Project Description
How Morton Waters’ PR strategy to promote Axter’s partnership with local homelessness charity, Emmaus Suffolk, secured coverage in leading trade and regional outlets; raising awareness of our client’s meaningful contribution to the community, and the transformative power of solar PV panels to lift people from the burden of energy bills.
Results:
- Coverage in our client’s number one target publication: Roofing Today
- Coverage in further leading trade titles, including Total Contractor Magazine and RCI Magazine; plus the story covered across their social profiles
- Local media spotlight, with coverage in the Ipswich Star
- Feature in Greenscape Magazine, promoting the launch of Axter’s Solar PV product
The brief
Our client Axter – a flat roof waterproofing company – has been supporting Emmaus Suffolk, a charity that works with homeless and vulnerable people in the Suffolk, over the last year.
Learning about the charity’s ambition to create two modular housing pods for individuals at risk of homelessness – the Hopestead Place project – the Axter team recognised that they could support the charity by providing solar photovoltaic array (PV) panels for the roofs. These panels would provide sustainable electrical energy, allowing the residents to live in the pods free from the burden of energy bills.
Axter donated nine Solar PV units, and provided design and specification, while covering the cost of installation by one of its accredited installers, Tamaris Roofing.
The action
Timing the project launch with World Homelessness Day 2024 to achieve maximum impact, the pods were opened by campaigner Sir Terry Waite, a patron of the charity, at a ceremony.
Working to a tight timeline, Morton Waters prepared a press release detailing Axter’s involvement in the project, and then tailored outreach to the two distinct target media audiences. The first, aimed at the trade press, was construction-focused and detailed how the team donated their skills, experience, and roofing systems to the project. The second took a regional outlook, focusing East Anglia and Suffolk publications and emphasising the local community impact. Both stories emphasised the untapped potential of innovative roofing solutions to help address homelessness and energy poverty throughout in the UK.
The Morton Waters team assisted in connecting local media with spokespeople from the charity, Emmaus Suffolk, which went on to receive regional BBC coverage of the wider project.
Capitalising on the spotlight on solar PV panels, our team secured an in-depth article in Greenscape Magazine, promoting the launch of Axter’s new product in this space.
The outcome
The PR programme helped to raise awareness of the broader societal issues of homelessness and energy poverty, while showcasing the tangible benefits of corporate partnerships in addressing these challenges.
By highlighting Axter’s commitment to making a difference beyond their core business activities, Morton Waters helped position the company as a leader in driving positive change and fostering sustainable growth in its local community.
Axter’s Sustainability Communications Manager, Maisie Kelly, commented: “Having been a Suffolk-based business for over 30 years, we are part of the community and our partnership with Emmaus is one way we’re working to support people across the county, and contribute towards valuable local initiatives.
“We are so pleased with Morton Waters’ work to raise awareness of the project and recognise publicly the incredible work of our team, the team at Tamaris Roofing, and individuals across the charities involved in transforming lives and improving our community.”
The Hopestead Place project went on to win the ‘Best Use of an Emerging Technology in Housebuilding’ award at the Housing Digital Awards 2024.
Commenting more broadly on her relationship with Morton Waters, Maisie added: “It’s been brilliant working with you, I’m so glad we found you as our agency as it’s really propelled us forward, so thank you.”
Next steps
Pleased with the outcome, Axter recruited the Morton Waters team for its next announcement: its system, Wilotekt-Plus, had received the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) verification, the first second generation hot melt structural waterproofing system to be verified. Our media outreach secured coverage in leading trade titles including Roofing Times, Total Contractor Magazine, Manufacturing Update, and Construction Update.
If you are interested in finding out how the team at the award-winning agency Morton Waters can help you with your marketing and PR needs, get in touch with us at info@mortonwaters.com or give Michelle Morton or Charlotte Waters a call on 01892 956470.