Understand how you can simply and effectively use local media to support the work of your community organisation in Oxfordshire.

In this workshop we will cover the essentials of getting local media coverage for your organisation, project or community campaign in Oxfordshire. You don’t need to be a communications professional, have paid staff, or loads of experience to get local media coverage. Understanding how local media works, what sorts of stories they will publish and how to put your story out there can go a long way!

Kate and Henry will share examples and what they’ve learned from working with local media in Oxfordshire over many years, and give participants the opportunity to share experience with each other too. We also have local journalist Gill Oliver coming along to answer your questions!

The workshop will include:

• An overview of the different local media outlets in Oxfordshire, how they differ and what they’re useful for
• What makes a story interesting to local journalists
• How to pitch your stories well to the right people at the right time
• How to make the most of any media you do
• Sharing further resources and ideas to help you to put what you’ve learned into action
• A Q&A with veteran local journalist Gill Oliver, who spent 12 years working for the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times, and now works on Tech Tribe Oxford.

Who is it for?

This workshop is for anyone in a social enterprise, community organisation, charity or purposeful business in Oxfordshire who wants to make better use of local media in their work. Perhaps you want to raise the profile of your group, reach new volunteers or donors, raise awareness about an important local issue, or launch a local campaign.

Facilitator

Kate Parrinder has been responsible for Marketing and Communications at Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF) for the past six years, during which time she has made many mistakes, had a few successes, and built relationships with the local press, radio and BBC. She has been interviewed several times on BBC Radio Oxford, both for OCF and as part of her voluntary role in Girlguiding locally.

Henry Owen is the Lead Coordinator of CAG Oxfordshire and has been involved in community action in Oxfordshire for almost a decade, successfully gaining local press coverage for community groups and campaigns they’re a part of.

CAG is one of 6 eScalate hubs, and consists of over 85 groups across Oxfordshire who are at the forefront of community led climate change action tackling issues including waste, transport, food, energy, biodiversity and social justice.

Started in 2001, the network is the largest of its kind in the UK, running over 2,000 events per year, attended by around 80,000 local residents and contributing over 20,000 volunteer hours to the county. For more information about the eScalate programme , visit www.oxfordshirelep.com/escalate

Please note that this webinar is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is delivered as part of the eScalate programme to help SMEs. By engaging in this programme you are being offered assistance under the De Minimis regulation which allows a company to receive up to but not exceeding €200,000 of public funding (at the applicable exchange rate) of De Minimis aid over a rolling three-tax year fiscal period. This de minimis declaration does not cover undertakings engaged in: the primary production of agricultural goods and fisheries/aquaculture, road freight, services of general economic interest and export related activities and activities favouring domestic over imported goods. Please note, support cannot be given to undertakings (businesses) in difficulty. In order to receive support from this programme, you will be required to complete an application form and other relevant documentation.