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A company is only as strong as its team and here at Penguin PR we’re very proud of the range of skills and talents that we have at our disposal.
At the heart of what we have to offer is the expertise in recognising what makes an engaging news story and how to ask the right questions in order to bring it to life.
This is because our writers are all ex-journalists – you can read their bios below – who know the tricks of the trade needed to make headlines – ahead of the many thousands of press releases and email pitches that get sent to journalists every day.
Not only that, our media contacts trust us to give them what they want: entertaining, accurate and well-written copy that will interest their readers, viewers or listeners – and your potential customers.
And so it’s no surprise that our clients, from the owner-operated start-ups to large corporate entities, have seen their stories featured in household name media outlets including The Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, the Daily Mail, This Morning and The Sun, on BBC TV News and ITV both nationally and regionally, on radio stations, websites and podcasts.
Factor in our social media skills, SEO-enriched web copywriting solutions and our award nomination know-how you’ll see why more and more clients are p-p-picking Penguin PR.
A qualified journalist, Sarah co-founded Penguin PR in 2010 after more than 15 years in the newspaper industry. She also launched and edited The Derbyshire Magazine, a county glossy publication which won the Midlands Magazine of the Year Award three years in succession.
Since moving into PR, Sarah has significantly boosted the profiles of clients including schools, businesses, charities and community groups. She has secured television appearances on national channels including Steph’s Packed Lunch, BBC Breakfast and Good Morning Britain while her stories have been used in The Sun, the Mail Online and the Guardian.
She has devised PR campaigns for Midlands-based companies including Project D, national companies such as Tenpin and worked with clients based as far afield as America, Russia and China. An expert in writing award entries, Sarah has also helped her clients win an array of industry accolades.
Sarah, who is a trustee of the Derby charity Sam’s Superheroes, is enjoying helping Penguin PR to cement its reputation as the best PR agency in the Midlands.
Simon founded Penguin PR alongside fellow director Sarah Newton after identifying a gap in the market for a PR firm founded on strong journalistic principles.
An award-winning journalist with nearly 15 years’ experience in local and national media, followed by four years working at a leading Midlands full-service marketing agency, Simon quickly helped Penguin PR establish a reputation for devising creative and effective PR campaigns that earned its clients’ headlines in local, trade, national and international news outlets.
Simon is a talented writer and expert interviewer and communicator who is comfortable devising PR campaigns for organisations serving both the B2B and B2C markets. He has a unique ability to identify effective news angles and the ambition to always dig deeper to get to the heart of the story, which results in above-average coverage for clients.
He now balances his time between his own clients and working with Sarah to grow Penguin PR further, including additional recruitment and establishing its new office in Chesterfield.
Kerry Ganly was the very first female sports reporter at the Derby Telegraph – a job which fused her passions for writing and sport. After spending almost 20 years working in regional journalism, latterly as a social media and digital editor, Kerry joined the Penguin PR team where she is responsible for the accounts of a wide range of businesses and organisations.
Kerry is a natural networker and is the warm heart of Penguin PR. She is never without a smile and she has been embraced by her clients, who in return have appeared in national media thanks to her contacts in titles as diverse as Take A Break, Best magazine, the Daily Mail, BBC Radio Five Live, GB News, OK magazine, Good Housekeeping, This Morning and Daily Mirror, to name just a few.
This has resulted in many thousands of pounds’ worth of coverage got clients, far exceeding the investment in their campaigns. Kerry has also helped clients win awards, while she even got a purple plaque erected in the honour of one client at his old school!
Lucy trained as a reporter on the Yorkshire Evening Press where she specialised in health. She joined Penguin PR after spending 13 years as a freelance writer, penning pieces for a wide range of titles.
Her work has appeared in The Derbyshire Magazine, The Independent on Sunday, Times Higher Education, Prima Magazine and The Independent, plus many online sites too. Lucy works with a wide range of Penguin PR clients including schools, charities and businesses.
With her belief that true communication is always as much about listening as it is talking, Lucy loves to work with people to find the real human interest stories that help connect businesses and organisations with their audience, whether it’s through a revealing radio interview, powerful news story or in-depth TV report.
Kirsty spent 10 years as a journalist, starting in the West Midlands before moving to the Derby Telegraph in 2006 where she became political editor. A keen Thai boxer, Kirsty took a career break in 2013, moving to Thailand to train, fight, travel and blog, before returning to the UK and transferring her journalism skills to PR.
Her first PR job was for Hull City Council, working on the city’s successful bid to become UK City of Culture, before finding employment closer to home as a press officer for Nottingham Trent University. There, Kirsty gained her CIPR Public Affairs diploma and began focusing on corporate affairs.
After the birth of her second son, Kirsty worked on a freelance basis, predominantly for clients in the third and higher education sectors. Kirsty joined Penguin PR in 2022 and is enjoying getting back out into her home city of Derby to meet clients and raise the profile of their fantastic work.
Sarah-Louise has joined the team after completing some work experience as part of her journalism degree, of which she is now in her third and final year. After impressing the team with her excellent writing and social media management abilities, she is hoping to transfer the skills learnt on her course to a career working in PR along with the Penguin PR team.
