Large-scale Engagement

UPDATE // After tireless campaign work over many years by local residents, Coleford Parish Council and FANS members, the area has won the battle! It is now eligible for part of the 20 million of Levelling Up Fund money to improve leisure facilities and introduce new education opportunities to the area. A fantastic result. I am proud to have played my part at the beginning. First as a volunteer, then as a creative consultant, it was an immense privilege to be part of that passionate team, and when we worked together we surpassed the sum of our parts.

“The Levelling Up Fund  – The Forest of Dean has £20 million of levelling up money to improve leisure and community facilities, introduce new education opportunities, repurpose vacant buildings and grow the local economy across the Forest. Levelling up funding is being used to create a new leisure centre and enterprise and training spaces at the Five Acres site in Berry Hill, including a new gym, meeting rooms, office space, café and a sports hall.  Hartpury University’s Learning Centre will bring specialist training to young people in the Forest, setting them up to access the high-skilled, high-pay jobs coming to the area, and guiding young entrepreneurs to launch their own start-ups”  https://levellingup.campaign.gov.uk/forestofdean/

“The Neighbourhood Development Plan for Berry Hill, won the GRCC Award for ‘Best Community-led Engagement’ 2014”.  West Dean Parish Council commissioned me to create a communications strategy, large-scale exhibition and printed collateral for public consultations that were statutory requirements to produce their Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP).

I developed a campaign to engage and raise awareness within the local community that would be affected by decisions made around the potentially sensitive issues raised, through two public consultations within their boundaries.

Being passionate myself about natural sites, I had an understanding of historic reluctance in the community to engage with potential change. I saw my primary role as a bridge by which to empower the community, through presenting knowledge and options in a visually inspiring way, that would encourage full and sustained engagement.

I developed the creative strategy, researched and wrote content and designed dramatic ‘visual conversations’ for large scale displays that encouraged flow, interaction and maintained interest and excitement around both public consultations.

External publicity was achieved through the design of local press advertising and outdoor signage pre-event and in situ. I managed all print buying and liaised with external suppliers, and also managed final installation.

The community was appreciative and inspired by the depth of research and the user-friendly approach to the design and content of the information, which included an historical context for the area, introducing healthy ways to consider ‘change’ and specific ‘call to actions’ within the exhibitions.