THE ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY BOARD (ETB) APPOINTS UPWARD CURVE PR FOR PR AND MARKETING SUPPORT

UPWARD CURVE WORKS FOR MENTOR UK TO LAUNCH THE CHAMP AWARDS 2008

Upward Curve PR has been appointed by Mentor UK to market the national P romoting C hildren's H ealth through A lcohol M isuse P revention Awards, known as the Mentor UK CHAMP Awards, where schemes in Great Britain that help prevent youngsters of 14 and under misusing alcohol, could win £20,000 to expand their projects.

Three winners under the categories of projects in schools, community-based projects and young people-led projects, will each receive a £10,000 cash prize and £10,000-worth of consultancy support to help expand their schemes.   The award will also allow them to share information about how they have promoted healthy attitudes and behaviour amongst young people.

With one in ten 10-11 year olds and one in five 12-13 year olds, having had a drink in the last week (Government School Health Education Unit 'Young People into 2007' research), there has never been a better time to reward prevention projects helping children and young people avoid alcohol misuse.

The awards are run every two years by the UK's leading drugs and alcohol misuse prevention charity working with children and young people , Mentor UK and are supported by drinks producer, Diageo Great Britain, as part of their commitment to educating young people on the dangers of alcohol misuse.

Closing date for entries is 20 April 2008 .   Anyone can nominate a scheme and details on previous winners and how to enter are available from www.mentorfoundation.org/uk/awards or by writing to Mentor UK, Fourth Floor, 74 Great Eastern Street, London, EC2A 3JG.    

Launching the awards, Mentor UK Chief Executive, Eric Carlin, says:

"Alcohol misuse by adults and young people costs the NHS £1.7 billion a year and alcohol related crime costs £7.3 billion per year. The CHAMP Awards showcase the very best prevention schemes, backing our belief that by promoting healthy attitudes and behaviours to young people as early as possible we can prevent lives being wrecked."

"Mentor UK are especially interested in hearing about schemes that help youngsters avoid the risks of trying alcohol by tackling boredom, the lack of aspiration, or schemes that encourage achievement and motivation."

Rebecca Rodi, Social Responsibility Manager, Diageo Great Britain, adds:

" We are proud to support the 2008 CHAMP Awards, as a practical way to encourage ground-breaking community schemes that help youngsters avoid alcohol misuse."

Shirley-Ann Hickman, Account Manager at Upward Curve PR, said:

"The Mentor UK CHAMP Awards is a fantastic project for the agency to be working on.  They are also a really practical way to encourage good quality alcohol prevention work amongst young people, while spreading the knowledge and expertise gained by the winning projects."

THE POLICE FOUNDATION APPOINTS UPWARD CURVE PR FOR STRATEGIC SUPPORT

The Police Foundation, the independent charity and influential think-tank on policing, has appointed Upward Curve PR to provide strategic communications advice and PR support.

The think-tank's independent inquiries have led to significant changes in legislation, policy and practice including Police Reform, Drug Misuse and Alternatives to Custody. It also produces the world's most successful police driver training manuals and acts as a safe place for debates about policing.   The Police Foundation's current priorities include:

•  Local and neighbourhood policing

•  Road traffic policing

•  Policing children and young people

•  Serious crime and counter-terrorism

•  Stimulating a national debate on the future of the Police

Upward Curve PR will create and implement a communications strategy for the charity.    The Police Foundation plans to publish research on its current priorities and will be launching 'Key Data on Policing', the first authoritative and comprehensive resource that will inform police policy and practice and challenge perceptions.   Upward Curve will also promote the charity's prestigious annual John Harris Memorial lecture, set for next summer.   The event attracts major figures in the policing and political worlds to the audience.   Past speakers include the Rt. Hon Lord (Chris) Patten of Barnes, opposition leader David Cameron MP and author PD James.

Mr John Graham, Director of the Police Foundation, says, " Policing has never been changing as fast and as much as it is today. Whilst public demands for better policing continue to rise and the Government pushes through a major police reform programme, the police find themselves striving to deal with new threats posed by terrorism and transnational organised crime. We provide independent research and analysis about policing that engages policy makers and the public alike in the work of their police force."  

Upward Curve PR's Managing Director, Helen Ashley added, " The Police Foundation provides high quality, independent thinking and research about modern-day policing.   It's exciting to be involved in promoting a charity whose research has such importance for all of us. "

For more information on The Police Foundation, please visit www.police-foundation.org.uk

THE ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY BOARD (ETB) APPOINTS UPWARD CURVE PR FOR PR AND MARKETING SUPPORT

The Engineering and Technology Board (ETB), an independent organisation that promotes the essential role of science, engineering and technology in society, has appointed Upward Curve PR to provide marketing and media relations support to raise the profile of the ETB initiatives and the engineering industry.

The ETB is currently working on a number of key initiatives including launching a report on public attitudes to engineering and engineers with the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) and promoting professional registration in the Further Education sector. The organisation also has an ongoing remit to encourage young people to consider engineering as a career.

Clare Cox, the ETB's Communications Director said, "Engineering is fundamental to the prosperity of the UK economy and has a key role to play in meeting some of the major challenges facing society: everything from combating climate change to developing hospital equipment relies in part, on the skills and knowledge of engineers.   The ETB is committed to raising awareness of the contribution to society of engineers and engineering."  

