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About Prof. Jon Fairburn

Professor of Sustainable Development.

Free Leadership Programme to help businesses in 2021

Are you looking for free support, ideas and a team to talk to that will help your business through the pandemic, Brexit and beyond?

Staffordshire Business School is now delivering free training in leadership and management to help you and your business exactly when you need it most.

When does the course start?

We have two starting dates either:

 Tue 12th January 2021 starting at 3pm

Wed 13th January 2021 starting at 3pm

If you would like to have a chat about the course then please email one of our experienced Entrepreneurs in Residence with your phone number and they will call you back,

Jane Pallister email Jane.Pallister@staffs.ac.uk

Emily Whitehead email emily@staffs.ac.uk

Jonathan Westlake email j.c.westlake@staffs.ac.uk

Jonathan Westlake, Jane Pallister and Emily Whitehead ar ethree of our Entrepreneurs in Residence
Jonathan Westlake, Jane Pallister and Emily Whitehead are three of our Entrepreneurs in Residence

Two cohorts of business have already gone through the programme and here is what Kevin O’Mara of Advanced Journey Chauffeuring thought of the training

Why choose the Small Business Leadership Programme?

  • Make your business more resilient
  • Boost business performance and growth
  • Create an innovative and agile organisation
  • Recover from the impact of COVID-19
  • Build leadership confidence and effectiveness
  • Plan for the future of your business
  • Build lasting relationships with small business leaders
  • Improve risk management and efficiency

Eligibility requirements

To join the Small Business Leadership Programme:

  • Your business must be a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) based in England.
  • Your business needs to employ between 5 and 249 people and have been operational for at least one year
  • The participant should be a decision maker or member of the senior management team within the business with at least one person reporting directly to them.
  • The participant must be able to commit to attending the full programme

Your commitment

The programme is designed to be manageable alongside full-time work. Participants will attend eight 90-minute webinars across ten weeks, and complete up to two hours of independent study and peer-supported learning per week.Places are fully funded by the Government to support the resilience, recovery and growth of SMEs during and after COVID-19. The programme is free to attend, and places are limited.

Register Now

There are two ways to register. Either email one of the Entrepreneurs in Residence as listed above or follow the simple instructions below (this takes 3 minutes) and we will be in touch:

Go to https://smallbusinesscharter.org/sblp-registration/

Choose either North West (for 13th January start) OR West Midlands (for 12th January start) from the pink vertical menu on the left.

Scroll through the list of centres until you find Staffordshire University and the date you prefer & click register. There are some screen grabs in the document below if you need them

PLEASE NOTE: Your business can send up to two eligible delegates to this programme. Simply apply for each person.

Need help with Digital Marketing in 2021? Opportunities from Staffordshire Business School

The pandemic has illustrated how important a good website, good ecomerce offer and good social media are to business. Those that already had these established have been able to keep taking orders and in many cases to pivot their business.

We are now offering again the opportunity for a student placement to assist you with your digital marketing needs. Have a look here at projects completed in 2020 to get an idea of what is possible.

To get our Masters students ready for the industry we have two modules:

  1. ‘The Management of a Digital Marketing Project’ – this module will prepare a tri-partite agreement between the student, the academic staff and the organisation as to the focus of the project, existing benchmark measures, what is to be achieved and how to make the project sustainable (so that it can continue after the student leaves). This is carried out between January to March/April
  2. The Work Based Digital Marketing Project – a credit work experience (450 hours) to deliver the project with the organisation concerned. (April to August)

The project can be in any type of organisation e.g. private sector, public sector, charity or a university. It is essential for the work project activity to take place at the premises – many of the projects have been remotely delivered due to COVID.

We have built in flexibility to the work-placement so it could be that you would like a portfolio of tasks to be completed rather than just one main project. Examples could be – creation of a digital marketing strategy, audit and re-launch of social media, budget and investment plan for marketing, devising and implementing a training plan for existing staff.

