Cause and Effect

A week in the life of a cause-driven communications consultancy

It’s been a week of conversations and connections for our wonderful client, the education and farming charity, Jamie’s Farm. 

Having launched a brand new podcast - Shift Happens - which tells the stories of six young people whose lives have been transformed by its programme of residential farm stays - co-founder Tish has also been busy recording her own guest appearances on two of the UK’s leading parenting podcasts. 

Teenagers Untangled hosted by mum and ex-BBC journalist Rachel Richards and How Not To Screw Up Your Kids with Dr Maryhan Baker both welcomed Tish to their studios where they discussed everything from young people’s mental health, the healing properties of nature and how practical work can help to instil teenagers with a greater sense of self-worth and self-belief. 

We can’t wait to tune in. 

In the meantime, Shift Happens is available to stream or download at Spotify and Apple Podcasts - it’s a heartwarming listen particularly if you’re a parent, caregiver or work with young people. 

All this comes hot off the heels of the launch of the charity’s seventh farm at Shockerwick in Bath - which was opened by none other than Her Majesty The Queen. Founder Jamie said: “We are blessed to have her as a patron because she believes in what we do. It’s in her bones, she loves the countryside, she loves horses and she loves this area. She really believes in our work and cares about it.” 

The Queen helps two young people to make lemon curd cupcakes at the newest Jamie’s Farm in Shockerwick, near Bath

Pic: Ric Rawlins

Naturally, the high profile visit resulted in an avalanche of press coverage including the BBC, Daily Mirror and even a story on Royal UK - an exciting start for the team at Shockerwick as they continue on their mission to improve the mental health of young people all over England and Wales. 

Jamie’s Farm alumni Jack, who will be working at the new site in Shockerwick, and who was interviewed by the Daily Mirror and ITV West as part of the royal visit

Pic: Sam Carlisle

Meanwhile, in Oban, Angus Collins has returned to the water for the second chapter of A Great British Odyssey. The original row was paused due to a broken footplate and in getting it fixed, Angus can’t claim to be ‘unsupported’ which was key criteria for the world record attempt. 

Never one to be deterred, Angus was adamant that he wanted to keep rowing and so this week’s restart is about showing up in the face of adversity and continuing to shine a light on the current mental health crisis which is affecting so many men in the UK. 

In Angus’ own words: “This challenge has always been about so much more than personal accolades and I am focusing on what really matters - raising awareness and money for James’ Place and sharing stories of resilience, hope and healing.” 

Angus, getting ready to re-start the row from Oban

Pic: Angus Collins

We’re busy sharing Angus’s story with Scottish media to open up those conversations further. 

And in an uplifting end to a challenging week, Angus passed the half way mark in his fundraising with donations now topping £125,000! Every penny goes towards helping James’ Place - a charity which supports men at the lowest points of their lives. It costs the charity around £1,800 to treat one man in need of support and over £2 million to set up and run a centre for three years. Donations can still be made at A Great British Odyssey’s Just Giving page. 

In other happenings, Cause directors Sam and Jenna were in London to meet with Ochuko Adeyoka, director of communications for youth charity, OnSide to start planning communications around the fourth year of Generation Isolation - its flagship annual report and the UK’s biggest study into the way 11 to 18 year olds spend their free time. It was also fantastic to see OnSide’s Youth Advisory Board in the print edition of The Big Issue talking about their thoughts on lowering the voting age. Following on from our takeover of the Big Issue in June, it means so much to these incredible young people who have so much to say about the world around them. 

We were also very excited to see that Burnley could be getting its very own £8million Youth Zone - adding to OnSide’s ever-growing network of purpose built youth centres which provide young people between eight and 18 access to top-notch sports, arts and leisure facilities, staffed by skilled and dedicated youth workers. Take it from us, you have to see a Youth Zone to believe it - we love nothing more than taking journalists inside and seeing their jaws drop in disbelief.  

Last but not least, we’re proud to say that the coverage is still coming in for the Disabled Children’s Partnership flagship campaign, Fight For Ordinary - with this feature in Metro which speaks with Kirsty, mum of 14-year-old Eli whose needs are not currently being met at school, and with 21-year-old Tobias, who believes he wouldn’t be in his third year of medical school without the Education, Care and Health plan (EHCP) which helped him navigate school as an autistic pupil. A thought-provoking read.