Upward Curve PR's initial work includes implementing communications strategies around some of the campaigns being run by the ETB and developing and producing marketing materials to raise the profile of the ETB's work and enforcing its brand.

Upward Curve PR's Managing Director, Helen Ashley added, "We are excited to be working with the Engineering and Technology Board.   It's great to be involved in helping to promote such an exciting profession and its role in our society."

YOUNG KINGSTON LAUNCH AT WARREN HOUSE

May 2007 saw the launch of Young Kingston (Upward Curve PR's Charity of the Year) at Warren House in Kingston, South West London. Pictured above (centre) is the former Mayor of Kingston, Cllr Mary Reid, who set up the charity, with members of Kingston Youth Panel.

As well as developing the brand for the charity and producing it's literature, Upward Curve PR organised the launch event, which was aimed at local organisations and businesses who might be able to support the charity through funding, fundraising or in kind support.

Warren House provided the stunning venue free of charge and Kingston University sponsored the event.

Young Kingston has been set up to help young people make the most of their potential. Young people can apply for grants, for example, to buy a musical instrument or sports equipment, to put on a performance, or carry out an environmental clean-up. A specially trained panel of young people will decide on which grants are awarded. Kingston University will be providing mentors to help young people apply for grants and help them develop their projects.

The public launch is due to take place at Chessington World of Adventures in the autumn.

For more information visit: www.youngkingston.org.uk

UPWARD CURVE PR WINS PRide AWARD FROM THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR COELIAC AWARENESS WEEK 2006

Kingston based PR agency Upward Curve PR, is delighted to announce that it has won a second PRide (Home Counties) award from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). This time the Agency was awarded a Gold Award for best "Not for profit or Charity Campaign" for the Are You 1 in 100? Campaign it developed on behalf of Coeliac UK to promote its National Awareness Week in May 2006 during an awards ceremony in February.

The innovative campaign aimed to promote the case for early diagnosis of coeliac disease and increase awareness of the condition that affects 1 in every 100 people, amongst the public, healthcare professionals and within government circles. This year the awards received over 1200 entries.

Upward Curve PR devised the 'Are you 1 in 100?' campaign brand to generate greater awareness and engaged Celebrity Chef Georgio Locatelli, Singer Song-Writer Margo Buchanan (who has coeliac), and TV doctor Chris Steele to lend their support to the campaign and commissioned research with YouGov amongst Coeliac UK's members to find out about their experiences of being diagnosed with Coeliac. It also carried out an extensive media relations campaign to gain coverage in national, regional, professional and trade media.

The Award Judges said; "It was a well integrated campaign that identified key success indicators and achieved its objectives. It is not an easy task to position a 'non sexy' charity or condition such as coeliac. However, by making good use of celebrities with the condition, this campaign achieved considerable exposure across a breadth of media. The campaign was clearly successful, as increased enquiries to the helpline and website demonstrated".

Helen Ashley, Director of Upward Curve PR, said "We are delighted to be receive this, our second industry award from the CIPR. With an estimated 1 in 100 people in the UK suffering from coeliac disease and four out of five unaware that they have the condition, it is great to have helped raise awareness of the condition and the benefits of early diagnosis, with the public and within the healthcare and government sectors".

Results exceeded expectation across all areas of the campaign with a total of 110 articles appearing in national, regional, health and consumer publications. The national helpline for people struggling with diagnosis and management of their condition. received 71% increase in phone calls and 94% increase in emails and the website hits increased from an average of 14,000 to 21, 297 - attributable to awareness week activities.

John de Mierre, Chair of CIPR Home Counties South, said:
"The PRide Awards are about raising professional standards by identifying, recognising and rewarding the first-rate work going on in the PR industry outside of London and the contribution this makes to business and society. The judging process is rigorous and to win is a tremendous achievement."

For more information visit: www.cipr.co.uk/prideawards

UPWARD CURVE ADOPTS YOUNG KINGSTON AS ITS CHARITY OF THE YEAR

Upward Curve PR has adopted Young Kingston as its charity of the year for 2007. The Agency will provide pro bono PR support for the charity in the form of brand and website development, strategic advice, media relations, marketing support and event management. A unique feature of the new charity is that grants will be made by (a specially trained panel of) young people in Kingston to young people in Kingston.

The Charity is being officially launched on the 2nd May at a reception at Warren House, Kingston Hill.

Young Kingston is a new charity being set up by Kingston Council's Mayor, Cllr Mary Reid to enable the young people living and studying in the borough to apply for grants to help realise their ambitions and to exercise their talents and skills.

It will be made as easy as possible for young people to apply for grants for example to buy a musical instrument, travel to matches if they are a promising sportsperson or to organise a community spring clean or put on a performance. Grant application forms will be available online and trained mentors from Kingston University Student's Union will be on hand to help young people apply for grants and develop their projects. The funding is open to all young people up to 18 (or to 25 for those with disabilities).

"We chose Young Kingston because we are based in the borough, liked the idea that young people would choose which projects should be supported and that the charity will be able to help offer disadvantaged young people opportunities to develop their skills and make the most of their abilities" says Upward Curve's Director, Helen Ashley.

Cllr Mary Reid, Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames commented "It has been fantastic having the support of a local agency to get this project off the ground. As a new venture Young Kingston could not afford to engage professionals to develop the branding and launch the fund, so we are very grateful to Upward Curve for all the help they have given us."

For more information visit: www.youngkingston.org.uk