On 3 May Susie will begin a four day challenge affectionately known as the Scumrun, travelling 3,000 miles across Europe in a vehicle costing less than £500. Whilst the banger rally promises to be great fun – not least because Susie will spend the duration dressed as Lady Penelope accompanied by her very own ‘Parker’ (friend Sean O’Malley) and driving a custom-modified version of Fab1 – she is taking the event very seriously.

The cause is especially poignant for Susie because she experienced tragic loss in her close family last year when her beautiful niece Matilda died from a heart attack when she was only 28 hours old. Despite being treated by some of the best paediatric doctors in the world, Matilda died from the very rare condition ‘pneumo pericardium complicating respiratory distress syndrome’ – of which there are only 42 recorded cases globally, almost all of them fatal.

Determined to create a lasting memory of Matilda, self-confessed petrol head Susie has entered the rally under the poignant team name ‘Miles for Matilda’. And it goes without saying that Litmus wants to support Susie in any way possible, which is why we’re donating our PR services for free to help raise maximum awareness of her fundraising efforts for Sparks.

If you would also like to support Susie and help raise money for Sparks in Matilda’s memory, please make a donation however small via www.justgiving.com/MilesforMatilda. To find out more about further Miles for Matilda visit www.milesformatilda.co.uk.

The Scumrun challenge will be officially launched by ex-racing driver and Fifth Gear presenter Tiff Needell at Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire, on May 3.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and hard-working individual who will relish every experience that we can provide.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is keen to become part of a busy PR team, whilst learning how campaigns are managed and how a successful small business is run. You will work alongside and be mentored by the experienced close-knit PR team, and will play a real part in developing and delivering PR and marketing strategies for Litmus’ national clients.

We are looking for a confident yet friendly individual who is comfortable when working in a small team but who thrives off the chance to use their initiative.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Copywriting including website news stories, client newsletter content, blog posts and press releases

• Formulating photo shoot briefs and cataloguing preferred images for media issuing

• Issuing media releases and updating media ‘wires’

• Collating, presenting and evaluating client media coverage

• Conducting media audits of key titles and sourcing relevant features

• Collating media lists using PR software and identifying key journalist contacts

• Carrying out varied desk-based (telephone, magazine, newspaper and online) research to assist with new business proposals, existing client campaigns, competitor analysis or Litmus’ own PR

• Gradually managing Litmus’ Twitter account

• Proactively seeking and contributing new campaign ideas to the account management team

• Updating and maintaining Litmus website

• General day-to-day co-ordination of the office including telephone answering and message taking, stationery orders, maintenance of files and IT systems, scanning etc.

Role Criteria

ESSENTIAL

• Well organised

• A good communicator and team player

• Eager to learn

• Self-motivated

• Willing to get stuck in with every element of the role

• Passionate about a career in PR

• Excellent understanding of spelling, grammar and punctuation

• Proficient in the use of basic Microsoft programmes including Word, Excel and Outlook

• Interested in B2B and consumer campaigns.

DESIRABLE

• Copywriting experience

• Knowledge of social media and how to use networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook

• Ability to use additional IT packages such as Adobe photoshop

If you want to get stuck in and join us, please send your CV and covering letter to: Katie@prthatworks.com or Litmus, 36a Whitehouse Street, Leeds, LS10 1AD.

Closing date: Friday 23rd March

But you can’t help but wonder…if we read some more positive, even advice-led media coverage, would there generally be a greater feeling of optimism amongst businessmen and women in varied industries?

We recently read an article which relayed results from a survey of PR agencies throughout the country. Many troubling statistics were highlighted – one in three respondents feel less optimistic for their consultancy’s future and 35% have seen a significant drop in client budgets in the last quarter for example.

But although the article led with these worrying facts, the further into the paragraphs we read, the more we found glimmers of positivity. Strong new business activity has been reported, the retainer/project balance is starting to settle and agencies appear to be getting busier. The piece concluded with some short advice that urged companies to remain committed to ongoing staff development and recruitment in order to get ahead of the game. It just seems a little disappointing that the optimism was left hiding under murky reports of fears and gloom.

When you actually talk to people, it seems there are some real sparks of excitement associated with the year ahead. One of our clients is about to launch an innovative new product, another is in the advanced stages of a new business acquisition, elsewhere one is set to take on 140 new staff, a fourth client is predicting that turnover will double over the next 12 months, and one of our longest-standing clients is in the running for three prestigious awards in the Spring.

We cannot pretend that the economic climate hasn’t had some devastating effects, and now is certainly not the time to become complacent. But having recently heard the phrase ‘cautious confidence’, we feel a little more of this might just do us all some good.

So what can we all learn from this, apart from “don’t always believe the myths you hear”?

Well, the completion of the Forth Bridge project shows that things can’t always happen overnight but with agreed objectives, a bit of patience and very hard work, you can achieve great successes.

Some PR objectives may initially seem impossible, especially if you are restricted by budget. But it’s important to share your goals with the experts who can provide specialist advice and insight into what is possible. You may just be pleasantly surprised as to what you can accomplish.

In fact so much so we’ve started already at home! We had our first Christmas dinner last weekend complete with stuffing, crackers and silly hats and our lights are twinkling.

