and anxiety. This course is unique, as the only fully fledged, Yoga Alliance accredited and insured teen yoga course in the UK working together with Leeds University Psychology Dept, to measure outcomes of the mindfulness and yoga on young people added to the actual experiential research to help support and structure the training course.
The course comes with a detailed and comprehensive manual, with plenty of practical lesson plans and ideas for you to use. In this manual you will find a detailed list of the benefits of yoga and a list of suitable postures for this particular age group, targeting specific issues. There is a special section on behaviour management.
This course qualifies you as a Level 3 Coach, within the Sports Partnership as well as qualifies you to access funding through Sportivate for your classes.
This Hot Yoga conversion qualification is for existing yoga teachers with a 200 hour or equivalent qualification wishing to qualify to teach this very popular Hot Yoga form. The course takes place over a five days from 9th March to 13th March 2015, 10:15am to 5:15pm and will be taught by Jozef Wiewel.
The course is made up of the following three modules:
- Teaching in the Hot environment: Health and Safety considerations, physiological response to the heat, modifications and adaptations for different bodies, access and inclusion.
- The Hot Posture Series: Posture Sequencing, how to teach, what to teach and why are we teaching it?
- How to set up hot yoga classes, and the requirements of setting up a hot yoga studio.
Each module is made up of a mixture of written and practical work. The course is based around the classic 26 posture Hot Series, plus how to develop the sequence practically and professionally.
My Soul Space is a way of life. It is yoga from the inside out. It brings benefits both to the body and mind. Everyone is welcome: from beginners to experienced yogi. The instructors reach out to everyone in the class to support new-comers whilst continuing to challenge more experienced yogi.
Emma Burton fell in love with yoga in her first class. Whilst learning her new practice that day she was inspired by a lady in her 80’s balancing on one leg looking serene. Totally in awe of how she felt after the class and what she had observed, she became fascinated by this practise, travelling the world to discover all she could. Following her own journey she naturally fell into teaching, training in Australia & Switzerland.
With nearly 20 years of practising Yoga and over 14 years of teaching yoga. Yoga has helped her through the arrival of her two gorgeous boys, motherhood and much more. Emma has created My Soul Space for others to start their journey and reep the benefits of Hot Yoga and alike.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Visit them at www.mysoulspace.co.uk
Join the conversation https://www.facebook.com/mysoulspaceshrewsbury
Contact info@mysoulspace.co.uk or Emma Burton on Tel: 01743 387087 for further information or to book.
My Soul Space
2 Sweetlake Business Park
Mercian Close
Shrewsbury
SY3 9EW
(Opposite the Nuffield hospital)
Emma Burton is available for interview.
For further information, please contact Siobhan@connorpr.com
Tel 07966 177025
www.connorpr.com
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
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.