Thursday 16 June 2011

Paula is off to the Park, Solicitor is rewarded.

It’s good news again for leading Shropshire law firm Lanyon Bowdler, as they celebrate the fact that Paula Nash, partner and head of the Clinical Negligence team has been named as a finalist for the National Partner of the Year award by The Lawyer Awards 2011 judging panel. 

The awards, which are amongst the most sought-after in the industry, provide a unique opportunity to highlight and celebrate the excellence of individuals across private practice, public sector, commerce and industry and the Bar. 

The winners will be revealed on Tuesday 21 June 2011 at the awards ceremony which is being held at The Grosvenor, Park Lane, London. 

The nomination is the latest accreditation for Paula, who was ranked as a leader in her field in the Chambers UK 2011 Legal Directory.  

Commenting on her place as a finalist, Paula says “I’m incredibly flattered and delighted to have been short listed for this Award.  For me it represents not only a personal achievement but recognition of the hard work, professionalism and support of all the members of my team who are absolutely first class.  It is also a testament to the unfailing support of my partners.  I am very much looking forward to the awards ceremony on 21 June 2011.”



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Notes to Editors

Lanyon Bowdler is Shropshire’s largest law firm which acquired a presence in Hereford from 1 December 2010.  With 19 partners and in the region of 200 experienced staff, the firm is able to offer legal advice throughout both counties from local offices. 

The head office is situated in Shrewsbury at Abbey Lawn Business Park, a further six offices are located in Hereford, Ludlow, Oswestry (two offices), Telford Town Centre, and Wellington.

Lanyon Bowdler is an award winning multi-disciplinary law firm, specialising in all aspects of the law.  With a progressive outlook and a commitment to the environment, the firm embraces opportunities to work with the community – supporting charities and enterprising initiatives.

You can now follow us on Twitter – www.twitter.com/lanyonbowdler, keep up to date with us and have your say by visiting our Blog, at http://blog.lblaw.co.uk, or browse our website – www.lblaw.co.uk


Photo:

Paula Nash

Sunday 12 June 2011

Shrewsbury Flower Show 2011

As we move into another wet UK summer, I look at my Bonsai Tree with immense proud, I went to many shows last year, but the one that fills me with most excitement is the Shrewsbury Flower Show, the organisation is second to none, the shows are spectacular, and the standard of products is of the highest quality.

Last year I attended many shows for a comparison piece of PR work I conducted in Shropshire after the failure of the West Mids Show, it was not difficult to see why the Flower Show keeps on pulling in the audience, the only show that came close to it was the Newport Show, the replacement for the West Mids Show, the Shropshire County Show, was by comparison poorly run, you can throw all the PR you want behind it but without a captive customer, the show will end in disaster.

I always attend the Flower Show on the 2nd day, mainly because there is more to buy at the end of the marquees trading, I made several trips back to the car, and by the time we returned at the end of the night, we were lucky to fit the family in, it is clear that the gardeners have gone to great lengths and taken great care, with the products, as you walk in the main marquee, the picturesque site hits you and takes your breath away, it is astonishing.

However the flowers and plants really are a small yet major part of the show, there are several trade stands, but not your usual show stands, these are stands that you actually want to stop at and see the products, entertainment of the highest quality and an evening of main ring shows that are worth the entrance fee on its own.

So what makes the Shrewsbury Flower Show a day out for all the family, I think it is the general warmth you receive, when you get to the gates, even security have a different attitude to most other entrances, they are pleasant and seem pleased to see you, when we went to watch the Show Jumping in the main ring, there is not a major fuss over seats or people tutting at you like you sometimes experience.

It is also the fact that the people take time to talk to you about the flowers, they are generally proud of what they have achieved and want to share their experience with you, if you do purchase they then talk to you about the future of that plant, it is a family member that is being adopted and they want to see grow and flourish. The trade stalls don’t approach you as you walk past and jump in your face, if you decide to go onto their stand they come and talk to you, allow you to ask questions, if possible you get the product demonstrated.

The whole atmosphere is relaxed, based on entertaining and value for money, and it is down to the organisation of the event and the fact that they have put time, money and thought behind the weekend, they recognise that the public want something different to the other events, they also understand that this is the areas main event, it is something special, it is unique with the only other one to compare it to being the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, this is a close 2nd.

And I still haven’t mentioned the evening, the bands, the comedy caper duo, the fireworks, nor have I mentioned any of the celebrities that are always there, maybe that is for my next piece.

Notes to Editors: For further comments please contact Ben Coates on 07738 715038, or e-mail ben@bkbusinesssolutions.co.uk.

