The Creative Collective - Media, training and personal development consultancy

David Bennett Inquiry Report Launch

The Creative Collective was commissioned by the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority (StHA) to occupy a unique role as a PR and media adviser to the David Bennett Inquiry Panel, the StHA, and the Bennett family. David ‘Rocky’ Bennett was a 38-year-old African Caribbean, diagnosed with schizophrenia, who died after being restrained by staff for approximately 25 minutes at the Norvic Clinic in Norwich.

Leading up to the launch of the inquiry report in February 2004, The Creative Collective provided professional media support, guidance and advice to the Bennett family. We facilitated meetings between the family and the StHA and, in the light of the report’s admission of institutional racism, we worked closely with the StHA on the launch and how best to engage the black and minority ethnic media, mental health professionals and community groups.

Local, regional, national and BME media were briefed and we arranged and supervised the media interviews with the StHA and the Bennett family at the launch. Media coverage was well informed and extensive from The Voice, Community Care and The Guardian, to BBC radio Norfolk, BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, ITN and Channel 4 News.

Services

MAKING DIVERSITY A MEDIA REALITY™

Supporting public bodies to champion diversity and challenge discrimination through the media

The burning issue

Public bodies need to progress beyond one-dimensional approaches to engage the media on black and minority ethnic concerns, from job advertisements and advertorials in the ethnic press to a press release highlighting Diwali or a racially motivated attack. Diversity demands more imaginative, multi-dimensional communications strategies and partnerships that reach, engage and reflect people from racially and culturally diverse groups, and stimulate new partnerships with the media.

The options

Our strategic consultancy will inspire and challenge public bodies to rethink how they harness the media to authentically reflect the cultural and racial diversity of their communities. Headed by experienced journalists with four decades of print and broadcast experience, a background in local and national policy development, equalities and diversity training, our approach is holistic, inclusive and dynamic.

The benefits

We will help you sharpen your media practice on social inclusion, ethnicity, sexuality and gender, faith and religion and disabilities, to move beyond the internal aversion to tackle seemingly controversial and sensitive issues in the media.

We can help you to develop strategic and innovative media approaches to:

Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000
Strategic relationships with the media
Community engagement
Widening consultation processes
Strategic and topical events
Journalism

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