Defining the Partnership’s ambition for Manydown and translating this into a vision, set of principles and a brand with which to communicate with the outside world was a crucial early piece of collaboration for the team.
To ensure this work resonated with the wider community and Manydown’s broad range of stakeholders, the partners had to work closely together to consider how best to engage all audiences.
The vision for Manydown is to be the place that better than any other connects people, community, and nature, and helps them to thrive. The combination of local insight from the public sector side of the partnership and the commercial understanding of Urban&Civic as Development Manager has enabled the creation of a brand, identity and website that can communicate this collective vision.
Developing effective communications and building a brand for Manydown has been a challenge. It has complex delivery arrangements combining the district and county councils’ local knowledge and long-standing commitments for this high-profile site with Urban&Civic’s place making expertise and the backing of The Wellcome Trust. But, thanks to the can-do attitude of Urban&Civic’s Communications, Communities & Partnerships team and a shared enthusiasm for finding solutions, we have forged an effective working relationship set to become an example of best practice for blended public-private communications and engagement for years to come.
SARA SHEPHERD
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council Communications and Marketing Manager