Category Archives: South West

Marketing, PR and SEO, News, South West

Sports marketing firm teams up with creative agency to help continue its growth

A COMPANY that brings together high profile brands with grass roots sport to help clubs earn free kit has turned to creative agency Milk & Tweed to help it grow.

Since 2013 Gift of Kit has been helping national brands such a Deliveroo, Sky Sports and HelloFresh promote themselves to the 28,000 sports teams on its register by providing free kit. Founder Jonathan Green, who lives in Calne, Wiltshire, said: “We are providing a value exchange between the brand and the club, which means both sides are benefitting from the partnership.

“We can provide a tangible business result for the brand because in order to get the kit the teams have to do something to earn it. We had a deal with HelloFresh where the teams got a discount code and the more food boxes that were ordered with that code, the more kits they could order.”

Interested clubs register with Gift of Kit and are then matched with companies looking to promote themselves by taking part in a kit giveaway scheme. Mr Green managed a Nike Teamwear dealership selling kit and equipment to professional sports teams such as Saracens and Bristol Rugby.  They were approached to work with building supplier Tradepoint on a free kit promotion where customers earned kit vouchers by buying more products.

“It was a huge incentive for builders to switch to them and it worked, we generated £11 million in incremental sales and gave away 800 kits,” said Mr Green. “After that I decided providing free sponsored kit is a lot easier than selling it and benefits both big brands and grassroots clubs.”

He founded Wiltshire-based Gift of Kit and launched a website that soon attracted clubs from the north of Scotland to Penzance. “We had a pretty good idea of the size of the market and we also knew teams were struggling to raise money to buy kit,” said Mr Green.

“We also understood that there are a lot of brands who spend a great deal of money in sport, but the majority of it is at the elite end. Around 95 per cent of the investment goes there whereas 98 per cent of the people who play sport in this country are at the other end.”

The company has turned to Wiltshire creative agency Milk & Tweed to revamp its marketing. “The brief to them is growth,” said Mr Green. “We’ve come a long way but I have seen how Milk & Tweed has worked with other companies I know and played a major role in their growth.

“They will initially be providing targeted content to attract more people to our website and in the longer term revamping the site and working on our social media. They have been great to work with because they understand what our challenges are and by taking on our marketing they are allowing me to concentrate on developing the business.”

Most of the promotions Gift of Kit runs is for football but it has also run promotions with Land Rover in Rugby, Kia in cricket and every sport from bowls to darts with the Peoples Postcode Lottery – including senior walking football teams.

“We work with the brand’s cost per acquisition spending and a bit of their budgets for marketing, social media or corporate social responsibility to deliver the promotion,” said Mr Green.

“We want partners who want to support grass roots sport and then we’ll work out what the right demographic is for them. We design a strategy for them to reach their target demographic. We have a very good understanding of who plays what sport and which sectors would most suit each brand.

“The teams love having a well-known brand on their shirts and we see hundreds of posts on social media from clubs thanking us and our partners for the support. We’ve even seen some holding mock press conferences on social media to unveil their sponsor.”

The company has been inundated with inquiries since England’s Lionesses won the European Championships this summer. “We’ve had agencies saying that their clients want to do something in grass roots women’s football, which is really encouraging and we are expecting to see a lot more support for women’s sport,” said Mr Green.

He believes more agencies representing major brands will begin to appreciate the value of partnering their brands with grass roots sport. “It has been seen as very difficult but because they don’t know how to reach clubs at that level,” said Mr Green. “But we are becoming known as an easy solution because we have access to all of these clubs with hundreds of thousands of players.

“Having Milk & Tweed on board can only help us continue to grow because they can help us focus our marketing and tell all these great stories about the clubs we have helped.”

Wiltshire-based Milk & Tweed creative director Jake Jeffries said: “We’re delighted to be working with Jonathan and his unique business. Many of us here have played sport at junior and senior level and know what a vital role sponsors have to play. We are looking forward to using our expertise  to continue Gift of Kit’s growth.”

Find out more about the company at giftofkit.com and about Milk & Tweed at milkandtweed.com.