Below are some of the current students – either reach out to them directly or contact jon.fairburn@staffs.ac.uk

Jessica Bell

Jessica Bell
Jessica Bell – Ideally, I would like a placement within events or tourism, but I’m very flexible and I am open to offers.

I recently completed my bachelors degree in Tourism Management, in which I obtained a First Class honours. I am now studying a masters degree in Digital Marketing.

I am extremely enthusiastic about travelling and understanding different cultures around the world. I decided to take an internship during my gap year where I worked in a prestige country club in South Florida for 7 months and later I worked in a country club in Connecticut for the remaining 5 months. After I completed my degree my manager in Connecticut asked me to go back to work for them for another year in 2019. During my time in America I worked in the front of house as a bartender and server, I worked events, worked on the reception and worked in the office helping to plan events and create content for the clubs website. Aside from working in America, I also have voluntary experience working for the Stone Food and Drink Festival 2018, as well as becoming a student representative for my course. 

During my time at university I worked with a number of different softwares including SPSS, Excel, PowerPoint and I also obtained a Microsoft Office Specialist for Word in 2019. I also have experience working with small social media advertising campaigns to build a brand image

Overall I am strong team player, I have good work ethics and I’m a fast learner that can work independently as well as in a team if needed. Ideally, I would like a placement within events or tourism, but I’m very flexible and I am open to offers.

Further contact details can be found from my LinkedIn profile or email jessica.bell9107@gmail.com

Paige Sinclair

Paige Sinclair
Paige Sinclair

I have recently graduated with a 2:1 in BA (Hons.) Event Management. Previous to that I completed a National Vocational Qualification level 3 in Hospitality supervisor and leadership at Cardiff.

I am currently working as a team member at Staffordshire University Student Union bar. For my volunteer work, I had experience working with Channel 4 and at the Stone Food and Drink Festival.

Before this, I helped out at events that were hosted by the college which includes the chef forum and local MP conference, and at a hospitality competition. The skills that I have are customer service, good at solving problems, have a positive attutude to everything I do, good communication both written and oral, time-management, reliable, and confident talking to new people. I also have computer skills that include Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and confident in using social media. Additionally, I am opened minded and can adapt to new environments as well as willing to learn new things.

Linkedin here or email at paigesinclair97@hotmail.com

Verity Adams

Verity Adams
Verity Adams

In 2018 I graduated with a BSc (Hons) degree in Computer Science at Keele University. Whilst undertaking my degree, I worked as an IT Intern for a houseware distribution company. After graduation, I started working as a Junior Graphic Designer for Dee Set, a company that focuses on driving growth, market share and ROI to a large range of clients, such as ASDA, Tesco and Wilkinsons. I then quickly progressed into a more senior Graphic Designer role within a Digital Marketing company, BWAR Ltd. I opened my own Digital Marketing business ‘Yello Dog’ in December 2019. To assist me with running my business and further my knowledge and experience of Digital Marketing, I decided to apply for a MSc Digital Marketing Management Degree at Staffordshire University.

My work experience and qualifications have provided me with an extensive and broad skillset. My Computer Science degree has enabled me to understand the technicalities associated with building websites, computer software and assist with many digital trends of today. My role as a Graphic Designer has provided me with an understanding of brand identity, digital marketing and social media. Owning my own business has given me the opportunity to obtain and work with my own clients, identify ways of marketing my own business and manage my own projects and deadlines.

Linkedin profile and email me verity@yellodog.co.uk

Sruthy AB

Sruthy AB
Sruthy AB

I have graduated with 1st class BSc (Hons) Computer Science and 1st class MBA (Post-grad) degree in HRM and marketing specializations. Due to my keen interest and evolving technologies in Digital marketing and its immediate growth in a new dimension, I am pursuing my 2nd Master in digital marketing management with Staffordshire University.

I have  gained eight years of corporate experience internationally  with leading IT companies from leading markets such as Asia (India), Middle East (Dubai) and Europe (UK ) with wide range of expertise in the field of business technologies management, solutions automation (such as ERP/CRM/ED-Tech/E-learning solutions), SAAS model implementation, digital marketing management & content creation, performance analysis, brand management, SEO and corporate website management including email & online marketing, PR & CSR activities promotion and media management etc.

