Editor David Hardy has just produced the latest edition of Yr Ardd.
The A4 glossy is the magazine of the National Botanic Garden of Wales and this season celebrates the attraction’s 10th birthday.
Its features include a welcome from Garden director Rosie Plummer, arguing strongly for extended Assembly funding, news that rugby’s Gareth Edwards is now honorary president and a piece on a 10th birthday cake created by volunteer Alison Howell.
Favourite
My favourite items, however, remain the forthcoming events and activities.
As always, they’re a fragrant propagation of niche interest, super-popular and splendid curiosity.
Amongst the entries in the niche category flutters a lifelong learning course in January: Painting Leaves in Watercolour. Students will tackle the mixing of greens, will paint vein structure and wil capture a variety of surface textures.
Water lilies
On October 30, they can attend Painting Autumn Leaves and Berries; on November 13 it’s Painting Fruit and Vegetables. There’s more through the spring but I’ll be waiting for the water lilies course – apparently there’s money in them.
The most popular events in the coming weeks are likely to be Christmas-themed temptations such as a tree decorating competition for schools, Santa’s grotto and a December 11-12 craft and food fair.
One of the year’s most enchanting occasions at Llanarthne comes a week and a bit before December 25 when it’s Carols at the Garden evening.
Oddball
More oddball will be lifelong learning programme’s Doorstops to Die For sessions, with designs featuringchickens, turkeys and rabbits. Even the blurb describes it wonderfully as “something dfferent and a little silly.”
Failing that, there’s always improvers classes for beekeepers, quilting and cushion making for those “petrified” of patchwork and plenty of woodturning advice.
Now if that’s not worth Assembly funding, what is?
Showing posts with label David Hardy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Hardy. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Former Swansea Bay editor makes his garden grow
David Hardy left his post as Carmarthen Journal editor around four years ago. But his influence on the Swansea Bay media scene lives on.
Today he’s the avuncular head of marketing and communications at Llanarthne’s National Botanic Garden of Wales.
One duty is to oversee production of the Garden’s regular magazine Yr Ardd. And very colourful it is too.
The spring issue’s just out (pictured) and features the usual mix of news, background features and publicity for forthcoming events.
Two elements in particular display how the Garden genuinely wishes to embrace the Swansea Bay community – and suggest that there’s plenty of room for other commercial partners and associates.
The first is a full-page ad for the Severn Link, the “flying cat” service due to plough a Swansea-Ilfracombe furrow from this spring. It reveals a marketing tie-up between the two enterprises. I hope it works well for both – and I urge other tourism-related organisations to hop aboard both the ferry and the garden.
The second is a glossy A4 flier insert from the Scarlets. It advertises four imminent home games which have publicity tie-ins with the likes of Princes Gate water, Pembrokeshire’s Bluestone Resort and Llanelli’s Stradey Park Hotel. The flier offers 10% off matchday ticket prices to Garden visitors. In these days of cluttered promotional markets, this is a fine effort by the Garden and the rugby region.
To discuss other creative routes to publicity, give me a call on 07758 745 240.
One duty is to oversee production of the Garden’s regular magazine Yr Ardd. And very colourful it is too.
The spring issue’s just out (pictured) and features the usual mix of news, background features and publicity for forthcoming events.
Two elements in particular display how the Garden genuinely wishes to embrace the Swansea Bay community – and suggest that there’s plenty of room for other commercial partners and associates.
The first is a full-page ad for the Severn Link, the “flying cat” service due to plough a Swansea-Ilfracombe furrow from this spring. It reveals a marketing tie-up between the two enterprises. I hope it works well for both – and I urge other tourism-related organisations to hop aboard both the ferry and the garden.
The second is a glossy A4 flier insert from the Scarlets. It advertises four imminent home games which have publicity tie-ins with the likes of Princes Gate water, Pembrokeshire’s Bluestone Resort and Llanelli’s Stradey Park Hotel. The flier offers 10% off matchday ticket prices to Garden visitors. In these days of cluttered promotional markets, this is a fine effort by the Garden and the rugby region.
To discuss other creative routes to publicity, give me a call on 07758 745 240.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Green dream for Swansea Bay media dynamic duo
Spotted today at the National Botanic Garden of Wales: two influential figures on the Swansea Bay media circuit - Llanelli Star editor Bede MacGowan and former Carmarthen Journal editor David Hardy.