Pictured: Gift of Kit founder Jonathan Green with Milk & Tweed marketing executive Meg Fenner-Jamieson

News, Property, Property Buyer News, South West

Show home open at Stonewood Partnerships’ flagship sustainable neighbourhood in Gloucestershire

EVENTING star Harry Meade cut the ribbon on the show home at Orchard Field – Stonewood Partnerships’ flagship sustainable neighbourhood of 88 low energy homes at Siddington in Gloucestershire.

The acclaimed rider and Stonewood ambassador, who has competed at 12 Badminton International Horse Trials, told invited guests, staff and contractors how proud he was to be invited to open the home – a three-bedroomed Pippin – and how impressed he was with the sustainable credentials within the show home, which is now open for appointments.

He said: “It’s brilliant to be here and it’s wonderful to see the future of how more and more people are going to live. Hopefully this is the start of a big journey for Stonewood and congratulations to everyone involved.”

Stonewood Partnerships Managing Director Sam Smart spoke of his pride in the quality of the homes, which have been designed to be as low energy as possible without compromising the high standards of finish and craftmanship the company has produced in its other award-winning developments.

“It’s quite a significant year for us with it being our 50th birthday and it’s really nice to take a moment and stop to give thanks to everybody involved in getting to this stage of the project,” he said.

“Stonewood’s growth is rooted in core values which were established back in 1972 – quality, craftmanship and innovation. We strive to create beautiful buildings that stand the test of time and we are seeing that here at Orchard Field.

“Designing these new buildings to the highest possible environmental standards is a challenge that we have embraced and we look forward to building many more in the region. Setting new standards in housebuilding is what we strive for and we want to keep pushing the boundaries of sustainability and build quality.”

Families have already moved into the first two of the 88 two, three, four and five bedroom homes on the 11 acre development, which is bordered by trees, parkland, fruit orchards and allotments on a 35 acre site on the edge of the village.

Each Cotswold stone or red brick home, designed by sister company Stonewood Design in conjunction with ecological consultant Greenguage, will have solar panels embedded into the roof, timber frames, 45cm thick walls filled with eco-friendly insulation, triple glazing and airtight interiors to eliminate draughts and allow the energy-efficient heating system to cut bills by up to 70 per cent compared to standard -new-built houses.

Ground-floor underfloor heating fuelled by an air source heat pump and the use of mechanical ventilation heat recovery, which removes warm air from the kitchen and bathroom and uses it to heat air flowing into the living room and bedrooms, will keep the homes warm in winter and cool in summer.

Every one of the 11 contemporary Cotswold styles of home in the community has been designed to meet stringent Association for Environment Conscious Building standards that demand excellent construction and low energy consumption.

The parkland entrance to the neighbourhood will be lined with new woodland featuring a mix of Beech, Field Maple, Hazel, Alder, Wild Cherry, Hornbeam, Lime and Yew. A ten-year management plan will care for the existing 1990s-planted woodland, where diseased ash has been replaced with a mix of broadleaf varieties. Native shrubs form a threshold between the woodland and the parkland.

Fruit orchards and 900 metres of hedgerow around the development will add to more fruit trees planted within four character areas across the neighbourhood that will include tree-lined walkways, courtyards, gardens, a play areas.

Mr Smart said Stonewood’s ethos of working as a team has helped it overcome the design challenges of the project. “Stonewood is a people business, that’s how we’ve grown from a few people to almost 400 across the group and we understand that everybody is important and that individual contributions within the team as it comes together helps us to achieve great things,” he said.

“Our excellent consultant design team have really risen to the challenge on this project, designing something that really does raise the bar – and that goes down to the most minute details such as where we place the bin stores and bike stores.

“To take that design from page to site takes a first class supply chain of contractors and we have had a great team supporting us. It has been a brilliant team effort and we should be proud of what we have achieved.”

He also paid tribute to joint venture partner Nicholas Arbuthnott, the retired architect who had the original vision for the project. “Nicholas’ ambition for the legacy of the project was quite clear from the start and his wisdom and knowledge has been instrumental in producing what we see today,” he said.

A virtual tour of The Pippin can be found at www.stonewoodpartnerships.co.uk and appointments to visit the show home can be made by calling 01454 809780 or emailing orchardfield@stonewoodpartnerships.co.uk.

