Chelsea comes to the New Forest!
Liz is very excited to have co-ordinated the Press Coverage of the opening of the Chelsea Garden at Furzey Gardens in the New Forest last week. Laura Trant from BBC South Today is a great friend of Furzey Gardens and broadcast live throughout the day on Thursday.
Furzey Gardens and Minstead Training Trusts (registered as Minstead Training Project) are part of a charitable organisation whose aims are to support people with learning disabilities to live as full citizens, achieving the greatest possible independence and self-worth. The Minstead Training Trust was established in 1986.
The Minstead Training Trust currently supports over 75 students by providing practical training in life skills, work-based skills and the creative arts. Furzey Gardens provides students with an inspirational setting where they can learn new skills in horticulture. Other opportunities includewood work, catering, hospitality and animal care. In addition, the Trust provides support in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), literacy and numeracy and therapeutic skills in art, craft, drama and photography as well as supporting leisure activities and holidays and days out.
Students can join the project at the age of 18 and Minstead offers residential and supported living accommodation to those students that need it. It also offers respite care to give families and carers breaks.
It truly is a magical place and Liz is very honoured to be working with the team on the launch.
Here is the official Press Release:
A New Forest garden, developed by a learning disability team, that won Gold at last year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been recreated and will be launched by TV Gardener, Chris Beardshaw. Chris led the team from Furzey Gardens and the Minstead Training Trust to success and returned to officially open the ‘Chelsea Garden’ in the presence of groups from a range of learning disability organisations and hundreds of invited guests, students, staff and volunteers. Each person was given a gold coloured item to hold aloft at the moment of opening, creating a field of gold.
The ‘Chelsea Garden’ now takes pride of place in the grounds of the beautiful Furzey Gardens, set in acres of peaceful woodland in Minstead, nr Lyndhurst. The aim of the Chelsea Project was to show how much people with learning disabilities can achieve with appropriate support. Students inspired the design and were encouraged to express, through speech and art, what they love about the gardens and what they think it is that makes Furzey Gardens such a special place.
Chris Beardshaw is immensely proud of what the team have achieved: “Our aim was to capture the unique essence of Furzey Gardens which would engender the same feeling of peace and tranquillity that envelops visitors as they wander round the paths and secret corners of this special garden. The Chelsea Garden has come home.”
The Minstead Training Project, the sister charity to Furzey Gardens, was founded in 1986 and offers whole year round services in residential and day care and training in Work, Life and Social Skills to adults who have learning disabilities. Since the Trust started, it has earned a reputation for its unique style of high quality care, commitment and excellence.
Chairman of Trustees, Reverend Tim Selwood, explains the importance of the legacy of the Chelsea Flower Show: “Our students and staff took an important part of their lives to the show and I am delighted that we are now able to continue the growing and nurturing process by recreating their success within the beautiful setting of Furzey Gardens.”
Furzey Gardens has attracted over 1m visitors since they were restored in 1972 and they are open to the public daily until dusk, the Gallery and tea rooms open daily from 10am until 5pm between March and October. Students and staff from Minstead are entirely responsible for maintaining the grounds and cultivating the plants that are sold to raise funds for the charities.
Launch of Brilliant Fish for Writers
We are delighted to announce the launch of a new range of support packages specifically for writers!
You’ve finished your manuscript – what’s next?
Many writers make the mistake of sending their work off to Agents and Publishers before it is ready.
To give your work the best possible chance in a highly competitive market, you need to ensure that it looks as professional as it can be and that readers will want to know about it.
Here’s where Brilliant Fish can help! We work with writers through all stages of the publishing process and have developed a range of specifically designed support packages.
Our aim at Brilliant Fish is to use our expertise to provide excellent support for writers entering the world of publication. We are all about jargon-free, professional, warm and brilliant key message communication.
Please visit our Writers page for more details and call Liz on 01202 747136 to discuss how we can create a bespoke package ideal for your individual needs.
The Butterfly Collector by Adam Dickson
We are excited to announce publication of The Butterfly Collector by Adam Dickson! His first novel is available on Kindle and in paperback from www.amazon.co.uk
Here’s the blurb:
What happens when everything you have is not enough?
Restless property developer, Peter Calliet, meets Natalie, a sullen young artist at a party and an obsession begins that has echoes of his troubled past. Peter has everything in terms of material success and security. The obligatory fast car, lucrative contracts with his powerfully connected father’s property empire and a plush renovated flat. Devoted fiancée, Claudia, expects to move in and marriage is imminent. But Peter has a dark past that taints his movements. Starting an affair with Natalie, who has an equally disturbed background, can only lead to more heartache. If Claudia discovers that Peter has been seeing Natalie, her dream world will be destroyed, adding to his burden of guilt. But even that can’t stop him. The secure and rewarding life he has worked so hard to achieve begins to unravel.
