How our training went online – and off

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed almost everything online – from shopping to business meetings, from parties to plays, writes Andrew Weltch.

Although we’ve been working remotely online for years, until 2020, we never considered offering training that way – now it’s second-nature.

The England team that has made a stand by taking a knee – and much more

London, England, UK. 8 October, 2020. England manager Gareth Southgate during the friendly international match between England and Wales at Wembley Stadium. Credit: Mark Hawkins/Composed Images

Our senior consultant Andrew Weltch looks at Gareth Southgate’s England soccer team – a group of players who stand (or kneel) for something.

Win or lose in Sunday’s [July 11th 2021] UEFA European Championship final, there’s something undeniably special about this England team.

Manager Gareth Southgate’s Dear England open letter last month, explaining why his team ‘takes a knee’ to show its opposition to discrimination, powerfully spells out what patriotism means to him, and the responsibilty that comes with the England shirt.

“It’s [the players’] duty to continue to interact with the public on matters such as equality, inclusivity and racial injustice, while using the power of their voices to help put debates on the table, raise awareness and educate.”

Will these famous Hollywood faces really invest in Wrexham AFC?

Our communications assistant Sophie Platt (who happens to be from Wrexham) looks at the unlikely connection between her home-town team and two Hollywood stars.

Wrexham is a small town in the north east of Wales. It is home to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, a world heritage site, as well as Wrexham Association Football Club.

Founded in 1864, the club is the third oldest professional soccer club in the world with its home, the Racecourse, being the oldest international football ground in the world still in use. The club’s first game, on 22^nd October 1864, was against The Prince of Wales Fire Brigade which they lost 2-1. The club has continued to grow from here and has become a success and crucial part of Wrexham.

What’s in a name? Five teams accused of causing offence with ethnic stereotypes

Our senior consultant Andrew Weltch looks at the recent heightened controversy over some sports teams’ names, accused of reinforcing ethnic stereotypes – and what they’re doing (or not doing) about it.

There are all sorts of weird and wonderful names in sports. Often they aim to suggest power and strength (Leeds Rhinos of English rugby league) or speed (Free State Cheetahs of South African rugby union) or both (San Jose Sharks of the NHL).

Those examples all come from the animal kingdom. But when a team picks a name inspired by the human race, it opens up (to borrow from the animal kingdom again) a whole can of worms, and potentially puts the cat among the pigeons.

Graduating during lockdown

Sophie Platt has combined studying for a degree in Media and Communications with working with us a communications assistant. Here she reflects on the challenges of completing her studies in lockdown.

Third year of university is famous for being one of the most stressful years of someone’s life. Imagine the stress of a global pandemic added to this. Online lectures and exams, waiting for help from lecturers, no graduation – it is not how students want their third year to go. The current climate is difficult for everyone, and as a (meant to be) graduate, I understand how difficult it is for people in university during this time.

UK universities face a crisis worse than Brexit

Already preparing for the negative effect of Brexit, the UK’s higher education sector is now facing a much more serious crisis – the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic, coupled with the prospect of the country leaving the EU without a deal. Our senior consultant, Andrew Weltch, reports.

It may have a website, but does that university exist?

Our senior correspondent Andrew Weltch issues a warning about fake university websites.

At Weltch Media, we’re very familiar with university websites. Higher education is one of our specialist fields, and much of our writing is for clients’ sites.

Last year we worked with Swansea University to create the content for all its course pages and more –  and our work helped it to win awards.

The Hundred – the other side of the coin

Guest post by Annie Chave, who questions the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) reasons for introducing The Hundred, a new extra-short form of cricket at the height of the 2020 season, and explains the ‘Oppose The 100’ campaign.

I have spent much of the last year trying to understand the reasons behind the ECB’s addition of The Hundred to the already overcrowded cricketing calendar.

I’ve questioned many at the ECB, including [CEO] Tom Harrison; I’ve debated with Bumble [David Lloyd, the former England international player and coach, now a TV commentator] and with Bryan Henderson [head of cricket at Sky TV] Sky Television’s support for the new competition and, spurred on by many other fans of County Cricket, I’ve openly expressed my point of view.

Still not tired of London and its ‘wonderful immensity’

“… when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”  Our senior consultant Andrew Weltch argues it’s probably as true today as it was when Samuel Johnson made the famous statement over 200 years ago.

For most people living in London or travelling in to work, it must seem mundane in the extreme, but for those of us who live further afield, a trip to London – even for business – can be quite special.

Unlocking creative potential in higher education marketing

Guest post by Martyn Edwards, Interim Director, Marketing, Recruitment & International at Swansea University.

This is always a pivotal time for higher education marketers – A-level results day [Thursday August 15] signals the start in earnest of Clearing.

The well-publicised and seemingly unrelenting on-going turbulence across the external operating environment, with adverse geopolitical as well as demographic headwinds, has resulted in a harsh new reality for UK higher education (HE) providers and the next 12 months are likely to be as demanding as the last for the majority of university marketers.