What's happening?

Staff spotlight – Rhea Alton
28 Mar 2017
by Kirsty Smallman

In the first of our J&PR staff spotlights we chat to company director Rhea Alton.

Rhea started the J&PR ball rolling back in 2009 when she left her role as news editor and chief reporter on the Shropshire Star to launch (as it was then known) Journalism and PR.

Her aim was to run a PR company for Shropshire events and SMEs while still offering journalism services.

During her first year Rhea become the PR officer for Cosford Air Show and for the West Midlands Agricultural Show.

She also continued to cover the coroner’s and criminal courts in Shrewsbury for the Shropshire Star and Radio Shropshire, as well as tribunals for the press and clients.

But the working day now is a lot different – J&PR Ltd went from strength to strength, the team grew, moved into offices and 2017 sees a record-breaking year on the way with around 40 clients on board.

“It has grown more than I would ever have expected,” Rhea says. “Much of that growth is due to the digital market, and the ability of former journalists to use their skills with words to produce web copywriting, blogs and targeted posts on social platforms – none of that was a part of my job description in the early days.”

But J&PR Ltd is still involved in events and are behind the annual Businesses for Children Awards as well as working with Staffordshire County Show and Shropshire County Show each year.

“Events are something I love to be involved in – I worked for many years in the press rooms of events across the county and beyond and it is a great atmosphere,” Rhea adds.

“But I love working with a wide variety of clients too – business owners often believe they have nothing to say in PR but that is never true, we always manage to find a newsworthy part of every business we work with.

“With social media and blogging we can tell different stories in different ways as well as writing pieces for local media and magazines that meet their needs too.

“It has been a busy eight years but I have enjoyed (almost!) every minute of it. I am looking forward to seeing what the rest of 2017 brings.”

Rhea is operation director of J&PR and runs a number of client accounts – if you would like to find out more about getting PR for your event or business give her a call on (01952) 567811 or email rhea@jandpr.com