Construction, News, South West

Show home open at Stonewood Partnerships’ flagship sustainable neighbourhood

EVENTING star Harry Meade cut the ribbon on the show home at Orchard Field – Stonewood Partnerships’ flagship sustainable neighbourhood of 88 low energy homes at Siddington in Gloucestershire.

The acclaimed rider and Stonewood ambassador, who has competed at 12 Badminton International Horse Trials, told invited guests, staff and contractors how proud he was to be invited to open the home – a three-bedroomed Pippin – and how impressed he was with the sustainable credentials within the show home, which is now open for appointments.

He said: “It’s brilliant to be here and it’s wonderful to see the future of how more and more people are going to live. Hopefully this is the start of a big journey for Stonewood and congratulations to everyone involved.”

Stonewood Partnerships Managing Director Sam Smart spoke of his pride in the quality of the homes, which have been designed to be as low energy as possible without compromising the high standards of finish and craftmanship the company has produced in its other award-winning developments.

“It’s quite a significant year for us with it being our 50th birthday and it’s really nice to take a moment and stop to give thanks to everybody involved in getting to this stage of the project,” he said.

“Stonewood’s growth is rooted in core values which were established back in 1972 – quality, craftmanship and innovation. We strive to create beautiful buildings that stand the test of time and we are seeing that here at Orchard Field.

“Designing these new buildings to the highest possible environmental standards is a challenge that we have embraced and we look forward to building many more in the region. Setting new standards in housebuilding is what we strive for and we want to keep pushing the boundaries of sustainability and build quality.”

Families have already moved into the first two of the 88 two, three, four and five bedroom homes on the 11 acre development, which is bordered by trees, parkland, fruit orchards and allotments on a 35 acre site on the edge of the village.

Each Cotswold stone or red brick home, designed by sister company Stonewood Design in conjunction with ecological consultant Greenguage, will have solar panels embedded into the roof, timber frames, 45cm thick walls filled with eco-friendly insulation, triple glazing and airtight interiors to eliminate draughts and allow the energy-efficient heating system to cut bills by up to 70 per cent compared to standard -new-built houses.

Ground-floor underfloor heating fuelled by an air source heat pump and the use of mechanical ventilation heat recovery, which removes warm air from the kitchen and bathroom and uses it to heat air flowing into the living room and bedrooms, will keep the homes warm in winter and cool in summer.

Every one of the 11 contemporary Cotswold styles of home in the community has been designed to meet stringent Association for Environment Conscious Building standards that demand excellent construction and low energy consumption.

The parkland entrance to the neighbourhood will be lined with new woodland featuring a mix of Beech, Field Maple, Hazel, Alder, Wild Cherry, Hornbeam, Lime and Yew. A ten-year management plan will care for the existing 1990s-planted woodland, where diseased ash has been replaced with a mix of broadleaf varieties. Native shrubs form a threshold between the woodland and the parkland.

Fruit orchards and 900 metres of hedgerow around the development will add to more fruit trees planted within four character areas across the neighbourhood that will include tree-lined walkways, courtyards, gardens, a play areas.

Mr Smart said Stonewood’s ethos of working as a team has helped it overcome the design challenges of the project. “Stonewood is a people business, that’s how we’ve grown from a few people to almost 400 across the group and we understand that everybody is important and that individual contributions within the team as it comes together helps us to achieve great things,” he said.

“Our excellent consultant design team have really risen to the challenge on this project, designing something that really does raise the bar – and that goes down to the most minute details such as where we place the bin stores and bike stores.

“To take that design from page to site takes a first class supply chain of contractors and we have had a great team supporting us. It has been a brilliant team effort and we should be proud of what we have achieved.”

He also paid tribute to joint venture partner Nicholas Arbuthnott, the retired architect who had the original vision for the project. “Nicholas’ ambition for the legacy of the project was quite clear from the start and his wisdom and knowledge has been instrumental in producing what we see today,” he said.

A virtual tour of The Olive, a four bedroom style of home at Orchard Field, can be found at www.stonewoodpartnerships.co.uk/our-developments/orchard-field/the-olive/ and appointments to visit the show home can be made by calling 01454 809780 or emailing orchardfield@stonewoodpartnerships.co.uk.

