Summary
Padua Communications provided event strategy, content and media relations support for Lymington mental health charity Hammersley Homes at the New Forest Business Show and the New Forest Show, one of the UK’s largest agricultural events with over 100,000 annual visitors. The campaign delivered local media coverage, an 18.8% increase in LinkedIn reactions, a 131% increase in organic member outreach on LinkedIn, and a stand-out Lego activation that turned stand visits into lasting supporter interest.
Results at a glance
• Secured local media coverage that put Hammersley Homes’ work in front of new audiences
• Grew LinkedIn reactions by 18.8% and organic member outreach by 131% in the run-up to and during both shows
• Raised the charity’s profile at two of the New Forest’s biggest annual events
• Delivered a joined-up, confident presence on a stand shared with two other charities
• Created a stand-out Lego centrepiece and prize draw that sparked conversations and collected supporter details
About Hammersley Homes
Hammersley Homes is a Lymington-based charity that provides outreach support to vulnerable adults living with enduring mental ill health and psychosis, helping them live with dignity and stay connected to their community rather than facing loneliness and isolation on their own. Referrals come mainly from local Community Mental Health Teams, Primary Care Networks and Social Services, and the charity is now working to expand its reach across the New Forest, Southampton and Winchester.
The challenge
Hammersley Homes wanted to raise its profile with local audiences and connect with the community at two of the New Forest’s biggest events of the year: the New Forest Business Show and the New Forest Show. Padua Communications was brought on board to provide the strategy, content and practical support needed to make sure the charity stood out at both events and to turn that presence into wider awareness on LinkedIn and in the media.
Understanding the charity’s mission, and the parents, families and professional partners it most needed to reach, shaped the strategy and messaging Padua Communications built for both shows.
The approach
A joined-up presence at the New Forest Business Show
At the New Forest Business Show, a business-to-business event focused on networking and local commerce, Hammersley Homes shared its stand with two other local charities. Padua Communications liaised with all three organisations ahead of the show to plan how the stand would look and feel and made sure everyone taking a turn on the stand understood what each charity did and what it was trying to achieve. A multi-charity cheat sheet meant that whoever a visitor spoke to, they got a confident, joined-up answer. Padua Communications also worked with the founder of Hammersley Homes to develop corporate fundraising messaging and a leaflet for the show and created content to manage social media in the run-up to and during both events.
Louise Hallett, founder, Hammersley Homes, said: “We went on a New Forest Business Partnership training scheme to learn how to make the best of exhibitions we take part in, but there we met Padua Communications, who could do it for us. And they did it for us exceptionally well. They gave us great ideas about how to approach the shows, not to just stay on the stand but to go round and talk to people and follow up afterwards. I don’t think we could have done it without them.”
A stand-out centrepiece at the New Forest Show
The New Forest Show is a completely different event. Held annually over three days at the end of July at New Park in Brockenhurst, it is recognised as one of the largest agricultural events in the UK and attracts over 100,000 visitors each year, with an audience spanning families and children through to farming and rural business communities.
To bring the Hammersley Homes stand to life, Padua Communications built the charity’s Home Alone house out of Lego as the stand’s centrepiece, with extra Lego blocks for children and families to play with available on the stand. This hands-on activity drew visitors of all ages, letting children get creative while their parents found out more about the charity’s work. A competition ran throughout the show, with the Lego Home Alone house as the prize.
Louise adds: “Your idea of the Lego house was completely brilliant. It represented everything we’re aiming for and trying to do. It got the right people talking to us about our work and raised awareness of why we’re working towards the first residential, fully supported home for people with serious mental illness. Mental health is an extremely difficult message to get across, and you helped us brilliantly. And to offer the house as a competition prize meant we had a way of collecting people’s details for those who want to keep in touch with the charity. When we informed the winner, they were absolutely delighted.”
The results
The campaign delivered measurable gains across media, social and on-the-ground presence:
• Media coverage: outreach around both events secured local media coverage for Hammersley Homes, putting the charity’s work in front of readers who might never otherwise have come across it
• LinkedIn engagement: reactions on Hammersley Homes’ LinkedIn channel rose by 18.8% and organic member outreach increased by 131% in the run-up to and during both shows, turning a quiet page into one people were genuinely watching and interacting with
• Local profile: the charity came away from two of the New Forest’s biggest events with a noticeably higher local profile, not just a stand that had been visited but a story that stuck with people long after the show ended
• Supporter data: the Lego house competition gave Hammersley Homes a way of collecting contact details from people who wanted to stay in touch with the charity
Louise concludes: “I don’t think we could have done it without Padua Communications. I absolutely loved working with them.”
Working with Padua Communications
Padua Communications was proud to support Hammersley Homes on this project.
Nicky Rudd, managing director, Padua Communications, said: “We were delighted to help Hammersley Homes with this project. We had a short timeframe for both shows so had to get up to speed quickly, and we hit the ground running. Hammersley Homes uses a lot of volunteers, so we had to get to know the wider team quickly too. It was great to have two focuses, both business and consumer, and to see what could be created that could be used at both shows to provide effective ROI. We hope we can work on more projects with the charity in the future to help continue raising the brand and letting people know about its vital work.
Get in touch
If you need help with event strategy, content or securing media coverage around your next show, call Padua Communications on 020 3282 7570 or get in touch.
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