Sarah-Louise has already been successful in creating newsletters, managing social media accounts and has been utilising skills she has acquired within SEO boosting.
A sociable and friendly person, Sarah-Louise enjoys meeting and talking with clients giving close and thoughtful attention to their wants and needs.
A qualified journalist, Sarah co-founded Penguin PR in 2010 after more than 15 years in the newspaper industry. She also launched and edited The Derbyshire Magazine, a county glossy publication which won the Midlands Magazine of the Year Award three years in succession.
Since moving into PR, Sarah has significantly boosted the profiles of clients including schools, businesses, charities and community groups. She has secured television appearances on national channels including Steph’s Packed Lunch, BBC Breakfast and Good Morning Britain while her stories have been used in The Sun, the Mail Online and the Guardian.
She has devised PR campaigns for Midlands-based companies including Project D, national companies such as Tenpin and worked with clients based as far afield as America, Russia and China. An expert in writing award entries, Sarah has also helped her clients win an array of industry accolades.
Sarah, who is a trustee of the Derby charity Sam’s Superheroes, is enjoying helping Penguin PR to cement its reputation as the best PR agency in the Midlands.
Simon founded Penguin PR alongside fellow director Sarah Newton after identifying a gap in the market for a PR firm founded on strong journalistic principles.
An award-winning journalist with nearly 15 years’ experience in local and national media, followed by four years working at a leading Midlands full-service marketing agency, Simon quickly helped Penguin PR establish a reputation for devising creative and effective PR campaigns that earned its clients’ headlines in local, trade, national and international news outlets.
Simon is a talented writer and expert interviewer and communicator who is comfortable devising PR campaigns for organisations serving both the B2B and B2C markets. He has a unique ability to identify effective news angles and the ambition to always dig deeper to get to the heart of the story, which results in above-average coverage for clients.
He now balances his time between his own clients and working with Sarah to grow Penguin PR further, including additional recruitment and establishing its new office in Chesterfield.
Kerry Ganly was the very first female sports reporter at the Derby Telegraph – a job which fused her passions for writing and sport. After spending almost 20 years working in regional journalism, latterly as a social media and digital editor, Kerry joined the Penguin PR team where she is responsible for the accounts of a wide range of businesses and organisations.
Kerry is a natural networker and is the warm heart of Penguin PR. She is never without a smile and she has been embraced by her clients, who in return have appeared in national media thanks to her contacts in titles as diverse as Take A Break, Best magazine, the Daily Mail, BBC Radio Five Live, GB News, OK magazine, Good Housekeeping and Daily Mirror, to name just a few.
This has resulted in many thousands of pounds’ worth of coverage got clients, far exceeding the investment in their campaigns. Kerry has also helped clients win awards, while she even got a purple plaque erected in the honour of one client at his old school!
Lucy trained as a reporter on the Yorkshire Evening Press where she specialised in health. She joined Penguin PR after spending 13 years as a freelance writer, penning pieces for a wide range of titles.
Her work has appeared in The Derbyshire Magazine, The Independent on Sunday, Times Higher Education, Prima Magazine and The Independent, plus many online sites too. Lucy works with a wide range of Penguin PR clients including schools, charities and businesses.
With her belief that true communication is always as much about listening as it is talking, Lucy loves to work with people to find the real human interest stories that help connect businesses and organisations with their audience, whether it’s through a revealing radio interview, powerful news story or in-depth TV report.
Kirsty spent 10 years as a journalist, starting in the West Midlands before moving to the Derby Telegraph in 2006 where she became political editor. A keen Thai boxer, Kirsty took a career break in 2013, moving to Thailand to train, fight, travel and blog, before returning to the UK and transferring her journalism skills to PR.
Her first PR job was for Hull City Council, working on the city’s successful bid to become UK City of Culture, before finding employment closer to home as a press officer for Nottingham Trent University. There, Kirsty gained her CIPR Public Affairs diploma and began focusing on corporate affairs.
After the birth of her second son, Kirsty worked on a freelance basis, predominantly for clients in the third and higher education sectors. Kirsty joined Penguin PR in 2022 and is enjoying getting back out into her home city of Derby to meet clients and raise the profile of their fantastic work.
Jenny trained as a reporter on the Burton Mail and the Uttoxeter Advertiser, spending 15 years covering local news across East Staffordshire and South Derbyshire. Her stories have appeared across the Reach PLC network including The Mirror, as well as other national news sites.
She has helped to promote businesses and share what goes on behind the scenes, as well as telling personal stories of bravery, heartache and overcoming adversity. She has a passion for getting to the heart of the story and meeting new people.
Her work has previously seen her named a runner-up for News Reporter of the Year in the Midlands Media Awards.
Sarah-Louise has joined the team after completing some work experience as part of her journalism degree, of which she is now in her third and final year. After impressing the team with her excellent writing and social media management abilities, she is hoping to transfer the skills learnt on her course to a career working in PR along with the Penguin PR team.
Sarah-Louise has already been successful in creating newsletters, managing social media accounts and has been utilising skills she has acquired within SEO boosting.
A sociable and friendly person, Sarah-Louise enjoys meeting and talking with clients giving close and thoughtful attention to their wants and needs.
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