A Northumberland PR agency is seeing the year out on a high after winning one of the region’s most prestigious accounts.
Round Table Solutions has been appointed to handle PR for Northumberland National Park Authority and The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre. The Blyth-based firm won the three year contract after a competitive tender process.
John McCabe, managing director of Round Table Solutions, said: “This appointment brings to an end another successful year for the business and provides us with a fantastic springboard into 2016. Northumberland National Park is one of the region’s great heritage and cultural treasures but it also makes a hugely significant contribution to our economy through tourism, conservation and enterprise.
“Our work will include the 60th anniversary of Northumberland National Park in 2016 and the opening of The Sill, the UK’s first dedicated landscape discovery centre, in 2017 so there are hugely exciting times ahead and we’re thrilled to be involved.”
Northumberland National Park Authority is tasked with the conservation and enhancement of the protected history, wildlife and landscapes of the National Park’s 405 square miles. The £14.8m Sill project will become the UK’s first dedicated landscape discovery centre. It will form a hub of learning, participation and research activities, making The Sill a leading heritage education facility for landscape, conservation, countryside management, leisure and tourism skills.
The Sill will attract more than 100,000 visitors each year and will provide a wide range of attractions including 86-bed YHA hostel accommodation, retail facilities and a local produce café. It will also deliver substantial economic benefits to the North East, including a Rural Growth Hub to support the development of rural enterprises and will offer a wide range of volunteering activities to strengthen local communities through increased participation opportunities.
Tony Gates, chief executive of Northumberland National Park Authority, said: “For our organisation and our partners in The Sill, this is the beginning of a new era. The National Park is looking forward to and significantly beyond its 60th anniversary year and of course The Sill is an extraordinarily ambitious and innovative project, the largest and most significant of its kind in any of the UK’s National Parks.
“How we communicate and engage with a diverse range of audiences and interested parties is absolutely essential to our work. We felt this was an ideal time to review and refresh our communications activities and after a very competitive tender process, in which we heard from some outstanding agencies from the North East and beyond, we’re delighted to confirm the appointment of Round Table Solutions for the next three years.”
Established in 2013, Round Table Solutions is based at Blyth Workspace. In addition to its work with Northumberland National Park Authority and The Sill, the firm represents clients locally and nationally across the private and public sectors.
Northumberland National Park Authority and YHA (England and Wales) are lead partners in The Sill. The project has also received a £7.8m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £1m from the North East Rural Growth Network’s Strategic Economic Investment Fund (SEIF), a £500,000 capital grant from Northumberland County Council and generous contributions from a wide range of philanthropic organisations.
