Member Article

Approach shortlisted again!

An Ilkley-based public relations agency has been shortlisted for two industry accolades within the Chartered Institute of Public Relations PRide (CIPR) Awards for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Approach PR, an eight-strong consultancy, has over 28 business and industry awards and is in the running for ‘Regional Campaign of the Year’ and ‘Best Use of Media Relations’ for the inaugural Bradford Manufacturing Week 2018 campaign.

The 2019 shortlist conveys the team’s efforts in providing PR and social media support for Bradford Manufacturing Week; a Bradford Chamber of Commerce initiative, which aimed to educate young people about career opportunities in the manufacturing sector while encouraging manufacturers to consider introducing more apprenticeships.

The 2018 project generated 3000 manufacturing experiences for school pupils aged 16 and over across the Bradford district with plans in place to double this year’s experiences.

Suzanne Watson, managing director of Approach PR, said: “Bradford Manufacturing Week really was a passion project for the team here at Approach. We are huge advocates for our wonderful district so to be involved in an initiative which not only educates young people about the opportunities in this greatly underestimated sector but encourages manufacturers to open their own doors and showcase what they create, their innovation, technology and opportunities was something we all took immense pride in doing.

“To be shortlisted for our PR and social media activity really is the high point in an eight-month campaign which also saw the then Prime Minister Theresa May backing the initiative. We are well underway with managing the PR for the 2019 campaign and with our target to engage twice as many young people we are planning and delivering even more creative activity this summer and autumn.”

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations PRide Awards for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire will be held at The Queens Hotel, Leeds on 21 November.

Nick Garthwaite, founder of Bradford Manufacturing Week and managing director at chemicals and detergents manufacturer, Christeyns UK Ltd, said: “PR was crucial to the awareness and credibility of the campaign and while we were hopeful of receiving national recognition for our Bradford initiative, the coup of getting congratulations and acknowledgement from Theresa May was the pinnacle of the strategic communications campaign. We’re delighted that the efforts of the Approach team have been recognised with a northern PR industry award and here at West and North Yorkshire Chamber, we are looking forward to raising the bar again for Bradford Manufacturing Week 2019!”

Based on The Grove in Ilkley, Approach PR specialises in business to business and business to consumer PR and social and digital communications working with clients including Country Living Christmas Fair, Sparkling Bradford, Airedale Chemical and Gripple.

Ends Photo caption: “Approach MD Suzanne Watson (right) with Skipton student Gabriele Tankard, Bradford Manufacturing Week steering group members and 2018 participant Chris Woodhead from Silsden-based Advanced Actuators”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Approach PR .