Bede was taking advantage of the Garden's January-free-entry scheme with his lively young family. They lunched in the on-site restaurant, with lamb cawl being one of the dishes showing up on their receipt.
A special events promotion in the Garden's main entrance foyer reminded me that the Star and sister title the Carmarthen Journal are running a promotion that's successfully raising the Swansea Bay profile of some decent local businesses.
The token-collect competition will see the winning couple scoop a wedding at Llanelli's Diplomat Hotel - and a considerable saving on their big day.
Other businesses involved through sponsorship include Welsh Chocolate Fountains, Mike Clarke Printing, Fine Wines Direct UK and the Lush Model Agency.
Courtneys Bridal Wear, of St Clears, are there along with Pure Creations Photography, Saul Cass Jewellers and the ever-reliable Dyfed Menswear.
It's a good move by those enterprises because they're guaranteed publicity on a number of levels.
David, incidentally, is now the Botanic Garden's marketing man and was there on the Sabbath to help the extra workload created by the entry offer. He was last spotted taking something that resembled a sudsy J Cloth to a few of the restaurant tables ...
Bede was taking advantage of the Garden's January-free-entry scheme with his lively young family. They lunched in the on-site restaurant, with lamb cawl being one of the dishes showing up on their receipt.
A special events promotion in the Garden's main entrance foyer reminded me that the Star and sister title the Carmarthen Journal are running a promotion that's successfully raising the Swansea Bay profile of some decent local businesses.
The token-collect competition will see the winning couple scoop a wedding at Llanelli's Diplomat Hotel - and a considerable saving on their big day.
Other businesses involved through sponsorship include Welsh Chocolate Fountains, Mike Clarke Printing, Fine Wines Direct UK and the Lush Model Agency.
Courtneys Bridal Wear, of St Clears, are there along with Pure Creations Photography, Saul Cass Jewellers and the ever-reliable Dyfed Menswear.
It's a good move by those enterprises because they're guaranteed publicity on a number of levels.
David, incidentally, is now the Botanic Garden's marketing man and was there on the Sabbath to help the extra workload created by the entry offer. He was last spotted taking something that resembled a sudsy J Cloth to a few of the restaurant tables ...
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Media Master wins more applause
Plaudits continue to arrive for my daily Media Master. The breakfast-time email snapshot of the day's Swansea Bay media goes to around 300 decision-makers and opinion-formers across the area.
The audience includes more than 150 professionals who ply their trade in the local print and broadcast community.
It's good to receive warm feedback from the likes of South Wales Evening Post reporter Nino Williams and from David Hardy, a former editor of the Carmarthen Journal.
Nino, a genuine good egg of the Swansea media scene, said: "It's really helpful - sometimes you can be running about so much that you miss things. The Media Master's a nice little touchstone."
David, a West Ham fan (ouch), said: "Good work, Andy."
This gregarious fella, incidentally, heads the marketing function at Llanarthne's National Botanic Garden of Wales and it's right I mention here that entrance is free all this month to mark 10 years of the treasure. Go see it and see if you can get your hands on one of the garden's member magazines, Yr Ardd. The last time I checked, these good looking glossies were being designed and printed by Media Wales in Cardiff, with words and pictures supplied by David. A good job all round.
The audience includes more than 150 professionals who ply their trade in the local print and broadcast community.
It's good to receive warm feedback from the likes of South Wales Evening Post reporter Nino Williams and from David Hardy, a former editor of the Carmarthen Journal.
Nino, a genuine good egg of the Swansea media scene, said: "It's really helpful - sometimes you can be running about so much that you miss things. The Media Master's a nice little touchstone."
David, a West Ham fan (ouch), said: "Good work, Andy."
This gregarious fella, incidentally, heads the marketing function at Llanarthne's National Botanic Garden of Wales and it's right I mention here that entrance is free all this month to mark 10 years of the treasure. Go see it and see if you can get your hands on one of the garden's member magazines, Yr Ardd. The last time I checked, these good looking glossies were being designed and printed by Media Wales in Cardiff, with words and pictures supplied by David. A good job all round.
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