Like many of us I used to take life for granted. That was until I met two inspirational people who changed my whole outlook on life.
As a father of two, I know only too well of the unbreakable bond between a parent and a child. Imagine the grief if this bond was to be broken.
Harley Staples was aged just eight when he died from a rare and aggressive form of leukaemia. None of us can ever imagine what this moment must have been like for his parents Katherine and Jamie Staples. However, upon meeting them in 2012 when working on a campaign for Persimmon Homes, I couldn’t help but feel an immediate connection and a need to support them in their mission to leave a lasting legacy for their brave little boy. A feeling you couldn’t help but have working with all the charities we supported in this campaign, each deserving to win the life changing prize of £250,000 put up by Persimmon.
Working tirelessly to set-up a holiday home for other cancer sufferers in Harley’s name, Katherine and Jamie’s dream came true when they picked up the cheque to celebrate Persimmon’s 40th anniversary. What made this moment so special, was the overwhelming support shown by people to vote for the charity.
It was also evident that a clear and focused communications strategy helped raise the profile of each charity, which opened the door to new fundraising opportunities.
The role Connect PR played in helping The Harley Staples Cancer Trust and the other 23 charities reach their goal justifies the importance of PR. Putting to one side the column cms generated I believe that more measurable results such as an increase in traffic, awareness and conversations online underlines the success of our services.
Looking to the year ahead, I look forward to continuing my work with The Harley Staples Cancer Trust and engaging with even more charities to reach out and inspire a new generation of supporters.
Lee Southen
senior account director
@lethal_weapon