Rotaract in Great Britain and Ireland

gillianwain · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 4:19 pm Post subject: Rotaract and the local newspapers

An article about Camberley Rotaract Club winning the RGBI website award was published in our local newspaper this weekend Very Happy

Pretty good piece, virtually word for word what we’d sent them in the press release, except they managed to spell Rotaract wrong in the headline, of course Mad

I just wanted to say that we’ve found getting into the local newspaper so easy, and fairly effective for the work involved. The press release I sent in I rattled off in under 10 minutes. Now I realise that writing is my profession, but all I do is rip off a previous press release, and you can do the same by taking the ones from the Extension Manual or Kickstart guide on the RGBI website. The example press release about a carnival in the Kickstart guide is actually one from Camberley Rotaract, and it was spotted by the our now incoming President a couple of years ago and encouraged her to give us a ring.

The club is planning to send something in to the local paper every four to six weeks – starting with the website award, then they’ll do a bit on changing presidents (with a fun photo, not a gong presentation), then at the end of August they’ll send something in about the club enjoying Banbury, then in October it’ll be their barn dance…

I reckon every club should be doing something newsworthy every four to six weeks – which helps make you a happy club to join too!

Does anyone else have advice on getting into the local press and whether it’s been a useful thing to try?

Psycho Sal · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 25 Location: Eltham, SE9

Gillian, we have been doing this with our Rotary club, getting loads of local publicity just by bombarding the local press with photos and short, snappy press releases. Anything that shows people having fun and enjoying themselves makes a change from all the dismal stuff in today's news. Also, most local papers have a website too and the articles will be posted there too.

Also, try to cultivate a 'name' at the newspaper, so that everything you send goes to them, rather than just 'the features editor' or whatever. Don't just publise the social events, make sure you include the community service stuff as anything that makes young people look good is press worthy - better that all those ASBOs!
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Sally Till
Rotary Club of Eltham Phoenix
DRO 2007-08
DC 1996-97
RGBI Secretary 1997-98