Archive for the 'News' Category
26 April 2012 at 11:21
98.jpg "Virgin London Marathon Finishers Medal")
I have now stopped walking like a cowboy with piles and, finally, think that I am back in the land of the living.
On Sunday I completed the Virgin London Marathon in 4.23.11 and it took all I had to get round in that time I tell you. This was one of the hardest races – if not the hardest – that I have ever taken part in.
I hit the wall in a big way at mile 18 and stayed firmly glued to it until mile 23. At that stage the crowd support was so immense that it carried me through the final 3.2 miles.
That’s all I can say for now as, to be honest, I am still taking it all in. I keep looking at my medal and can’t believe that I have actually completed this famous race.
On a more sombre note, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family and friends of fellow runner Claire Squires who unfortunately died one mile from the end of the course. Claire was a fundraiser and had taken on various challenges, this being her latest one. She was running for the Samaritans and, since her passing, her Just Giving page total stands at £737,000 + Please give what you can and honour the memory of Claire http://www.justgiving.com/Claire-Squires2
Thank you for all your support x
Tags: running | virgin london marathon | motivation | claire squires |
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25 April 2012 at 09:02
A heal-ing hand
There are so many websites and online communities out there that sometimes it’s hard to know which one is right for you. Well, the other day I met a Stroud-based entrepreneur who has just launched a website that is aimed at people who are newly single (due to a variety of reasons).
The site is called HealBee and its aim is to provide direct links to bespoke services that people may be looking for when they are single again. It also provides access to a members’ area where you can talk to other people in the same boat and read interesting articles from site users about their own ‘journey’. It’s new, so granted there aren’t a lot of people on there right now, but I think that this will change in the next few months. One to watch…
UPDATED - 01.05.12: HealBee comissioned some market research which is leading to some good media coverage
Telegraph
Tags: HealBee; single; divorced; bereavement; advice; support; online community; shopping
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10 April 2012 at 17:47
We're on the hunt for a fantastic freelance consumer media relations expert to join our award winning team.
Ideally you'll be based in Gloucestershire and have spent your PR career liaising with journalists that work on both traditional and online media. You'll be strategic, yet creative. Hard working, yet fun. And - most importantly - you get a real buzz from generating coverage opportunities for your clients.
We've just landed some really exciting PR accounts so, if you think you've got what it takes, get in touch.
Tags: pr | public relations | freelance pr | media relations | job | gloucestershire
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05 April 2012 at 13:19
Look up ‘communicate’ in the Oxford English Dictionary, and you will see the following definitions:
1. share or exchange information, news or ideas
2. succeed in conveying one’s ideas or in evoking understanding in others
Stroud Life’s Communicator of the Year Award seeks to recognise and celebrate organisations that are using innovative and exciting ways to communicate with people.
Those people might be your customers, your staff or your neighbours. They might be students, shareholders or potential investors.
Perhaps you have a high-street shop and use your window and storefront to capture the attention of passers-by. Or maybe you have a lively and engaging Twitter account that you use to build better relationships with your customers. You might even have a full-scale PR and marketing strategy generating heaps of relevant media coverage and generating new business leads.
It doesn’t matter who you communicate with or how you do it, as long as it is interesting – and effective.
As the UK struggles to pull itself out of the economic crisis, good communications are more important than ever for regional businesses. It is one of the most effective ways to enhance reputation and build better relationships with customers old and new alike.
And the beauty of communications as a business tool is that it doesn’t have to involve mega-bucks. A simple, well-executed good idea can be all it takes to achieve standout and win customers. Some of the most innovative and successful communications activity I have seen has come from smaller businesses operating on a shoestring budget. Owner-managed organisations are often much more intuitive and fleet of foot when it comes to identifying and seizing opportunities to communicate with customers, investors or other audiences.
We live in such an exciting time for communications. The past decade has seen the rise of new possibilities, particularly with the explosion of social media such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. The opportunities are endless and I am sure that many businesses in Stroud are using innovative and clever ways to communicate with their audiences.
If you’re passionate about how you communicate with people, Stroud Life would love to hear about it – and you could be a contender for Stroud’s Communicator of the Year.
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02 April 2012 at 11:17
Proud of Stroud!
Last week I (Sabrina) was asked to take part in Stroud's Portas Pilot bid.
To support the application, which was submitted last friday, each town had to submit a three minute video. And here it is..
http://youtu.be/JQlrAx9a0T0
I really hope that Stroud gets some of this funding as I truly believe that lots of great work could be done with it. Work which would, and could, truly breathe new life into our high street.
Already, so much goodwill has been shown to Carole Garfield - Chair of Stroud Chamber of Trade and Commerce - while she has been doing the background work needed in order to put in the bid. All we can do now is keep our fingers crossed that the bid impresses the powers that be!
