The Mary Rose Trust, the charity preserving the flagship of Henry VIII’s fleet and the 19,000 artefacts recovered from her, has appointed Bell Pottinger to undertake public relations and related brand support work.
Bell Pottinger’s Business & Brand will work with the Mary Rose Trust around ambitious plans to establish a new £35 million purpose-built museum in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to be open in time for the 2012 Olympics.
Earlier this year the Mary Rose Trust was awarded a £21 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant, the largest made, to support its new museum development and to complete the final phase of the ship’s conservation. The grant must be matched with a fundraising effort of £14 million by the Trust.
Bell Pottinger Business & Brand will be engaged with a variety of public relations activities designed to highlight the Trust’s important public fundraising appeal and to increase footfall to the Mary Rose Museum.
Rear Admiral John Lippiett, CEO of the Mary Rose Trust, said: “The Bell Pottinger team is helping us achieve our most ambitious project since the Mary Rose was so spectacularly raised from the Solent in 1982, in front of a 60 million TV audience.
“The new museum will reunite the astonishing collection of artefacts recovered, with the remains of the ship’s hull, to provide an unparalleled snapshot of Tudor life on board ship. We are delighted to have Bell Pottinger Business & Brand joining our crew.”
Bell Pottinger Business & Brand Managing Director, Kevin Read, added: “We are delighted to be helping the Mary Rose Trust in its final fundraising push that will help ensure that this national treasure is preserved for future generations.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
The Mary Rose is the only 16th century warship on display anywhere in the world. Built between 1509 and 1511, she was one of the first ships able to fire a broadside, and was a firm favourite of King Henry VIII.
After a long and successful career, she sank during an engagement with the French fleet in 1545. Her rediscovery and raising were seminal events in the history of maritime archaeology.
For media enquiries, contact:
Kevin Read
Managing Director
at Bell Pottinger Business & Brand
kread@bell-pottinger.co.uk
Direct Line: +44 (0)20 7861 2506
Mobile: +44 (0)7771 885 902