I am currently looking for a project with a reputed organisation that challenges me with my expertise & skills to excel in my career and helps me to gain further experience in digital marketing & management. Moreover, being multilinguistic I am always a great team player and I want to help organizations to grow in the new dimensions of digital marketing and experience its potential. Ideally, I would like a placement within IT sector, but would not mind if it’s an exceptional offer from other fields. Contact information – Sruthy AB | LinkedIn /Email Sruthyab@gmail.com

Sandra Decowska

Sandra Decowska
Sandra Decowska – bilingual in English and Polish

I have graduated with a BA (Hons) in Tourism Management at Staffordshire University with Upper Second (2:1) and I am now studying an MSc in Digital Marketing Management.

Bi-lingual – fluent in both Polish and English.

Recently, I have experience working as a Planning Distributor at TK Maxx Newcastle-under-Lyme. In this role I am working closely with the planning and distribution team. This role is office based within a very busy, fast-paced environment.

This has taught me a lot of transferable skills such as computing skills, implementation new team strategies, efficiently manage the office duties, dealing with administration, customers and suppliers.

My ideal placement if possible would be within the events, tourism or hospitality industry. However, I am willing to try anything new that may broaden my knowledge and skills.

If you would like to contact me, my details are:

Linkedin or email me sdec2977@gmail.com

Arnold Tembo

Arnold Tembo
Arnold Tembo

I have recently graduated with​ a BA (Hons) in Business Management. Having grown up in a small family business which sold food and beverages, I have been able to gain insider knowledge of how to run a business successfully. When studying Business Management at university I successfully created a business from scratch working within a small team.


I have previously worked as a Healthcare Assistant and much recently as a Call Handler at an urgent care centre. By working in these positions, I have learned to become a more compassionate person, as I show more kindness and empathy towards other people in my daily life.

I have a passion for Digital Marketing that is why I am pursuing a master’s degree in Digital Marketing Management. The master’s course has taught me how digital marketing strategies can be applied to a business and given me extensive knowledge on different marketing tools. For the last year I have been running a blog on Instagram and WordPress. This experience has made me efficient in creating content that connects with diverse audiences and have gained solid understanding of different media platforms.

I am a highly creative individual on the other hand I am extremely analytical, what separates me from a lot of people is my enormous desire to learn. I am looking for a placement in an organisation that will help me gain further experience and knowledge in Digital Marketing. If you would like to contact me, email me at : tembo.aj@outlook.com

If you wish to take a look at my blog, you can find It on Instagram: arnoldwrites_blog or if you want to take a look at my blog on WordPress: ARNOLD WRITES – BLOG (wordpress.com)

Niamh Beer

Nimah Beer
Niamh Beer – runs her own Etsy shop

I have a BA (Hons) English Literature (2-year fast track) where for my placement I worked with my own small Etsy Business and focused on the importance of Social Media in the online marketplace. Creating my Etsy shop enabled me to learn about SEO as well as the use of their marketing services as well as those which are provided by different social media platforms.

 My interest in the sector is within social media as I feel like I understand it well and have been a user for more than a decade. I have used my knowledge of Social Media to run a Twitter account for a small business a family member was starting and help with brand building. This was great experience for me as I was able to learn what went well and what could be improved on. I currently am applying the skills I am learning in my Digital Marketing Management MSc to my own Etsy shop which has seen great improvement. I am experienced in using analytics as well as identifying different demographics, I also have the ability to create Marketing Communications Plans and Global Digital Marketing strategies.

I am a quick learner and am always enthused to learn more in order to further my career. I am looking for a placement which can enable me to enhance my skills and can challenge me. Email me b010250h@student.staffs.ac.uk

Jack Dutton

Jack Dutton
Jack Dutton experienced in film and video

I currently have a BA Experimental Film Production (First class). My experience ranges from volunteer to paid work, as well for my own interest. My main skills lie in social media and videography, which I have an extensive knowledge of. I have a range of experience creating content whether it is for business or different groups. Primarily this is promotional materials, such as logos, business cards, and videos such as trailers or adverts.

