Sam Carlisle interviewing Sathnam Sanghera at Wimbledon Book Fest
In true Cause Communications style there has been no downtime this Autumn. Work this purposeful never stops, and neither do we.
We’ve been busy working hard to share our client stories, amplifying their voices to get their messages in front of the public and decision makers. We've also been out and about, to continue to learn and grow as an agency.
Here’s a recap of what we’ve been up to:
Our Founder Sam Carlisle attended the Labour Party Conference back in September - an exhausting, enlightening, whirlwind of an event. Sam attended to support our clients who were hosting or speaking on panel talks over the four-day event. Sam also met journalists, producers, MPs, ministers, mayors and most importantly some incredible charity teams and their spokespeople. She’s just about recovered but did liken it to recuperating after Glastonbury.
Cause Communication’s client Disabled Children’s Partnership at Labour Party Conference
As always, we’ve been calling out inequality for disabled children and advocating for them to have the same rights and treatment as everyone else. As the Prime Minister announced a National Care Service, we questioned why that wouldn’t apply to disabled children and young adults. We worked with Channel 4 News on a powerful report about Alf, who has cerebral palsy and the fight his mum Emma has been through. Alf’s story was later raised in Parliament by James Frith MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Health Innovation).
We supported our client Mission 44 from afar while they spent the Austin Grand Prix highlighting their important work alongside their American partners GirlStart and Breakthrough. And saw them sharing stories from motorsport leaders, including founder Sir Lewis Hamilton, about what a career in motorsport looks like and how to access it through STEM. We also attended the launch of their Motorsport Msc Scholarship programme, meeting some of the new intake of incredibly bright young engineers whose careers have been rocket-boosted by support from the Foundation as they study their master’s degrees.
We were excited to work with new client, Kidney Research UK, on a project to support their By Your Side campaign, highlighting the impact and prevalence of kidney disease in the UK and raising awareness of the signs and symptoms. We shared some incredible and moving stories of people who had been diagnosed out of the blue - young, fit, healthy people who had no idea that kidney disease was such a common condition that can happen to anyone. We were really please to secure great coverage in the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Daily Record as well as a story and expert comment from their Chief Research Officer in Metro.
We’ve been out and about too. Sam gave a talk on why PR matters at our client OnSide’s Comms Network meet up. Managers from across the country came to share expert tips and stories. Hearing what each individual centre has and does for its community which has inspired lots of ideas for future stories.
Former MEP Dame Pauline Green at the u3a Parliamentary Launch
There has been a lot of focus on the forthcoming Milburn Report and the issue of young people Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs) so we’ve been lining up pre-recorded interviews with national broadcasters ahead of the report’s release in November. OnSide's Wigan Youth Zone, employability coach Jeannette wrote a page feature in The Sun, advising young people how to apply for work, as part of its terrific new Jobs Army campaign.
This week we also attended the launch of client u3a's excellent Retirement Rewired report in Parliament. The report explores the role that learning, connection, activity and purpose play in creating fulfilling later lives drawing on research from over 10,000 u3a members across the UK. MP Michael Payne supported the event with a brilliant speech.
Cause Communication’s client u3a at the Parliamentary Launch of their Retirement Rewired Report
It’s not all client work - sometimes we do extra-curriculars.
Last week Sam visited a local Pupil Referral Unit to help students with job interview techniques. Many of the charities we work with deliver support to young people educated in these highly-specialist schools, so it was fascinating to go in and experience their crucial work for ourselves. Sam said the school felt like a home for teenagers given up on by other institutions when their lives have been anything but straightforward. The pupils really impressed her by their attentiveness, in particular the girls interviewed who showed real promise to go on and succeed in the working world.
Sam at a local Pupil Referral Unit to help students with job interview techniques
Finally, the Cause team was out in force at Wimbledon Bookfest (the largest London Book Festival) with Sam interviewing author and TImes journalist Sathnam Sanghera on his incredible new book Tonight The Music Feels So Loud, about the genius of George Michael. An hour later Simon interviewed Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood about his new book on Panto. Oh yes, he did.
Simon interviewing Craig Revel Horwood at Wimbledon Book Fest
Phew! It’s been a season. So as we wrap up warm for winter, we are looking forward to many more exciting client (and extra curricular) campaigns, events and important stories to share. Watch this space.