Pictured: Stonewood Partnerships Managing Director Sam Smart, centre, with joint venture partner Nicholas Arbuthnott, left, and Stonewood ambassador Harry Meade

Awards, News, Regional News, South West

10th annual Women’s Business Conference and awards to be held in Cheltenham in October

Women’s Business Club will host its 10th annual conference and awards in Cheltenham on the 5th of October. The aim of the event is to inspire, empower and celebrate women in business whether they are starting out on their journey, are already established SME businesswomen or are employed women building a career. 

The event, which is being sponsored by multi-asset social investment network eToro, will see businesswomen from all over England come together to connect, network, share expertise, listen to inspirational talks and attend 1-to-1 workshops. 

This year’s keynote speaker will be Rupal Patel, author of From CIA to CEO.  Rupal’s high-octane career has taken her from dusty briefing rooms in jungles and war zones to corporate boardrooms and international stages. After a thrilling career at the CIA, she started two award-winning businesses and is now shaping the future of work by helping growth-oriented leaders and innovative organizations build careers and businesses that thrive with purpose.

Angela De Souza, CEO of Women’s Business Club, said: “We are so excited to be adding even more value to women in business this year through a number of key changes – both for delegates and for our speakers/experts. There is so much for women in business to get involved in at the event.”

The following changes have been made to this year’s event:

  1. A fully female lineup of speakers.
  2. Exhibiting with a difference: no more rooms full of stands with people selling at you. Instead, the event features Expert Pods where delegates can meet experts for a 15-minute one-to-one fully focused Q&A and advice session. Designed to build relationships and offer direct advice relevant to the attendee’s business. 
  3. Workshops that are designed to be lessons, not lectures. These one-hour interactive sessions with hand-picked industry experts provide in-depth expert content and practical applications. 

Taking place at the end of the conference, the SME Awards acknowledge and celebrate exceptional companies and their leaders. There will be nine prestigious awards presented on the night for women who are changing the game and leading the way in business. Nominees will be judged by the award sponsors and leading business experts. 

The in-person conference and awards will be held at the Pitville Pump Room in Cheltenham and will cost £125+VAT, while the event will also be available virtually at a cost of £25+VAT with online attendees from five countries and a digital reach of approximately 115,000 businesses. 

“The venue has the capacity for 500 attendees and with previous events selling out, it is advisable to book in advance,” Angela said.

To find out more about the conference & awards, visit: https://womensbusiness.club/conference

Charity & CSR, Marketing, PR and SEO, News, South West

Agency gets creative with sporty fundraising marathon in memory of loved ones

STAFF at Wiltshire creative agency Milk & Tweed are embarking on a marathon month of fundraising – inspired by the loss of loved ones and causes close to team members’ hearts.

Creative Director Jake Jeffries said the month, which will see staff at the Chippenham agency challenging each other at darts, spoof, bingo and other games every week with the winner choosing the cause to receive a donation from the agency.

The idea came when Mr Jeffries was looking for a way to mark the anniversary of his sister Laura’s death from cancer in November 2020, aged just 41. “She had a long battle with cancer, throughout which she tried lots of different treatments and even some new experimental ones that the NHS were testing,” he said.

“She tried anything and everything during the battle, and did it with a smile on her face, astonishing positivity and bravery. She was an incredible woman, sister, mother, auntie and daughter and is incredibly missed by her family and friends every day.”

Mrs Jeffries, who lived in Chippenham, before moving back to Colerne with her two sons, was treated on the William Budd Ward at the Royal United Hospital in Bath. “The care, love and attention they provide not only for the patients, but their family members, really is astonishing – and something that will never be forgotten,” said Mr Jeffries.

Every year since her death the business has donated to the hospital but this year Mr Jeffries wanted to expand the fundraising to causes that mean a lot to other members of staff as well.

Among the beneficiaries will be The Samaritans, Helen and Douglas House children’s hospice in Oxford, Blood Cancer UK, Parkinson’s UK and MIND.

“We really wanted to make it a month long effort and to include everyone in the team,” said Mr Jeffries. “We all love playing games and we are all very competitive so it will be closely fought every week. It’s just a way of having a bit of fun as well as helping some fantastic causes that mean something to everyone here. We want to make it an annual event so we can really support these amazing causes.

“Laura’s birthday is on September 28 so Milk & Tweed will be donating every year in September specifically to the William Budd Ward in remembrance to the amazing woman that Laura was and to say thank you to the NHS staff for the amazing treatment that she received.

