Camargue

This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

This article is part of the Lobbying Portal, a sunlight project from Spinwatch.

Camargue PR is a PR and lobbying firm that specialises in the regeneration, property and planning, energy, transport and infrastructure sectors.

Background

According to its website: 'The focus of our work is to inform and influence the media, business and political stakeholders, employees, local communities and, when appropriate, the general public. Our aim is to help shape opinions, responses and behaviours in order to support our clients’ commercial aspirations.'

Clients

Camargue does not declare its clients on the lobbying industry's APPC register, but does list some of them on its website. They have included:

• Circa 2008 -npower | Carbon Trust | Crossrail | Corus | Tarmac

• Circa 2012-13 - BBC (Ben Copithorne) | Carbon Trust | G4S Horizon Nuclear Power | Morgan Sindall Professional Services | Morrisons National Grid | Premier Inn RWE npower | Severn Trent Water | Tarmac | VINCI Construction

Nuclear and energy clients

Client: Horizon Nuclear Power - Working towards new nuclear

The UK needs significant investment over the coming years to meet growing demands for energy. New nuclear power is a vital way to meet these needs.

Horizon Nuclear Power is a UK energy company developing a new generation of nuclear power stations. A wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd, it plans to provide at least 5,200MW of new power station capacity to the UK, enough to power around 10 million homes.

Camargue has supported Horizon Nuclear Power in three main areas: establishing a communications function, supporting the launch of the brand within the UK and providing planning advocacy for a proposed new nuclear power station at Wylfa on Anglesey.

Our work has included supporting Wylfa’s inclusion in the Nuclear National Policy Statement, issues management and ongoing engagement with local communities and stakeholders across North Wales.

According to Leon Flexman, Head of Corporate Affairs at Horizon - 'Horizon Nuclear Power is committed to the highest standards of consultation and engagement. Camargue's experience and understanding of energy and infrastructure issues is a key component of our development programme.'

Director Tim Read handles the Horizon account.

Client RWE npower: Keeping the lights on

With many older power stations closing soon, RWE npower is doing its bit to keep the nations lights on by developing plans for a number of new plants across the country.

Over the past six years Camargue has become an integral part of RWE npower’s communications team – with an Account Director seconded to the company for over a year - helping to build positive relationships with the communities living near seven ‘new build’ sites in England and Wales.

From developing and running IPC-compliant community consultation programmes to planning opening ceremonies hosted by government ministers; from managing the local and regional media to hosting hotlines for local residents; from communicating the delivery of traffic-stopping large loads to drafting copy for community newsletters, information packs and exhibition materials ... we’ve managed every aspect of communications.

The account manager is Verity Barr.

Since 2010 Camargue has also supported RWE npower renewables (NRL)'s wind farm projects with communications consultancy, 'helping the company consult robustly with communities and stakeholders alike. We work on projects which are, or will be, determined under the Planning Act (2008) through the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), the Town and Country Planning Act and Section 36 of the Electricity Act. Camargue also works closely with the communications team on corporate issues.

According to Rebecca Somers, Public Relations Manager at npower:

Camargue’s support has been invaluable, particularly in developing communications strategies in line with our objectives. The agency’s understanding of politics, planning and media relations has made them an important part of the team.”

People

Team

• Russell Aldridge, finance director
• Toby Barker, associate director
• Verity Barr, associate director
• Laura Bennett, senior account manager
• Joe Brunwin, account executive
• Jane Burgess, account manager
• Mike Cheshire, account director
• Mike Conway, director
• Mark Cooper, director
• Ben Copithorne, director
• Drena Cox, office manager
• Charlotte Davies, senior account executive
• Tom Engleback, account executive
• Stuart Fox, director
• Parvinder Gandham, account executive
• Tim Read, director. - handles the energy portfolio, including new nuclear build and gas, also lead director for National Grid account
• Alexander Hall, account manager.
• Dan Knight, account director.
• Jo Lloyd, managing director.
• Greg Phillimore, associate director.
• Jenny Marshall, director.
• Frejya Moorhead, senior account executive.
• Beth Motley, associate director.

Former executives

• Andrew Litchfield, managing director
• Philip Armstrong, senior account manager. Now public acceptability manager at National Grid
• James Boyd-Wallis, account director. Now senior account director at B2L Public Affairs

Contacts

7 Bayley Street, London, WC1
Website: http://www.camarguepr.com