Why? I’m not really sure, maybe it’s because my children are growing up so fast that I want to make the most of the season’s magic before opportunity slips away or maybe it’s a yearning to wear something red and eat lots of comfort food.

I’d like to ask for a few ‘gifts’ for Litmus if that’s OK? We’ve been really good and worked very hard…most of the time!

• Please could you see that the product launch project we’re in the midst of for a new client goes really really well because we like them a lot and would love to do some more work for them

• Please could you also sprinkle some ‘fairy dust’ on the 5 award entries we’ve just completed for a client because we’ve put a lot of effort into it them and we and the client deserve a good awards night knees up

• Please could you put a good word in for us with the new client we’ve just undertaken a 3 month test project for, we know there’s oodles of PR mileage in their exciting business model.

And because it’s not all about work for this girl, a pair of black leather, almond-toed, 4 inch heeled court shoes would be smashing, you know the ones I like.

Lucy xxxxx

Combining UNTHA’s pioneering technological capabilities with Riverside’s in-depth knowledge of the UK marketplace, UNTHA UK is set to lead innovation and change within the shredder industry and it is anticipated that turnover will double in the next 12 months.

Commenting on the new company, Riverside founder and the new UNTHA UK managing director Chris Oldfield says: “This is a very exciting time for us. Riverside has come a long way since its inception in 1997 and we’ve been able to work in some very complex markets. But as we spot more and more opportunities in the UK’s waste and recycling industry, it makes sense to collaborate our resources, technical knowledge and client expertise, so that we can offer an unparalleled level of product and service.”

The highly successful Riverside Waste Machinery brand – which now focuses solely upon waste balers – is being driven by the experienced Jonathan Oldfield.

Litmus will continue to support both companies in their ongoing PR and marketing activities.

We like the way they communicate with customers too – their corporate personality comes across in the messaging on every single bottle, which reinforces the fun and fresh feel that the brand is all about.

But this time the biggest praise doesn’t go to their delicious fruity flavours or their quirky smoothie packaging. It goes to their Big Knit campaign. For the past eight years their smoothie bottles have donned wooly hats during the month of November to raise awareness – and more importantly money – for Age UK.

And this year seems to be the biggest campaign yet, with more and more celebrities knitting their own miniature hats. So keep your eyes peeled for a wooly Heston Blumenthal, Sienna Miller or Betty Jackson design, and dig deep to help Innocent raise over £200,000 for this fantastic cause!

If you aren’t actually a smoothie fan, get your knitting needles out and make a little hat or two of your own. The Innocent team is hoping to receive 650,000 hats this year so every knit helps!

The Big Knit campaign ends on November 29^th. Read more about it at http://bit.ly/uLW6qC.

The new client is domiciliary care company, Ark Home Healthcare, who has appointed Litmus to undertake a multi-strand public relations programme. We will ensure that Ark’s innovative and ambitious growth strategy is effectively communicated to its customers, employees, commissioning bodies and investors.

Based in London, Ark currently employs 1,000 carers, 100 office staff and has over 3,000 private and local authority clients nationwide.

In addition to all this we have a little news of our own – some of you may have already heard the latest Litmus gossip – TLK (the lovely Katie) has been promoted to Account Director. Katie’s outstanding contribution is very much appreciated by all; the Litmus board, management, staff, clients, media contacts and even advertising sales teams love the way she deftly batters them into price-submission. So we are treating her to champagne and posh patisseries in Harrogate next week. Rumour has it that she might have to help take another new project brief whilst we’re there!

Not only is it a very worthy cause indeed – providing practical help for homeless people – but hats off to them for coming up with a simple idea that has really captured the hearts and minds of the media.

Hope they get lots of donations and big money bids for their celebrity hat auction; we’re torn between the gorgeous Annie Lennox green fedora and Fearn Cotton’s cheeky trilby!

But always keen to stand out from the crowd, Cascade’s marketing experts do not rest on their laurels, which is why the Litmus team has been busy helping them prepare for a jam-packed month of events.

On October 4-5, Cascade’s most senior payroll experts headed north to attend the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals’ (CIPP) annual payroll conference in Glasgow. Meanwhile, a team of Cascade professionals exhibited at the HR Performance event at Olympia, London. They were on hand throughout the two-day show delivering one-to-one delegate consultations focusing upon the engagement, motivation and retention of companies’ talented employees.

The team then returned to London this week for the Softworld HR & Payroll Solutions event, to offer delegates another opportunity to see how the new mobile can improve company efficiencies. Plus the team enjoyed an evening out at the Software Satisfaction Awards last night because as they were shortlisted in the scheme’s Enterprise Human Resources & Human Capital Management, and SME Human Resources & Human Capital Management categories.

And it doesn’t stop there. Next month the team will head to Manchester to showcase an exciting new software functionality – Mosaic – at the CIPD’s insightful Annual Conference & Exhibition 2011. Visit Cascade’s website to find out more!

So it’s been a busy few weeks for Cascade HR, who are utilising every opportunity they can to speak to customers new and old. And it’s been a busy few weeks for Litmus PR helping to ensure they wring every drop from their involvement in these events.