New Media Toolkit offer from Futurebuilders (05/09/2005)
27.04.2006
Please note this offer is now closed.
Futurebuilders England, the government backed investment fund for the voluntary and community sector, has launched a media toolkit CD ROM to help organisations make the most of media opportunities.
50 copies of the Media Toolkit are to be given away free to the smaller voluntary or community sector organisations. Those with an annual turnover of less than £100,000 or without a media team can win a copy by sending an email to [email protected] with their postal address and an answer to the following question: Which TV or radio programme would you most like to be interviewed by to promote what you do and why? Answers must be no more than two sentences long. The first 50 replies will be sent a CD.
Futurebuilders England has produced the toolkit for organisations that receive Futurebuilders finance. They will get a copy as part of the ongoing support that the fund gives projects it invests in.
Futurebuilders Chief Executive Richard Gutch said: "We want more people to know that the voluntary and community sector can deliver first class public services. Communicating effectively and using the media will help organisations promote their excellent work. We produced the toolkit primarily for our investees - but we think it's so useful that others should have the chance to benefit from it too. That's why we're giving away 50 copies. It's part of our commitment to enabling the voluntary and community sector to grow. "
One not-for-profit organisation that Futurebuilders has invested in is Get Well UK, which provides free complementary medicine though GP surgeries. Get Well UK's Managing Director Boo Armstrong has used the Futurebuilders media toolkit.
She said: "This toolkit will be invaluable to all of us in the third sector. This CD-ROM gives the information from the people who really know - the very journalists we are trying to reach. With sensible advice on how not to get sweaty on the TV, making the most of emerging media like the internet and how to handle a crisis, it will help to professionalise us. As we deliver services to the public sector we will be competing against corporations with much bigger PR budgets than we'll ever have - the toolkit encourages us to maintain our enthusiasm and shares some insights on how to get the message across."
Produced by the Media Trust for Futurebuilders, the toolkit features video clips from top media professionals These include Woman's Hour's Jenni Murray, newsreader Lisa Aziz (formerly at Sky News now at ITV West) and 5 News presenter Julie Etchingham. They give expert advice on the do's and don'ts of working with the media, what sorts of stories excite them and how to prepare for interviews.
The toolkit is introduced by Lisa Aziz. She said: "the toolkit is a guide to working effectively with the media, so organisations can let the public know about all the important work they are doing. It's packed with helpful hints, facts and figures and advice. There are links to lots of sources of information to help with developing a communication strategy. It's also designed to be fun."
So far Futurebuilders has approved investments of over £27 million for more than 80 organisations in England. The second Futurebuilders application window is now open until midnight on Friday 30th September 2005. For more information on how to apply for Futurebuilders finance phone 0191 261 5200 or see www.futurebuilders-england.org.uk