NHF: Gay equality campaigner to address Federation communications conference

Monday, 7 December 2009 12:00 AM

Gay equality campaigner and human rights protester Peter Tatchell will be one of the keynote speakers at next year's National Housing Federation communications and marketing conference, at the Hotel Russell, central London, on Tuesday 23 February.

Mr Tatchell, who once attempted a citizen's arrest on Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe over his oppression of gay people in the southern African state, will address the last plenary session at the conference on the subject of taking communications risks.

Also speaking will be Daily Mirror deputy political editor Jason Beattie - who will address a breakout session on how to work with journalists and what reporters want from a story.

Addressing the first plenary session, on how to turn customers and supporters into champions, will be Hillingdon council head of corporate communications David Holdstock, who has twice been named local government communicator of the year.

Speaking alongside him will be Lynda Thomas, who is director of external affairs with Macmillan Cancer Support, the leading charity which won two communications awards at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations annual awards ceremony in July.

Meanwhile, speaking at the same plenary as Peter Tatchell, will be David Rigby, from New Charter - who will talk about his organisation's decision to take part in the BBC1 fly-on-the-wall documentary Neighbourhood Watched, which followed housing association staff dealing with 'difficult families'.

There will also be workshops and breakout sessions at the conference, with a range of issues addressed including 'how to win awards', 'how to brand yourself effectively' and 'how to use social networking sites'.

One of the breakout sessions will deal with the topic of getting positive news stories into the regional and housing press, and be addressed by former Inside Housing editor Kate Murray.

The conference will be chaired by the Scottish journalist, broadcaster and commentator Lesley Riddoch.

Federation assistant director Paul Rees said: "We are very pleased to have such an exciting programme for next year's communications and marketing conference.

"In what promises to be a packed day, all of the major challenges facing housing association communicators will be dealt with - from striving to turn customers into champions to taking communications risks.

"We will hear from some of the top communicators in the country - including local government communicator of the year David Holdstock and Macmillan Cancer Support director of external affairs Lynda Thomas.

"On top of that, we will hear from Peter Tatchell, a man who has successfully taken communication risks to highlight the issues of gay rights, human rights and the environment."

For more information about the conference visit the Federation website at www.housing.org.uk or contact the Federation on 020 7067 1066.

Paul Rees
Assistant Director - Campaigns and Communications
DD: 020 7067 1026
F: 020 7067 1018
M: 07974 826587
Email: paulrees@housing.org.uk

Registered in England, number: 302132

The National Housing Federation represents 1,200 independent, not-for-profit housing associations in England and is the voice of affordable housing. Our members provide two and a half million affordable homes for more than five million people.

The National Housing Federation and its members have launched iN business for neighbourhoods as a major initiative to raise the profile of, and promote, the neighbourhood work of housing associations. For further information visit: www.inbiz.org

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