I have a keen interest in Digital Marketing, specifically around content curation and social media management. I am currently undertaking an MSc in Digital Marketing Management. Before starting my course, I have worked with Staffordshire University to introduce prospective students to camera equipment and walkthrough the film courses at the university. In addition, I have worked with Stoke Council to go into schools to deliver presentations around anti-smoking, and then work with groups of students to produce these anti-smoking messages into short films. I also currently hold an FLT licence which I gained whilst working at B&Q .

At present I am looking for a project or work placement that helps me further my experience in digital marketing, in order to develop my skills and pursue a career in the future within the industry.

Contact information: – Email: jackadamdutton@gmail.com

James Gooch

James Gooch
James Gooch lots of expertise in sound production

I have recently completed my BSc (Hons) Sound Design in which I obtained a 2:1, this focussed on sound for visual media. I strengthened my skills in digital media, including sound for film, TV and games using tools such as Logic Pro X (Certified Pro), Pro tools ultimate and Adobe Audition and Premiere. I comprehensively studied music production and technology including use of industry standard hardware. Within this time I also improved my skills using Adobe Photoshop and completed my certification as an associate in visual design. I also obtained experience within Microsoft Office, namely Word, PowerPoint and Excel. I also have a lot of experience with virtual meeting rooms such as Microsoft teams.

Within my pursuit of an MSc in Digital Marketing Management I have gained skills and knowledge of content marketing, marketing strategy and planning, SEO, email marketing and social media marketing. I would love to further my experience in all of these aspects of digital marketing specifically SEM gaining hands on experience with PPC and other digital marketing tools.

I have recently been successful acquiring a digital marketing role within a B2B company in which I can further my knowledge and experience in social media, content curation/creation, SEO, website management, visual design and analytics. Within this role I am gaining experience with tools such as Zoho, WordPress and Google analytics.

My experience mostly consists of customer facing roles, this includes seasons abroad with PGL Travel in Spain and France, Customer team member at Coop (ongoing) as well Student Ambassador for Staffordshire University advocating the university on open days as well as with the Unibuddy chat service (ongoing).

Don’t hesitate to connect with me on my LinkedIn

If you would like to discuss how we can benefit each-other please contact me: Gooch.James@hotmail.co.uk

Top 3 Leadership behaviours to survive the Pandemic!

by Vanessa Oakes, Course Director at Staffordshire Business School

Vanessa also delivers on the Small Business Leadership Programme

Leadership theory identifies a vast range of styles and behaviours to emulate and develop, most with their own sets of advantages and disadvantages. This blog identifies three of the most useful behaviours to help you and your business survive and thrive, through the pandemic and beyond:

Leadership behaviour that develops resilience – Ensuring continued business success means that you and your staff will require a level of resilience in the face of significant change.

Resilience means more than just bouncing back to what was once ‘normal’, it requires fostering an atmosphere of support for those who are struggling to cope, talking with staff about the changes they are facing now and those that will come and encouraging an atmosphere of adaptation and innovation so that staff feel a part of the changes around them.  Most importantly, developing resilience is not just about how you weather the storm but how you harness it to improve your business for the future. For free webinars on developing resilience in yourself and your team, visit here

Leadership behaviour that exhibits trustAs organisations move towards more flexible forms of work in order to get the job done, resist the temptation to implement strict monitors and controls around new ways of working that communicate to your staff that they are no longer trusted to do their jobs well. During lockdown, your most valuable assets have found a way to work for you, in the face of childcare, caring or other personal hardships. Now is the time to communicate that you still trust them. If you feel you need to keep up to date with what they are doing, ask them for regular updates via email or virtually. If you feel that you need metrics for your own peace of mind, consider how you identify and develop them, and try to do it as openly as possible. Read more here