“It will also support future patients and families so they also get amazing help, support and care during an incredibly tough time.”

Find out more about the Milk & Tweed Charity Marathon Month at milkandtweed.com.

Pictured: Milk & Tweed Creative Director Jake Jeffries with his sister Laura, who died in 2020

Food & Drink, News, South West

KellyDeli and Gloucester franchisee are winning combination

Andy Barnett, the owner of the Sushi Daily franchise in Asda Gloucester, will see a special sushi menu he created roll out across the UK after he won a national competition.

The new menu, aptly named The Winning Combo, includes existing Sushi Daily recipes but in a combination that has never been tried before.

His creation will be available from August at Sushi Daily counters at select Asda and Waitrose supermarkets across the UK.

Andy, who has worked at high end hotels such as St Pierre Park Hotel in Guernsey and The Chester Grosvenor Hotel, owned by the Duke of Westminster, said: “I’m so excited to be the winner of this competition and I’m really looking forward to seeing this product roll out across the UK.

 “I love training my team and I love the theatre of sushi making, so it is an absolute joy to come to work every day. I must meet about 100 people a week who have never tried sushi, so it’s fun to be able to introduce them to the dish.

 “The way the flavours combine is interesting and like a jigsaw puzzle, where the experience is different depending on the combination of pieces and the order in which you eat them.”

The box consists of two salmon nigiri, two spicy cali rolls, two wakame cali rolls and two California maki, priced at £7.75, which will be handcrafted by Sushi Daily’s artisans.

The competition was organised by KellyDeli, which is the parent company of popular food to go franchise Sushi Daily and was aimed at Sushi Daily artisans working nationwide.

 Ian Roberts, KellyDeli managing director, said: “We chose Andy’s winning formula because it delivers on visual appeal and offers a fantastic variety. He also gave careful thought to how long it would take our partners to create, ensuring it wouldn’t add in a layer of extra complexity to their day.”

For more information, please visit https://https://sushidaily.com.

Find out more about Sushi Daily’s newly launched Click and Collect service here: https://sushidaily.vmos.io/store/store-selection?app=online

Charity & CSR, Charity Events, Construction, Construction News, News, South West, Sport

Earthstone Construction takes on parent group Stonewood on football pitch to aid cancer charity

WORKERS from Wiltshire construction company Stonewood Group swapped bricks for kicks in aid of a cancer charity when they took to the football pitch for a fundraising match.

A team from groundworking division Earthstone Construction took on a combined team made up of workers from Stonewood Builders, Stonewood Partnerships and Stonewood Homes to raise £1,200 for the Ben Saunders Foundation, a charity that runs holiday homes for young people with cancer

It was set up by 18-year-old Bath City academy footballer Ben Saunders, the son of former Chippenham Town and Calne Town manager Tommy Saunders, just before he died from cancer in August 2020.

Earthstone Construction Director Shane Andrews, who played for Mr Saunders at Chippenham Town, said: “We wanted to do something for the charity and had played a game before lockdown so it seemed the right time to do it again. It’s a brilliant cause and Tommy has done a fantastic job with it.”

The charity, which has so far raised more than £375,000, owns and operates two holiday lodges near Cirencester to give young people undergoing treatment some respite. It has hosted 115 families in two years and will open a third lodge in September.

Mr Andrews added: “We had great support from Stonewood Group as well from Marshfield FC, who gave us use of their ground for free, Melksham Town, who supplied the footballs, Hayden Hubbard who refereed the game and clients Alide Hire, Kellaway Building Supplies, CLB Hire, Marches Precast and Keyline (Bristol and Swindon) who donated.”

The game ended in a 6-1 victory for Stonewood Builders. “They were a bit younger and fitter than us but it was a good game,” said Mr Andrews, who managed the Earthstone team but was unable to play after injuring his calf while playing for Yate Town against a Manchester United legends team recently.

The Stonewood team, led by Stonewood Homes Managing Director Joe Bergson, had to thank man of the match goalkeeper Mark Maidment for keeping them in the game at times. The teams played for the Tom Andrews Trophy, named after Mr Andrews’ grandfather who was a former chairman of the club. “It was really good of the club to let us play for the trophy,” he said.

