National Trust plugs Xmas gifts

PR Week UK, Friday, 03 December 2004, 12:00am,

The National Trust is to launch a media relations campaign to boost sales of its traditional Christmas food and gifts while most of its properties are closed for the winter period.

The campaign, aimed at lifestyle titles such as Period Homes and Country Homes and Interiors, will aim to encourage visitors to purchase items from its 18 high-street-branded stores.

Shops within National Trust properties are remaining open to market goods such as candles and Christmas puddings as well as other sections of the properties to accommodate special events.

These include a children’s day in a Victorian kitchen at Dunham Massey in Cheshire, where kids will be able to make traditional Christmas crackers, cards and scented pomanders.

National Trust Enterprises PR manager Alison Henderson said: ‘The Victorians made Christmas a special family celebration. Many of our activities will reflect how they would have done it.’