Keeping in contact

One of the key things learned from the Ringing Remembers campaign was to keep a contacts list. There were so many people to keep in touch with, radio, television, print, government department people, ministers and third party organisations. Trying to remember who was who, what their involvement was and their contact details was a nightmare.

This can be translated to a more local level list by including:

• The Vicar or the church wardens’ details
• The parish architect if you need to include them for a restoration project
• The parish magazine editor
• The local newspaper
• The local radio contact
• The town council
• The local interest group leaders
• The Scout and Guide Leaders
• School contacts
• The library

If you are doing a restoration project you should keep all the project contact details in the list, the contractors, the free labour on offer and so on.

At Guild level you might want to include some of the Diocesan Office information:

• The Communications Officer
• The Diocesan Advisory Committee Secretary
• The Bishop’s Office
• The Safeguarding Officer
• The Friends of “wherever you are” churches
• Different funding organisations and local heritage groups
• The local TV and radio contacts

You will learn over time who to contact for what, when to contact them and how. Sometimes, it can be an off the cuff chance contact that you can take advantage of. Look out on social media for other organisations that post content about your area or your church, or community activities, then start to like and share that content. When you post your own, tag them into it and they might start to share it with their followers too.

Your go to person is that radio research assistant, or television production assistant, or newspaper journalist, who doesn’t mind you reaching out to them when you have something to share. Their reach is greater than yours and you can use them to get the message out quicker. These are the people to keep on your side.

Just be careful not to always send to all your contacts lists. Sometimes it's not relevant for them to have that information or you may inadvertently share someone else’s information that you don’t have permission to do and if that’s to do with a restoration project, it may involve commercially sensitive information, like a quote from a rival company.

Vicki Chapman, CCCBR PRO