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London, Manchester, Munich, 18th October 2005 …. Northbank Communications, the science communications specialists, has been appointed PR advisor to Diamond Light Source, the new Synchrotron being built in Oxford with funding from both the UK Government and the Wellcome Trust. The account was won in a five-way pitch. Northbank will work with the Diamond team to communicate the exciting possibilities and capabilities of the new research facility through media and public relations directed to its key audiences ranging from the science community to the general public. Commenting on the win, Sue Charles, CEO of Northbank Communications, who led the pitch said: “When I first saw the brief, I was stunned by the scale of the project and its potential, and the impressive physics and engineering that underlies synchrotron science. Its applications are very exciting, from drug discovery research to environmental and material sciences. We feel we came up with some strong ideas and are proud to have won the account. Strategic planning is now underway and we expect to be talking to key journalists about the project soon. This win widens Northbank’s client base into large-scale science facility PR and we are delighted that Northbank was selected for the PR contract”. The Diamond building has become a major landmark on the Oxfordshire countryside – the building is just over half a kilometre in diameter, about the size of five football pitches. Isabelle Boscaro-Clarke, Head of Communications of Diamond said: “Diamond has the capability to make a significant impact on 21st century science and technology and is extremely well placed to change the culture of science in the UK achieving high quality scientific research. We welcome Northbank on board to help us communicate this message. Northbank was selected because their team is highly skilled and experienced. They can compliment the strengths of our in-house team so that we successfully meet the ambitious communications objectives that we have set in the run up to the launch of the facility in 2007”. Sue Charles will lead the account supported by Adam Michael, Account Director, Rowan Minnion, Account Manager and Hannah Carter, Account Administrator. - ends - For further information please contact:
Sue Charles, Northbank Communications +44 (0)20 7886 8152 s.charles@northbankcommunications.com
Isabel Boscaro-Clarke, Diamond Light Source +44 (0)1235 778130 isabelle.boscaro-clarke@diamond.ac.uk
Notes
1. Northbank Communications Ltd - http://www.northbankcommunications.com/
Northbank Communications is a full service PR and communications consultancy, focused on serving science-based companies and organisations, with an emphasis on the life science and biotech industry. Northbank helps early stage companies establish a corporate presence through PR, image development, website design and corporate materials, as well as value adding services including business plan writing and investor presentations. For more mature companies the consultancy can offer a range of dedicated services or integrated campaigns, targeted at either marketing or financial audiences. The consultancy has a fully equipped design studio offering on and off-line design solutions.
Northbank Communications Limited was formed through the merger of Charles Consultants into STMP Marketing Solutions Ltd in November 2002 and operates from offices in London and Congleton (near Manchester) in the UK, and Munich, Germany. The Company employs 26 staff with an annual turnover of some ~£2m (~€2.9m; ~$3.6m).
2. Diamond Light Source – http://www.diamond.ac.uk/
Diamond Light Source is a new synchrotron facility, currently being built in South Oxfordshire (UK). This 21st century machine can be described as a series of ‘super microscopes’, which will be housed in a 235m diameter doughnut-shaped building. Eventually Diamond could provide as many as 40 different scientific experimental stations.
Diamond will produce ultra-violet and X-ray beams of unprecedented quality and brightness. These will enable scientists and engineers to look deep into the basic structure of matter, materials, and biological samples. Using this extremely bright light they will be able to collect new data, which in turn will lead to scientific breakthroughs in the fields of biotechnology, medicine, environment and materials research.
There are some 50 synchrotron light sources in the world specialising in different parts of the light spectrum, and from different ‘generations’ of development. Diamond will be one of the first of a new generation of world-leading medium energy sources and the only one in the UK. Diamond’s team of experts are currently building this state-of-the-art science facility, which will be opened in 2007.
The new synchrotron is operated by Diamond Light Source Limited. This new company is a successful joint venture between two shareholders. The UK Government, through the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC), own 86% of shares, whilst the Wellcome Trust own 14%. Everyday endeavours that synchrotron light can also assist with include: designing new materials; studying corrosion in cars, aeroplanes and pipelines; investigating pollution levels in the environment; developing revolutionary new drugs; and understanding food and consumer production processes. This uniquely bright and intense light can reveal, treat and transform a vast range of materials. University researchers are the core users of synchrotron light, but manufacturers of consumer products through to high-tech start-ups have already benefited from the sort of data that will be generated at Diamond.
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