Firstplus Financial (part of the Barclays Group) already supported a number of charities through various staff fund-raising activities at their UK headquarters in Cardiff. Now they wanted to channel these efforts in one direction, to the benefit of the local community.  

Together with associate Kim Fernyhough, Kim devised the PR strategy, Putting Cardiff Kids First. Not only was it intended to generate regular media coverage for Firstplus, but with the increased awareness of the company’s branding in the local community, it would raise much needed cash in the form of grants, which could be ploughed back into local good causes.

The company initially donated £5000 and agreed to match, pound for pound, all monies raised by Firstplus staff.  Kim wrote and distributed a press release outlining how the initiative would work and encouraging grant applications from local charities and good causes. 

Once the applications started coming in, Kim chaired a monthly meeting of the fund-raising committee, where all applications for grants were considered.  There were two criteria which had to be met….. the good cause must benefit children and operate within the Cardiff (CF) postal area. 

Kim’s strategy used photo-opportunities and community stories to raise the profile of the project and to generate regular, sustained media coverage, not only locally, but in business press and national publications including The Charity Times. 

The initiative went from strength to strength and in the first three years alone, more than £50,000 was awarded to 80 recipients, from schools, sports and community groups to registered charities and individual children, some with life limiting illnesses.