Wednesday 8 June 2011

Current PR Pieces I can introduce you to

To contribute to any of these please e-mail me on ben@bkbusinesssolutions.co.uk

1)  Business Secretary Vince Cable has said the government is willing to take "further action with tax on banks" if they do not increase lending to SMEs.

How much of a problem is the level of lending to SMEs? Have attempts by the Government to boost lending had any impact, and if not what needs to happen? Is a tax on banks the answer?

I'm looking for an opinion piece on the subject aimed at an audience of business advisers. If you've got a strong view on this, drop me a line for further details.

2)  Looking for all things money saving - from food/drink, fashion, beauty, right through to the best car deals, home improvements etc.  also would like to hear about new schemes, grants or deals plus every issue I highlight interesting websites to suit readership. KS readers prefer organic, natural, eco, energy saving, ethical or simply money saving deals.

3)  We're looking to talk to individuals at END USER ORGANISATIONS eg CIOs, IT directors, HR directors, Customer Service directors or other line of business people who are either involved with Cloud Computing deployment OR are people in line of business functions whose jobs have changed/been impacted by the use of Cloud Computing technologies. Interviews with such individuals will be for inclusion in our Practical Cloud profile series on BC9. We will also be interested in considering them as panelists/guests for the Business Cloud Summit 2011 (www.businesscloudsummit.com). Please note I am NOT looking for reps from technology vendors or services companies who can talk about Cloud, ONLY genuine end users from end user organisations, private or public sector.

4)  Looking for competition prizes for July and August on popular website. Min PV £300.
Mass market women 25+
Hitwise top female lifestyle site 2010
1.7 m unique users

5)  Do you have a serious clutter problem? A kitchen that is crammed withgadgets that you never use but won't get rid of?  A bedroom that belonged to the kids who have since left home but used the room as a dumping ground for stuff they don't need but won't let you get rid of it?  Or a home office that is so cluttered you can't move.  We are looking for clutter and hoarding stories...  will need to do a phone interview and pic of you in the cluttered room....  Preferably not clothes as we've done lots of clothes stories, more 'stuff'.... Stuff that you should take to the charity shop or sell on ebay but just never get round to it....

6)  A Major Newspaper’s summer campaign - 99 Days of Summer -  kicks off shortly and they were wondering if it was possible to sort comp prizes. We are hoping to give away prizes such as digital cameras, video cameras, camping gear and footy shirts. The campaign is broken down into a few sections including - £9.50 holidays, 2-4 1 days out and camping trips. Coverage will be provided on The website (logo and link), as well as shout outs on Facebook and Twitter pages.

Stats:16 million uu p/m, Facebook: 27,946, Twitter: 20,550
7)  Interesting opinion pieces sought for a Technology Industry Voice section. Must be 600-900 words long and include a colour high-res photo of the author. Must be on a topic of interest (and be interesting in itself --ie not make points that are well worn, tired, or widely known to our readership) to our readership. Four new pieces sought weekly.

8)  Looking for call centre managers or supervisory staff who can explain how they deal with short-term absence requests from customer service agents, for example, to cover dental appointments or child care.

9)  Looking for a victim of a mail scam (scam letters)

10)PUZZLE COMPETITION PRIZES I'm looking for products that can be given away as prizes within our puzzle section in the magazine. Reader will complete the crosswords, word searches etc and your product will be the prize they win!

The product will wrap around the puzzle and you'll get 100 word copy and 2-3 images to promote your product on the page.
The puzzle page attracts a huge interest from our readers and many buy the magazine just for our puzzle section. The minimum give away value is only £200.
I have spaces available in July/August.
Products that have worked well before are:
Health & beauty products
Electricals
Spa/pamper days
Weekend breaks
Cameras
Clothes
Vouchers
Jewellery
Accessories
Chocolate
Tickets
Hampers
Food and drink
Watches
Sunglasses
Home & Garden ware

11)DO YOU HAVE A YOUNG MALE CLIENT WHO - WHEN HE'S NOT AT WORK - IS REALLY INTO HIS CARS?

Hello and sorry for that big, booming headline. I'm looking for successful guys under 35 who have made a go of things professionally and have consequently treated themselves to a set of dream wheels. It's for a five page feature in Major UK mag, and each of the 5 people I speak to will have a 500 word interview, plus pics of him and the car. It's meant to be a positive, inspiring piece, designed to make readers go, "Man, I've got to do that, too!"
If you have a client who fits the bill - ie, they're young, have an amazing car and love talking about it - please drop me a line.
Thanks!

