Paisley 2021 template business media release

Dear partner,

Thank you for agreeing to back Paisley’s bid for UK City of Culture 2021, your support means the world to us.

For Paisley to win, we need to show the judges Paisley wants, needs, and can deliver the title.

A big part of that is in being able to show the bid has the support of the local community – and we need your help to do that.

To make it easy, we have prepared a template media release which you could complete and send out to local media organisations.

In doing so, you will not only be playing your part in helping Paisley, but also generating some free publicity for yourself.

We are asking you to do the following:

  1. complete the template media release below.
  2. take a picture of some of your staff at your premises. The media love pictures of people – a good picture always helps generate coverage. Anything else you can do to add some activity or colour will help it get published – for example, print off and hold some Paisley 2021 branding such as back-the-bid posters, or ask the staff to wear an item of Paisley Pattern.
  3. send the completed release and picture to the local media. Here are some useful email addresses... (Paisley Daily Express); (The Gazette); (Paisley.org); (Renfrewshire 24); (The Advertizer).
  4. if you know of any specialist or trade publications or websites which cover your area of business and which might be interested in you, send to them too. That will help raise our profile and yours.
  5. if you have a website and social media, add the press release and any pictures you take to that. Mention @Paisley2021 on any tweets and we will retweet you to our thousands of followers.

Here are some reasons a successful bid will be good for Renfrewshire businesses, which you could refer to if you like:

-UK City of Culture 2021 means a year-long programme of major national events. It is estimated Hull will receive seven million visitors and a £60m economic boost in 2017 through hosting the title;

-if the bid is successful,the influx of visitors Paisley would receive would bring benefits for all local businesses. Town centre traders in particular would receive a massive boost;

-the bid is part of a wider push to create a new visitor and creative economy in and around Paisley, based on the town’s unique heritage and culture. We wantthe areato become a key destination within Scotland for cultural events and creative businesses;

-but it’s about more than numbers. It will help put Renfrewshire in the international spotlight and encourage a new sense of pride and self-confidence among businesses and residents. And the year-long programme of cultural activity will give people new skills and opportunities to thrive.

If you have any PR ideas or opportunities which you would like to discuss with the Paisley 2021 PR team, call Colin Orr on 0141 618 7348 email

Thank you for your help

The Paisley 2021 Team

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TEMPLATE MEDIA RELEASE (please copy, paste, complete and send!)

(name of company) backs Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021

(name of company)has become the latest Renfrewshire firm to throw their support behind Paisley’s bid for UK City of Culture 2021.

(insert line or two briefly detailing who the company is and what you do)

(insert line which outlines what you have done to back the bid – posters, email signatures, adding your company’s name to the website, etc, etc)

(insert quote from named person at the company saying why you back the bid and what the bid means to you in terms of benefits. Please refer to the key message list above for ideas)

Paisley's bid for UK City of Culture 2021 will use the town's unique and fascinating story to transform its future—by putting the town in the international spotlight, attracting visitors, creating jobs and harnessing the power of culture to make people's lives better.

The one-time global textile hub and birthplace of the Paisley Pattern is also home to stunning architecture, an internationally-significant museum collection, Glasgow Airport, University of the West of Scotland, West College Scotland, PACE Theatre Company and a thriving contemporary cultural scene.

The UK City of Culture competition is run by the UK Government’s Department for Culture Media and Sport. The shortlisted cities will be announced in spring 2017, and the winner at the end of the year.

For more information on (name of company), visit (web address here), and for more information about the bid, visit

ENDS

For more information, contact (insert name of contact here) on (phone number).

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(To give an example of how a completed release might read, here’s one we did earlier....)

Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce backs Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021

Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce has become the latest local firm to throw its support behind Paisley’s bid for UK City of Culture 2021.

The chamber is the leading business membership group in Renfrewshire and offers mentoring and networking opportunities to its hundreds of members.

Established in 1964, the chamber is based at Glasgow Airport and runs the annual Rocco awards – Renfrewshire’s premier business awards ceremony.

Staff at the chamber are showing their support for the bid by emailing all their members with Paisley 2021 materials and urging them to back Paisley’s ambitions.

Renfrewshire Chamber chief executive Bob Grant said: “Paisley’s bid for UK City of Culture 2021 will bring massive economic benefits to our members and to Renfrewshire as a whole.

“Winning the title would raise the town’s profile at home and abroad, and bring huge numbers of visitors to Paisley, which would create huge opportunities in terms of trade.

“We are delighted to add our voice to the many businesses and other organisations which are supporting the bid and would encourage others to do the same.”

Paisley's bid for UK City of Culture 2021 will use the town's unique and fascinating story to transform its future—by putting the town in the international spotlight, attracting visitors, creating jobs and harnessing the power of culture to make people's lives better.

The one-time global textile hub and birthplace of the Paisley Pattern is also home to stunning architecture, an internationally-significant museum collection, Glasgow Airport, University of the West of Scotland, West College Scotland, PACE Theatre Company and a thriving contemporary cultural scene.

The UK City of Culture competition is run by the UK Government’s Department for Culture Media and Sport. The shortlisted cities will be announced in spring 2017, and the winner at the end of the year.

For more information on Renfrewshire Chamber, visit and for more information about the bid, visit

ENDS

For more information, contact Bob Grant at the chamber on 0141 847 5450.

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