Stonewood Group Chief Executive Officer Matt Aitkenhead, whose father Neill founded the firm 50 years ago this year, was among the 70 spectators made up of family and friends. He said: “Sport is a common theme that runs through the group because a many of us met through it and the values of good sportsmanship and teamwork are important to us.

“It’s great that sport on this occasion was a chance to bring staff and families together and raise money for a wonderful cause that makes a real difference to young people.”

The company provided a barbecue for players and spectators after the game. “It was a great evening,” said Mr Andrews. “Everyone enjoyed the game and the food and drinks after. It was a really good chance to continue building our teamwork and raise money at the same time.

“It was really encouraging that we had 35 players taking part and it meant we could have rolling substitutes. We would love to make this an annual event with more teams from the group so that we can raise even more money.”

Mr Saunders said: “Huge thanks to Shane Andrews and everyone connected to Stonewood and Earthstone, every penny raised goes to support young people with cancer and bereaved parents. Stonewood’s Matt Aitkenhead and [Chief Operating Officer] Ben Lang have been friends of mine for 30 years and it is lovely they have been able to support us.”

Find out more about the Ben Saunders Foundation at bensaundersfoundation.org.

Pictured: The Earthstone Construction team who took part in the Stonewood Group fundraising match at Marshfield FC

Construction, Construction News, News, South West

Stonewood Group founder tells of his pride as staff and families enjoy 50th anniversary celebration

MORE than 400 members of  Wiltshire construction firm Stonewood Group’s staff and their families enjoyed games, music and food at an evening to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

The family company, founded by Neill Aitkenhead and partner Tim Saunders in 1972, began, as he told the crowd during an emotional speech at Biddestone Cricket Club, as “a couple of likely lads, an old truck and two rusty acrows”.

His son Matt and his friend Ben Lang – now Chief Executive and Chief Operating officers – joined the firm and eventually took it on in 2009. They built on its reputation for quality and expertise in refurbishing historic buildings and grew the company to its present size of 350 employees across five divisions with offices in Castle Combe, Wiltshire, Tormarton in Gloucestershire, Kidlington in Oxfordshire, Castle Carey in Somerset and Exeter in Devon.

When they took on the company it was turning over around £2 million – last September it posted a year end turnover of £60 million.

Mr Aitkenhead senior told staff and their families: “I have an almost overwhelming sense of pleasure in seeing a gathering of this kind here tonight. Fifty years is a long spell, you don’t think of it as fifty years as you go along but if you doubt the journey Stonewood has made, I look around here tonight and realise the journey has been a remarkable one.”

He said evening should be about looking forward, not backward. “So it is an obvious moment for me to pay tribute to Matt and to Ben, their generation, and the innumerable good people both on site and off who have made it all happen over time,” he added.

Staff from all of the group’s division soaked up the sunshine with their families and enjoyed free food and drinks from a cocktail bar, gin bar and beer and cider tent. Before that they worked up an appetite with an inter-company tug-of-war contest that, unsurprisingly ended in victory for Stonewood Builders’ muscular site team.

Youngsters were entertained with inflatables, gladiator and football games, mini-golf and a candy floss stall, while adults enjoyed a bucking bronco and live music from Corsham band Funk City. There was also a raffle with prizes donated by clients and suppliers.

It was the second year running the group has help a summer event for staff and families but Mr Lang said this year’s was taken to another level because of the anniversary. He said the evening was an idea opportunity to bring people together. “It was a very special evening and a chance to see people’s families and spend time with them in a social setting,” he said.

“We wanted to really reinforce the fact that we are one team, one big family, and celebrate the fact that we have been doing that for 50 years. Finding ways to do that when you are such a big team scattered so wide is harder to do now so it was really lovely to see everyone, as well as some old friends.”

He said the group’s growth is a testament to the way it has stayed true to its ethos. “We’ve always tried to make everyone feel they are important, no matter what division they are in and we are successful because of that collective effort and the energy, drive, innovation and creativity within the group.”

Pictured: Staff enjoying Stonewood Group’s 50th anniversary celebration at Biddestone Cricket Club

Agriculture, Finance and Banking, News, South West

Dorset farmers open new site with six-figure support from HSBC UK

First-generation dairy farmers, Deen Taylor and Hannah Williamson, have opened a new 114-acre farm in Twyford with the support of a £130,000 funding package from HSBC UK.

