Redhead set to handle comms for Centrepoint

Alex Black, PR Week UK, Wednesday, 28 February 2007, 3:26pm,

Centrepoint has enlisted agency support as its policy and comms director takes maternity leave.

Redhead PR has bagged a 12-month contract to handle strategic comms for the homelessness charity.

While the Covent Garden-based agency will act as an external comms adviser, Redhead senior account director Jo Sheperd will be seconded to Centrepoint as its acting head of comms.

Centrepoint chief executive Anthony Lawton said the charity had decided to take on an agency rather than hire temporary cover for Balbir Chatrik.

As well as being the agency's point of contact within Centrepoint, Sheperd will oversee the charity's day-to-day comms, and take charge of stakeholder relations and crisis management.

Sarah Roberts this week left her head of comms role at the charity to begin a PhD in PR. She had been at Centrepoint for 18 months.

Meanwhile, Foundations for Life director Johanna Holmes has joined as acting head of policy. Jonathan Hopkins will continue to work as a policy and PA consultant.

Centrepoint works to improve the lives of socially excluded, homeless young people. It was a favourite charity of the late Princess Diana, and Prince William is now a patron.

ALSO... Sue Garland this week joined redheadCSR - a new business spun out of Redhead - as senior associate.

She joins from Belu, the eco-friendly bottled spring water that Redhead won as a client last year (PRWeek, 26 May 2006). Garland and Redhead will work with Belu in separate capacities.