​Social enterprise set up to help third sector with communications and PR

A new social firm offering communications and PR services to the third sector has launched in the borders.

Kathleen Travers, a former communications manager with Scottish Borders Council, Learn Direct Scotland and the Scottish Drugs Forum, said she created Face PR to boost the third sector’s communications in the rural area.

She explained: “Here in the borders, the sector consists mainly of small community groups and independent charities.

“They have to be able to promote the vital work they do and get their message across to their service users, funders, partners and the public.

“But they rarely have the money or the expertise to write press releases or website content, produce newsletters or organise events.

“They don't have the money to employ in-house professionals to do it for them. And their staff are, quite rightly, busy doing the day job, looking after clients or providing vital services.

“That’s where we come in. We can give advice and practical support that means they can get on with the day job of supporting their clients and providing their vital services.”

Encompass, based in Galashiels, enlisted the help of Face PR when it decided to get a new company website and a site for people looking for work in social care.

Manager Niccy Kershaw said: “Face PR worked with the web designer and our staff to ensure that both websites met our needs.

“They kept the content up to date and trained our staff so that we could do it ourselves without relying on someone else.”