Having secured a 10-year Dorset County Council farm tenancy, the former master thatcher and childcare assistant will use HSBC UK funding to purchase up to 120 dairy heifers. By milking the heifers in a year-round calving pattern, Deen and Hannah will supply produce to Blackmore Vale Dairy, based in Shaftesbury.

As the business grows, the young farmers plan to bring in an apprentice to give a local aspiring farmer the chance to gain work experience. This will see Deen and Hannah work with local secondary schools and offer students the opportunity to use the farm for a hands-on learning approach.

Deen Taylor, Dairy Farmer, commented: “It’s an incredibly exciting time for Hannah and I to be opening a new dairy farm that will contribute to providing fresh produce to the local community at a time when the cost of living is increasing.  Our Relationship Manager at the bank, Gary Horton, has been an absolute pleasure to work with and we are very grateful for all his support.”

Gary Horton, Agricultural Relationship Manager at HSBC UK, said: “HSBC UK is committed to helping small businesses and we’re pleased to be supporting Deen and Hannah as they establish a new dairy farm which will help meet the demand for dairy products, whilst benefitting the local community and creating opportunities for the next generation of farmers.”

This funding has been secured from the £15bn HSBC UK SME Fund, a ring-fenced fund for small and medium sized businesses to support local economies and increase employment opportunities across the UK.

Marketing, PR and SEO, News, South West

Brand expression agency Taxi Studio hails a ‘category-defining moment’ after injecting a significant investment to launch the world’s FIRST immersive Wake The Tiger Amazement Park®

An influential leader in the project from start to finish, Taxi Studio drove the entire branding process and backed Wake The Tiger with financial resources 

Brand expression agency Taxi Studio is announcing what is a historic ‘category-defining moment’ in Europe after partnering with Wake The Tiger, the producers of the world’s first immersive art amazement park®, which is opening its doors in Bristol.

Wake The Tiger Amazement Park® is an immersive art experience which provides an exciting alternative to a traditional art gallery. Visitors will step through a secret portal into the amazing world of Meridia – a multi-layered maze of interactive environments designed to help highlight important issues such as climate change and to provoke further thought and actionable epiphanies around how humans treat the world.

Led by the team behind Boomtown Fair, Wake The Tiger Amazement Park® has attracted backing from Taxi Studio, which invested finance and significant resources into the initiative and also produced the brand design and advised on marketing strategy.

There has also been strong excitement from the public, with a crowdfunding campaign raising £1.85 million in equity.

Stu Tallis, creative director at Taxi Studio, said: “We created the brand world for Wake The Tiger from scratch, creating a brand expression that pushes the boundaries of imagination and represents the truly unique and fantastical experience that fuses ancient wisdom and creativity.

“The brand needed to be scalable to accommodate the possibility of replicating the experience across the country and becoming a multiverse. It is a category-defining moment representing a sea change in how immersive art experiences are created. The opportunities for innovation are limitless.”

Taxi Studio produced a psychedelic logo that was inspired by the idea of distorting the fabric of time and space to create portals where one can step into alternative worlds. The unique brand mark is made up of interdimensional threads that allude to the idea of a space-time continuum. It also nods to the materials used in the immersive world – a mishmash of the ‘perfectly imperfect’ objects that have been scavenged, reclaimed, and repurposed.

The colour schemes of the logo were carefully selected by Taxi Studio. Unlike 90s rave-style psychedelia, the colours and format are more reflective of this tribal, ancient wisdom that Wake The Tiger wanted to espouse.

“This is a very organic conceptual brand mark that captures the very essence of what Wake The Tiger is about: the distortion of space and time and entrance into parallel universes. The fabric is interpreted within the words themselves. It’s a wonderful fusion of unorthodox and modern typography,” Tallis said.

Commenting on their collaboration, Wake The Tiger’s co-founder and director, Graham MacVoy, said: “Taxi Studio has been an incredible team to work with. They helped us develop our brand and have understood what we are trying to achieve, constantly working with us to ensure we stay on course and build a strong and consistent brand.”

Tickets for The Wake The Tiger Amazement Park® can be bought here.