ERDF launches and publicity in the UK

European Policy & Programmes Division – June 2008

Press Coverage for the North East England launch event

Northern Ireland Launch Event

Yorkshire & Humberside England launch event

East of England Launch Event

•Locality was key: Lowestoft in Suffolk - centre for offshore renewables

•Part of the event at OrbisEnergy: provided a physical statement of the new programme's low carbon intentions

•Event generated high profile media-coverage

•Substantial internal comms around the programme featuring it in internal e-briefing and on EEDAnet and in EEDA's SOURCE magazine which goes out to approx. 8000 people.

Innovative Approaches to Stakeholder Engagement/Publicity: London URBAN

Innovative Approaches to Stakeholder Engagement/Publicity: East of England

•East of England workshops around the region with over 250 partners, key stakeholders, potential project beneficiaries and internal EEDA staff.

•Publicised the programme, explained the 'low carbon economic growth' theme and three priority axes. • •Discussions around project ideas in groups of around 12-15 people, facilitated by EEDA and EERA staff. Results were fed back to the entire delegation and all feedback including flip-chart notes were posted on the EEDA website for comments....warts and all !• •Gadgets! ‘Low-carbon' freebies at the launch. They were wind-up phone/blackberry chargers with the new ERDF logo printed on.

Innovative Approaches to Stakeholder Engagement/Publicity: Northern Ireland

EU TV!

Innovative Approaches to Stakeholder Engagement/Publicity: London JESSICA

•Head of the European team presented at a Public-Private Partnership event in Berlin to several Member States

•Published an article in major Regeneration magazine: Regen & Renewal

•Held an external stakeholder event for key public and private sector partners

Conclusions and tips

•Media coverage is key: cultivate press relations – but always be prepared that other emerging stories divert media

•Engage with your stakeholders, including your internal teams, all the way to keep them interested and informed

•Friday is not best day for an event

•Look out for good ideas and be happy to ‘adapt’ them for your programmes