12)Have you left a negative social networking footprint? Seeking case studies, 20-30 year-old-ish who have been negatively affected by something reflecting them online. For example, a prospective boss has googled you to find ‘inappropriate’ images of you on Facebook (even though they were placed there several years before when you were a partying Uni student); or some kind of slanderous story or negative media still comes up  online when your name is searched for. I’m after any kind of story or experience that still lingers online and that has caused you issues in later life for consumer magazine feature story. Sources may remain anonymous.

13)HR software & technology special digital eguide To be featured in a brand new digital eguide format:
Looking for the latest innovation on HR software & technology trends, plus case studies, top tips and practical advice on the following:

As HR becomes more commercially accountable for its function, how can HR software help organisations become streamlined, efficient and save costs within the business?

What software solutions are on offer to help HR manage its workforce:

- performance management
- talent management
- recruitment
- direct sourcing
- employee self-service
- payroll
- employment law
- workforce management

• As HR looks at ways to connect its global multinational workforce, what challenges does this present to HR and what solutions are on offer to help overcome these?

• Impact of digital applications: social networking/digital/mobile

• Cloud based technology – is this the hottest trend? Why? What is it and what are the implications for HR? At what point should HR consider looking into cloud based technology (does it make sense for a business that has a more remote/mobile/flexible workforce or will this be a trendsetter for all businesses in future)?

• Presenting the HR business case: how can HR secure the budget and
convince the board/senior management team that investing in new HR software/technology makes commercial business sense - upfront costs versus long-term cost savings and ROI?

• How to manage smooth implementation: what are the common pitfalls HR falls into when implementing new software solutions and how to avoid them?

• Any other tricks being missed?

14)E4's hit reality show 'Tool Academy' is back for a second series!

Filming in an exclusive luxury location this summer - 12 guys, nominated by their long suffering girlfriends, will live together and compete in a range of tasks to redeem themselves and win a big cash prize!

We will be filming the boys and their girlfriends over the course of their stay in 'Tool Academy' as one 'Tool' is eliminated each episode.

We are seeking various products to be placed in the bedrooms and communal areas where the girls and boys will be spending their down time between challenges. They will be filmed while in these areas to gage reactions, talk about experiences and throw tantrums!

We will be able to credit any suppliers on the E4 website for items donated.

For the Boys:
Games/ Toys/ Gadgets
Furniture (beds, seating, storage)
Bed linen
Mens styling products
Clothing

For the Girls:
Health and Beauty products and accessories
Hair products and styling
Make up
Clothing
Furniture (beds, seating, storage, dressing tables)
Bed linen
Games/ Gadgets

15)I need to source 25 identical competition prizes with a value of approximately £25-£30 In return I can offer substantial coverage worth up to £1000. I'm thinking along the lines of an iPod shuffle or similar gadget, a gift voucher or just make a suggestion!

Email me with any ideas you may have either for the full 25, or may consider a partial submission.

16)I'm looking for a savvy, young individual under 40, who is already thinking about their retirement and making good pension provision. Maybe someone who has upped their monthly saving because they are worried about the retirement age increasing, or someone who has recently just started saving for the same reasons.

If you fit the bill and are available to speak to journalists and have your photo taken before the meeting, drop me a line and we'll make sure you're compensated for your time with shopping vouchers.

Thanks very much in advance,

17)I’m writing a Focus article for Newsflash, Computer 2000’s monthly publication, which is sent in electronic or printed form to around 9,000 UK reseller organisations.

This piece will look at new developments, market trends and projections in the mobile sector and at the impact that the new generations of tablets, smartphones and ultra-portables is having on the market. As part of this we’ll look at the on-going impact of the tablet phenomenon and how this is starting to change the way that we work and interact. We will try to look at how this might change the way people use technology, communicate and collaborate and what that might mean for the reseller.

I’m interested in getting concise responses from:

       Research firms and analysts

       Vendors that are directly involved in this sector of the market right now

       Resellers that care to share their views and experiences so far – and perhaps their hopes and concerns as well

Please don’t waste your time if you don’t fall into one of these categories. We have limited space for this piece.

Here are a few questions – if you only want to answer one or two, that’s fine with me.

       How is the explosion of different kinds of devices we are now seeing going to affect user behaviour, both in terms of what they buy and how they use mobile technologies? Can we really expect users to start adopting multiple devices and carrying them with them everywhere they go?

       Will we see an increase in mobile and virtual working – and perhaps a positive knock-on effect for cloud services adoption?

       Will people use UC and conferencing more, collaborate and interact more, simply because they can do that anywhere and on any device?

       Which formats and technologies will be the winners and losers over the next two to three years and why?

       Is the tablet going to take off in business? Or will it be principally or almost exclusively a consumer device?

       What effect are these changes going to have on the role of resellers / retailers / integrators?

I need answers preferably by close of play Friday 10th June.