PMA Stroud... If we believe it, it will happen.
Tags: stroud | mary portas | portas pilot | retail | stroud chamber of commerce | sabrina pace-humphreys
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30 March 2012 at 12:14
Wow, what an event!
Last night The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse served as the venue for the annual Gloucestershire Citizen & Gloucestershire Echo Women in Business Awards.
We were there. Hobnobbing with the county's glamorous businesswomen and were so pleased to see our home town of Stroud so well presented with Cheryl Leigh of Leigh Young Solicitors and Catherine Green of WSP Solicitors as finalists in the Rising Star of the Year and Woman of the Year categories. Unfortunately they were both pipped to the post, but we're sure you'll see their names on other awards shortlists this year!
Sarah Pullen, MD of Gloucestershire Media, was host and, as ever, her speech roused laughter and got the night off to a good start.
We'd like to say a special well done to Olivia from Tewkesbury-based engineering business Green Car Depollution. Olivia won 'Rising Star of the Year' and 'New Business of the Year'. We've got a feeling this young lady is really going places - look out world!
Were you there? If so, let us know what your highlights were...What did you think of the venue, the food, the finalists and winners...? Send us your photos and we'll add them to this post!
BIG respect to Gloucestershire Women in Business. We salute you.
Winners:
Woman of the Year - Debra Drew, Fabric Architecture
Business of the Year - Aeolus Power
The Award for Innovation - Kate Green, National Star College
Contribution to the Community - Denise Leighton, Merry Den Care
Women in the Workplace - Claire Stringer, Gooseberry Bush Day Nursery
New Business of the Year - Green Car Depollution
Rising Star of the Year - Olivia Hutchins, Green Car Depollution
Mentor of the year - Angie Petkovic, APT Marketing & PR
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28 March 2012 at 11:23
It’s almost here. The Gloucestershire Echo & Citizen Women in Business Awards 2012. Who will take home the top awards on the night? Who will cry with joy at winning? Who will be popping the champagne corks and who’s dresses and shoes will us Gloucestershire women swoon over!
A huge GOOD LUCK to our client Cheryl Leigh from Stroud based Leigh Young Solicitors who is nominated for the Rising Star of the Year award. Also a special mention to Catherine Green from WSP Solicitors in Stroud who has also been nominated for Woman of the Year. Great to see Stroud businesswomen getting the recognition they deserve!
We’ll be live tweeting from the event so if you want to know who the winners are and see pictures from the event follow us on @TrailblazerPR.
Tags: Stroud | WSP Solicitors
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26 March 2012 at 10:03
Junior basketball club Stroud Sharks is attacking the second half of the season in a snappy new kit, thanks to sponsorship from Trailblazer PR.
The blue and white strip is going down well with the club’s under 16 National League side as they gear-up for some critical games ahead of the end-of-season play-offs in April.
Club Chairman Ian Shepherd says: “It’s important that the teams feel assertive and poised when they step onto the court. This fantastic new kit is a great way to boost their confidence and show our opponents that we are a force to be reckoned with. We have had an excellent season so far, and the teams are training hard to make sure that this continues.”
Each of the club’s main squads – both under 16 teams and the under 14s – is now sporting the blue and white strip. With the under 14s riding high in the South West Regional League and the under 16 National League team currently second in the West Midlands/South West conference, it is important that the players look their best.
Trailblazer PR’s MD Sabrina Pace-Humphreys says: “Stroud Sharks is a brilliant basketball club. The players are very keen, and the coaches put a lot of time and effort into developing their talent and perfecting their performance. We felt they deserved a new kit and are excited to see how they perform through the rest of the season.”
Tags: stroud sharks | basketball
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26 March 2012 at 09:59
We’re pleased to be sponsoring the Communicator of the Year category for this year’s Stroud Life Business Awards.
Very excited to see the calibre of entries!
Entry deadline is 18 May – find out more about the categories here:www.digital-thisis.co.uk
Tags: stroud life | gloucestershire media | business awards | communicator | public relations |
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26 March 2012 at 09:55
It was great to see some of Stroud’s finest at the inaugural meeting of Gloucestershire’s hottest new networking group RePLY.
The brainchild of Leigh Young Solicitors and Randall & Payne accountants, this was one of the best networking events I’ve ever attended. And I have been to quite a few!
How refreshing to simply meet up and chat with likeminded professionals in a great setting, rather than feeling you have to perfect your ‘elevator pitch’ and dish out business cards. Stroud’s Museum in the Park was the perfect venue for the first event. But even better than that, I hear that a meeting at Winstone’s on the Green is on the cards for the summer.
See more about the event here: www.thisisdevon.co.uk
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