Opening Dumbledore
Cathedral Healthcare specialises in funding and developing healthcare premises. The company tasked Wildwood with ‘opening’ its development in Handcross, West Sussex: the Dumbledore Primary Care Centre (PCC).
The PCC had already been open for six months before we were engaged, so we faced the challenge of creating interest in a healthcare service that had effectively been launched, within a tight budget.
We recommended that Cathedral Healthcare host a celebration at the PCC for local stakeholders to show appreciation of their support.
Liaison with the PCC’s GP’s revealed their ongoing active support of the Kagando Mission Hospital Foundation in Western Uganda, through donations of money, equipment and their own time and experience. Wildwood also discovered that the doctors share a common religious faith. We recognised that these two factors were integral to the spirit of Dumbledore PCC and should strongly influence the content of the opening ceremony.
We presented the idea of ‘twinning’ the British and Ugandan healthcare centres to create interest and excitement. We positioned the event as ‘joining villages in better healthcare’, providing an opportunity for the Dumbledore GPs and Cathedral Healthcare to talk directly to target audiences about the new healthcare centre and the challenging work being conducted in Africa. Guests were invited to tour the facilities and speak one-on-one with members of staff.
We secured the Rt Hon. Nicholas Soames MP to speak and conduct a ribbon cutting in his capacity as the Mid Sussex MP and as a local resident whose family are patients at Dumbledore PCC. His presence gave the event kudos, reinforcing the feel of community celebration and raising its profile. A blessing of the building by the local Anglican priest at the opening reflected the doctors’ faith and added to the sense of occasion and community.
We oversaw all event logistics. This included creating a striking invitation, securing attendance, drafting speeches and press material, organising catering, photography, decorations and ensuring appropriate Cathedral branding.
In addition, a media relations campaign helped raise awareness beyond the attendees. This involved inviting priority media, facilitating radio interviews with the key speakers, providing photos from the event and creating and issuing a press release to local media.
Fifty eight people attended the opening ceremony – exceeding expectations by more than 25%. Attendees included representatives from the Hyde Estate, who provided the land for the initial development, the head-teacher and school council from the neighbouring Handcross Primary School, members of Balcombe and Slaugham parish councils, as well as patients, local residents and representatives from the project construction team.
The charity collection on the day was boosted by subsequent donations to raise more than £500 for Kagando.
Mercury FM attended, conducting and broadcasting interviews, whilst extensive coverage was also generated in the Mid Sussex Times, West Sussex County Times, Sussex Life and other regional media.
The campaign was duly recognised for its creativity, sensitivity and impact winning a CIPR Home Counties South Award in the Best Event category.