Marks and Spencer, Haywards Heath Store Fund Raising

If you're wondering why this is here? I was the photographer who produced the images for the press release. A simple job that has to executed in a professional manner and delivered the same morning. Difficult to acheive if you have a another day job.

Even a simple group shot such as this needs a degree of planning and pre-visualisation. It's no use going into an assignment and not knowing what shots to get. You're being employed as the professional and must know what you want, and how you're going to get it. And, most important, be able to communicate your requirements and get people on your side. The above shot took less than 5 minutes in execution, but probably 30 minutes planning - which is just as well as I had 10 minutes before the store was due to open and rain was beginning to fall.

Oversize cheques and glasses of fizz seem to be essential for this kind of local press stuff. Part of the skill is not getting the hands looking too messy and making sure the client's branding is clearly visible and in a spot where it can't be cropped out of the shot - in this case it's on the cheque, but you still have to make sure a stray arm doesn't obscure the logo.

PRESS RELEASE:
Employees from the Marks & Spencer store in Haywards Heath presented a cheque to St Peter & St James Hospice yesterday after having raised nearly £5,000 under the M&S 125 Fundraising Challenge. The challenge saw M&S employees across the country aiming to raise £1.25million in 125 days as part of the retailer’s 125th birthday celebrations.

This target was smashed with M&S employees pulling together to raise over £2million for local and regional charities. The Haywards Heath store more than tripled its original target of £1,500.

Yesterday, Fundraising Coordinator Karen Riddleston and Section Manager Sandra Pack (OK, I've an interest in this story, she's my wife!) handed over the cheque, which was gratefully received by Gill Cronin from St Peter & St James Hospice, a charity which provides specialist care and support for those living with progressive, life-limiting illnesses in East and West Sussex.

The store raised the money through various fundraising initiatives, the highlight of which was a 125km in-store bike ride undertaken by staff. The store also involved local schools, including the Windmills Junior School in Hassocks, Harlands County Primary School in Haywards Heath and Southway Junior School Burgess Hill. Between them the schools raised nearly £500 for the cause by hosting ‘Bright is Beautiful’ non-uniform days.