12 months of Zebra – a look back on 2022
(Posted on 07/12/22)
It’s been a busy 12 months at Zebra, and we have celebrated many highlights throughout the year.
We have been thrilled to be involved in coordinating, developing and assisting with so many of our clients’ one-off and ongoing projects, including new films, animations, websites, PR, social media development, in-person exhibitions, rebrands, online webinars and conferences, AGM’s, newsletters, surveys, books and much more!
Here’s a selection of some of our favourite achievements from our clients, old and new, over the last 12 months:
January
It was an exciting start to the year 2022 and we had lots planned at Zebra for the year ahead. Our client Career Evolution posted an article about making 2022 a happier year. Dr Anthony Clare, perhaps best remembered for presenting BBC Radio 4’s ‘In the Psychiatrist’s Chair’, devised his seven steps to happiness and this was looked at throughout the article. The seven steps are cultivating a passion, be a leaf on a tree, avoid introspection, don’t resist change, live for the moment, audit your happiness and if you want to be happy, be happy.
February
In partnership with the Leader, Wrexham-based clients North Wales Beds launched a pet competition. In a fun social media competition, entrants were asked to share their photos of their snoring pups, dozing felines, or any other creatures great and small catching a few winks. A showcase of all the sleepiest pets from across Wrexham and Flintshire featured in The Leader, and the overall winner received a brand-new Sealy Posturepedic Millionaire Mattress with a value of over £500. We loved helping with this project, who doesn’t enjoy looking at cute pictures of sleeping pets?
March
The Survey Association welcomed 70 members to its Annual General Meeting at the beautiful Elvetham Hotel in Hook, Hampshire; its first in-person annual meeting since 2019. The guest speaker for the event was primetime TV presenter Matt Allwright, renowned for his work on consumer rights programmes, such as Watchdog, Rogue Traders and Fake Britain. Commenting on the day The Survey Association’s president Nick Hampson said, “It was a great pleasure to see so many of our members at our first major in-person event since the pandemic began. It was so interesting to hear Matt’s thoughts on the importance of trust in our profession.”
After four years of preparation, including multiple endurance challenges such as taking the plunge to swim the Great Glen Lochs of Scotland in 2020, a month-long mountain climb preparation in Nepal last October, and the final climbing event last month of Moel Siabod, The Forshaw Groups’s managing director, Liam Hanlon, departed with the Tri-4-Life team to climb and summit Mount Everest.
April
NWD architects Chartered Architectural Technologist, Matt Davenport has been a certified Passivhaus designer since 2017. Based on sound physics principles, centred on a ‘fabric first’ approach, it is a voluntary building standard that aims to be energy-efficient, comfortable, affordable and ecological. In April, NWD architects posted how Matt had recently bought a new family home, a bungalow built in 1967. The property’s condition presented Matt with an opportunity to retrofit various elements to a high standard of energy efficiency, and he intends to carry out the works to EnerPHit standards. Matt has continued to blog about his home throughout the year.
May
At 4am on 12 May, The Forshaw Group’s managing director Liam Hanlon and the Tri-4-Life team successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest. The incredible challenge raised much needed funds for two NHS charities and for an organisation called Community Action Nepal. It is a UK charity that works with some of the most remote communities in the Nepalese Himalaya, delivering life-changing education, healthcare, agriculture, and livelihood programmes.
June
Vox magazine, a separate project developed by Clara and Vicky, hosted its first quarterly networking event to accompany the release of the third issue of the magazine. The evening held at the Golden Lion in Rossett was a success and was attended by many interesting and influential people. Vox was excited to have Hems de Winter as its guest speaker. Hems is a former journalist and UK editor who founded, grew and managed a successful, multi award winning PR agency for nearly thirty years and now he is a successful business coach helping business owners. It was a fabulous evening and Vox Magazine looks forward to more networking events.
July
In July the Zebra team welcomed a new member, Marketing Executive Clare Lea. Clare has a background in TV production and experience in content marketing, PR, copywriting, social media and design. She has also been involved with numerous charities, providing strategic direction and PR and marketing support. Clare is looking after Kathryn’s role while she is off on maternity leave.
August
The Zebra team with the help of Jeff from Barnshill Consulting took part in the DiSC profile. DiSC is a personal assessment tool used by companies to help improve teamwork, communication and productivity within the workforce. DiSC is an acronym that stands for the four main personality profiles described in the DiSC model: (D)ominance, (i)nfluence, (S)teadiness and (C)onscientiousness. Thank you to Jeff, this was an interesting process that we all found beneficial.
September
It was an exciting time at Zebra in September as the arrival of Kathryn’s baby was announced. Congratulations to Kathryn and Nic on welcoming their daughter.
CB Homes was excited to win the 2022 LABC Building Excellence Awards in the category Best Small New Housing Development with its Swallow Close project. This is a prestigious award for a house builder to win from Local Authority Building Control. Swallow Close is a stunning development of 4-5 bedroomed luxury homes in the pretty village of Kingsley.
October
October was a particularly busy month. The Forshaw Group and its INS-Pire academy hosted a special visit from Caroline Gumble, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). The long-awaited day, originally planned before Covid, included presentations, activities and a tour of the newly opened Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot. The event was attended by representatives from local businesses, clients, partners, Knowsley Chamber of Commerce and Knowsley Council, including the High Sheriff of Merseyside, Lesley Martin-Wright JP DL. The day was a great success and an opportunity to celebrate the talent in the area and highlight the contribution local businesses are playing in offering apprenticeships, narrowing the skills gap and shining a light on the diversity and inclusion agenda.
The Survey Association celebrated 14 of its students completing TSA surveying courses 54 and 55 at the Survey School, at a graduation ceremony held at Worcester Racecourse. It was a wonderful opportunity for the students, and the companies they work for, to come together to celebrate their achievements. This year the event was filmed and included some fabulous footage of the students and the racecourse.
Knew Productions celebrated 25 years of business. The occasion was marked with a party at the Grosvenor Pulford Hotel in Rossett for its team.
Abbey England welcomed Suzie Fletcher from the BBC’s Repair Shop, to give a masterclass to 20 lucky leatherworkers. The young craftspeople were selected as part of Abbey England’s ’40 under 40’ campaign. The campaign was developed in the company’s 40th year of business to celebrate talented under 40’s. The workshop was held at the Leather Skills Centre in Walsall. Suzie demonstrated three restorations.
November
Cerebral charity Stick ‘n’ Step had its first ever ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ themed fundraising event held at The Hilton Hotel in Liverpool. The contestants rehearsed hard for the event to deliver incredible performances. Eight couples strutted their stuff on the dance floor, competing to lift the Glitter Ball Trophy at the end of the night. Each participant was partnered with a professional dancer from Craig Jones’ famous School of Ballroom and Latin, based in Liverpool.
The overall winner on the night was Di Harris from Fitsteps and The People’s Choice award went to Sonny New-Dilworth. A great night raising much-needed funds for an amazing charity.
December
December started well with some new insights into digital at the Marketing Showcase at Old Trafford Manchester. And, as we countdown to Christmas no matter what next year has in store, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!