Liz has been able to provide the following support to Adam on his road to publication:
- Proofreading
- Editing
- Advice on presentation
- Preparing and uploading the text file ready for self-publication
- Advice and practical help using social media for marketing
- Planning the book launch
Details of the book launch very soon!
Liz on Hot Radio!
Liz was the 12 o’clock Interview on Geoff’s Carter show on Hot Radio today!
She was talking about ‘SMART Marketing for your not-for-profit organisation’ that she co-wrote with Dianne Edgar of Insight Marketing Services. She talked about the challenges facing charities and community groups in a world where funding and donations are drastically reducing and how following some simple marketing tips (outlined in the book) can really help.
MP3 coming soon!
Helen Ross – Tough, But Very Blessed
It is a privilege to be working with Helen who has written Tough, But Very Blessed, an inspirational and entertaining book about her life with Cerebral Palsy.
Liz is helping Helen promote the book using social media – Helen is able to use a specially adapted keyboard using her feet. Helen calls Liz ‘Big Sis’ which is a reference to Big Brother as Liz is keeping a close eye on how frequently Helen is tweeting and, by agreement, e-mails Helen to chase her up!!
The book is written in Helen’s own inimitable style, with lots of humour and tells of how she views having Cerebral Palsy, how she coped when she was diagnosed with cancer and how her faith keeps her going.
Tough, But Very Blessed is available to purchase from Helen’s website for £5 – www.helen-ross.com
iTrust Dorset Exhibition – Press Release
An exhibition of illustrations and photographs from a project based in the historic Corfe Castle will run at the Lighthouse Poole from Friday 18th January – Saturday 9th March 2013.
The iconic landmark on the Dorset landscape was brought into the digital age with the launch of a new GPS-based game. iTrust Dorset was aimed at 11-16 year olds and the game, called Quest for the Crown, led players around the ruins and explored more about the history of the castle and the people that lived there.
Local not-for-profit organisations South West Artwork and Brilliant Fish worked in association with The National Trust in Dorset to deliver the innovative project that engaged people with their heritage The exhibition will showcase illustrations by artist Kevin Scully that were incorporated within the game.
Laura Mulhern, Director of South West Artwork explains: “We were looking to bring digital creativity together with the wonderful heritage in our area and to encourage younger people to get involved in a way that appeals to them. The game gave players choices of which action to take as they negotiated their way round the castle to liberate King Henry’s Crown from the Guards.” She continues: “Quest for the Crown was a fantastic way to bring the history of Corfe Castle to life using digital technology.”
The pilot project has now been completed and the game is currently under development for relaunch in 2013. For more details of the exhibition, call Lighthouse on 0844 406 8666.
SMART Marketing for your not-for-profit organisation
We are very proud to announce the launch of a new e-book, which Liz has co-authored, called “SMART Marketing for your not-for-profit organisation” ! The official launch will take place tonight at Hotel Miramar in Bournemouth with invited guests from local charities, community groups and support organisations.
Written with Dianne Edgar from I-Marketing Services Ltd, the e-book is formatted in an easy-to-read style, offering 52 top tips for better marketing communications. It is the third in the SMART Marketing series that Dianne has written and she approached Brilliant Fish for help with the not-for-profit aspect of the book, drawing on our experience in the sector.
For Liz, it is the fulfilment of an early dream! ”When I had my very first thoughts about starting up in business, I wanted to write a marketing pack that charities could buy at a reasonable cost and that would be written in their language” she says. ”This is the book!”.
Available to buy at £7.99 from www.lulu.com
iTrust Dorset is launched!
iTrust Dorset, a brand new digital trail around Corfe Castle, is launched today and is a joint venture between Brilliant Fish and South West Artwork in association with the National Trust in Dorset! “Quest for the Crown” is a game aimed at 11-16 year olds, which leads players around the ruins and explores more about the history of the castle and the people that lived there.
The free activity can be downloaded onto an iphone, android or gps device before visiting the castle or a handset can be borrowed on arrival. The game has been written and produced by Dorchester-based We Are Revolting Art & Design who worked closely with staff at the National Trust in Corfe to make sure the storyline was as historically accurate as possible.
Players take the identity of a blacksmith’s apprentice and have to negotiate different challenges and obstacles in their search for King John’s crown!
The activity is available every weekend at Corfe Castle until 21st October. For more details about the game and how to download it, visit www.itrustdorset.com
Searching for New Horizons
Brilliant Fish are delighted to be offering PR support to Sue Pledge from New Horizons, managing their social media accounts and advising on the marketing of some really interesting podcasts covering issues such as “How to survive Divorce” and a “Guide to a successful interview”.
Roger Colmer & Sue Pledge from New Horizons
If you are facing any kind of change in your life circumstances, Sue wants to help you to transform your situation so that you can face the future with hope, expectation and confidence.
Together with Roger Colmer, Sue also delivers Retirement Seminars that help those approaching retirement to prepare mentally, emotionally and practically – so that they can make the most of the opportunities ahead. They also offer personalised ‘one to one’ retirement planning.