Your 'e-footprint' and future employers

Most of the time I am more than content to secure my diverse news content here online; from our national and local newspapers through to local rags in distant lands that might feature friends I've made trotting the globe. However, being an newspaperman at heart I like to actually hold some newsprint and The Guardian is the media of choice on a Saturday.

At the forefront of web content I have yet to find something in the paper that is not online, and as you would expect the website offers even more than the printed version. So the second I read the 'Work' section this morning I knew I would be blogging.

Essentially it is a well written assessment of what impact your cyber size nines will have on your future when employers turn to Google before your referees. Now this is last season's headgear, but the article does raise the interesting prospect of no e-footprint as a sign the prospective employee does not contribute. This being the result of privacy settings being employed to save your blushes at interview.

Of course, sometime it is not even your facebook page that lets you down, it can be someone elses, or a news story or some other content that will prove a humiliating search return. We have associates who are adept at combating inappropriate content on Google and other search engines and assuming you cannot get the offending content removed, then get more interesting content about you posted with sufficient SEO to ensure the search engines return this data on page one and your exploits with a donkey in Malaga disappear into the lonely expanse of page two and beyond. Clever eh?

I've saved to last the most exciting part of the article - leading the field of experts commenting on this whole issue was none other than Internet Psychologist and the man who single-handedly inspired us to start blogging - Graham Jones. Incidentally his has been one of only a handful of RSS feeds that I have maintained in Outlook, whereas others come and go.

Read what Graham Jones said in The Guardian or visit the Internet Psychologist's blog.

Newbury Business Today published today!

When it comes to that delicate blend of B2B and B2C business marketing in West Berkshire there are few publications better positioned than Newbury Business Today, which is published free today with the Newbury Weekly News.

The Newbury Weekly is one of Morgan PR's clients and we produce many of the advertising features that appear in today's edition and also online at the Newbury Business Today website.

Over the previous weeks we have previewed many of the businesses due to appear and already have begun work on the September edition of this publication - 'Getting ready for Christmas' no less! A couple of years ago I was sunburnt sat outside a pub discussing Christmas for just such a feature!

Speaking Russian at Newbury's French Bistro

Newbury’s popular French bistro, Le Petit Square was buzzing with children chattering in Russian when it threw its Market Place doors open to a visiting contingent from the blighted Chernobyl region of Belarus.

Ten youngsters aged nine and 10 are spending four weeks in the UK on holiday and it is the fourth year that such a trip has been organised by the Newbury branch of the national charity Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline.

All the children are staying with local host families and have been taking part in different activities and trips – including visits to the optician and dentist – so the chance to cook up some fun and food at Le Petit Square was a popular diversion when they spent this morning there.

Owner of the Michelin Recommend restaurant, Suzanne Hemchaoui said: “It was great fun! Our chef, John Cowan, and his team prepared some pizza dough for them and then they joined in adding the toppings of their choice. I guess pizza might not be French, but it was a fun food for them to make – we did have jambon et fromage pizza! Of course we cooked them then and everyone ate in the restaurant. It was great to hear them chattering in Russian when we are used to hearing French.

“This is actually the fourth year we have been involved with the charity and have entertained the children both here and also at our sister restaurant The Square in previous years.

“When I first heard about what they were doing it sounded such a lovely thing to do and they always seem to have so much fun here. It is something easy for us to do and gives everyone that warm gooey feeling in their tummy to have helped these children.”

As the leading public relations in West Berkshire Morgan PR was there to record the event and no doubt you will see it publicised soon.

Pictured below are the children from the Chernobyl region of Belarus, with their hosts and staff from Le Petit Square in Newbury outside the French bistro.

Little Jogs Fun Day pulls in the crowds

Little Jogs Day Nursery in Hungerford held a Fun Day on Sunday and while showers drove the crowds and the attractions inside, there was still plenty of enjoyment to be had, not least the lucky dip that captured this girl's attention.

A host of attractions from a lucky dip through to face painting and a variety of competitions kept children and parents entertained, while the Phoenix Brass Band played throughout the event. A police car from neighbouring Wiltshire was also in attendance with children naturally delighting in setting off the sirens.

Speaking at the event Nursery Manager, Elena Allen said: “We have had a terrific turnout with many of our existing children coming along with their parents and families. It has been great also to see how grown up some of the youngsters are who used to come here and of course it was marvellous to have prospective parents looking around too and asking about sending their children here.

“The event has been really well supported by traders in the town with many giving prizes for the raffle and some even came along together with others who took the opportunity to see what a great nursery we have here.”

New look for Thatcham Kitchen Designs

Morgan PR was in Thatcham this morning to meet with Caroline and Kevin Ware the owners of Thatcham Kitchen Designs in The Broadway and take a look at their swish new look store.

The shop regularly undergoes a refit to reflect evolving trends in kitchen design and to offer customers the chance to see the latest gadgets on display, however the most recent was more of a major refurbishment and saw them take out several internal walls which has made the shop seem truly huge.

We have been working on a number of projects with the store that will be coming to fruition over the next few months, so do watch this space! And visit theirs!