Marketing and Communications Freelance Contract for Chopwell Regeneration CIO

Contract Type: Contract / Temporary

Role Type: Employment

Hours: Full or Part time

Application deadline: Tuesday, January 9, 2024 - 09:00

Based: Gateshead

Salary: £12,000 Circa

Salary Type: Fixed Salary

Location: Tyne and Wear

Role description: Project Support

Chopwell Regeneration Group (CRG) is a grassroots, community-based, community led rural charity.  It was founded by residents in 2017 following decades of decline in the village. Our aim is to revitalise our village by creating opportunities for people to improve their lives and life chances. Within the last 6 years CRG has led cultural, employability, and health & wellbeing programmes to help transform opportunities for Chopwell residents.  Through our projects residents experiencing the greatest disadvantage gain support through learning skills, employment, making friends and increased self-worth. 

In 2022 our first major project was to turn a derelict bank on the high street into a social enterprise and community welfare hub for Chopwell. The Bank brings the community together, grows optimism and opportunity in a village that faces significant socio-economic hardship. The work at The Bank addresses some of the most urgent challenges facing Chopwell: food poverty and nutrition, mental health, social/cultural life, and deprivation.  We provide access to healthy, affordable food in our cafe and community market through low cost food and a well used ‘pay-it-forward’ scheme for hot meals and drinks.  In addition we have developed a varied programme of learning activities to engage isolated residents.  We offer volunteering opportunities and work placements in the kitchen and front of house.

We now want to grow our work to regenerate the village and open a second venue in the village, our FixIt repair and reuse shop.

What we need

We are looking for a marketing and communications professional to support with delivering our promotional activities and communications, initially for up to 6 months from January 2024. The key areas of focus will be:

• Lead on all marketing and communications activity, raising our profile, communicating our impact, professionalising our output and increasing engagement with our work.
• Support the effectiveness of the sustainability plan pilots; increasing awareness and customer numbers to The Bank and embedding fundraising opportunities throughout our offer. 
• Ensure the Fixit shop marketing and communications plan is developed and delivered to put the shop on the map.
• Assist staff and volunteers in creating content for marketing and communications activity, such as how to capture good photos and case studies.
• Manage the web-site, making improvements so that we are communicating well with our different audiences through our web-based presence.

Ideally, you’ll be someone who works in a freelance capacity or as part of a consultancy providing support. We need someone who can regularly work with the team at The Bank and FixIt shop in Chopwell. We are offering the contract at a value of up to £12,000 inc. VAT, for a period of 6 months.

Interested in finding out more?

If you’d like to get more information on this opportunity please contact Crystal Hicks crystal@chopwell.org before the 18^th December. To apply for the opportunity, please send the following to crystal@chopwell.org

• A portfolio of any relevant work you’ve done (in a format of your preference) of now more than 5 word document pages, 10 PowerPoint slides or a 5 minute video.
• A 500 word statement on why you’d like to deliver the contract for us and what you can bring to the charity.
• Your personal details including your names, address, email address and contact phone number.
• Confirmation that if successful you could start with us by the end of January 2024.
• Your availability for interview on w/c 15^th January.

The deadline for applications is 9am on Tuesday 9^th January and interviews will be held w/c 15^th January.

We welcome applications from Chopwell residents. Any applicant living in an NE17 postcode who meets our requirements as outlined here will be guaranteed an interview.