Leadership behaviour that builds loyalty – Once the impact of the pandemic lessens and a level of normality starts to return, labour markets will open as recruitment starts to rise once again. Staff will have more choice over where they work and how they work. Do you want to retain the staff that have seen your business through this crisis? Then it’s important to start thinking about how you will retain them over the next 2-4 years. This ManpowerGroup Webinar (on demand) identifies several recruitment and retention priorities to focus on as your business begins to re-focus

Contrary to the beliefs of the layman, Leadership is not a dark art or a skill that only certain individuals are born with. It is something that, once recognised, can be developed, honed and put to good use to improve organisational performance without the need for new products, new services or restructures. Effective leadership harnesses your organisations greatest asset, it’s people, and allows them to flourish for the benefit of the organisation.

If you would like more free training in this area then have a look at the Small Business Leadership Programme

The Small Business Leadership Programme is provided by Staffordshire Business School and is fully funded (free). Participants will develop strategic leadership skills and the confidence to boost business performance.

The course lasts ten weeks and the next two cohort start dates are

West Midlands 12th January  3.00-4.30pm

North West 13th January  3.00-4.30 pm

Register here https://smallbusinesscharter.org/sblp-registration

For more details see the website https://smallbusinesscharter.org/small-business-leadership-programme/

Contact Kat Mitchell if you would like a chat Kathryn.Mitchell@staffs.ac.uk

Small Business Leadership Programme – upcoming events

Have a chat with the team and find out about the course

30th September 4.00 – 4.30 interested in finding out about the course? Come and meet some of the team for a quick chat – Sign up here eventbrite link

Jonathan Westlake, Jane Pallister and Emily Whitehead ar ethree of our Entrepreneurs in Residence
Jonathan Westlake, Jane Pallister and Emily Whitehead are three of our Entrepreneurs in Residence

If you want to register for the Small Business leadership Programme sign up here http://smallbusinesscharter.org/small-business-leadership-programme/

For those enrolled on the course

Tuesday 6th October 3.00 – 3.30 Onboarding for those registered for the course – we will send you a meeting invite

Weds 7th October 4.00 – 4.30 – this is a back up event for anyone unable to make the event on Tuesday

Tuesday 13th October 3.00 – 4.30 Start of the course – we will send you a meeting invite

About the programme

The Small Business Leadership Programme supports senior leaders to enhance their business’s resilience and recovery from the impact of COVID-19. It helps small and medium-sized businesses to develop their potential for future growth and productivity.

Participants will develop strategic leadership skills and the confidence to make informed decisions to boost business performance.

The fully-funded 10 week programme will be delivered online by small business and enterprise experts from world-leading business schools.

The Small Business Leadership Programme is being delivered by a consortium of business schools accredited by the Small Business Charter (SBC), and supported by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.

Digital marketing students deliver for business

The MSc in Digital Marketing Management was developed to deliver the technical, strategic and organisation skills for this industry. As such the course includes a substantial project with an external client and this work is credited as part of the award. Carrying out a project at the height of the pandemic was even more challenging than usual with everything needing to be done remotely and ongoing changes to adapt to the new situation – so Congratulations to the students below for these excellent projects.

If you are interested in enrolling for this September we are putting on virtual course information events – 3.00-4.00pm 1st September register here or
3.00 – 4.00pm 10th September register here

Eerik Beeton carried out a project for The Waterfront Gallery, in Milford Haven, West Wales. This has involved developing the ecommerce offer on the website, creating social media channels Facebook, Instagram and helping to recruit volunteers for the gallery.

Eerik Beeton who carried out a project at the Waterfront Gallery in  Milford haven, Pembrokeshire
Eerik Beeton who carried out a project at the Waterfront Gallery in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire

Charlotte Cunningham created a completely new website for Simply Hygiene which is already on the first page of google search due to excellent SEO optimisation. She has also started her own digital marketing company, Sharkey’s Digital Marketing and has also accepted a position as the Marketing Manager for The Aston Care Home group and The Learning College in Stone.

Charlotte has a new marketing job with the Aston Care group in Stone
Charlotte has a new marketing job with the Aston Care group in Stone

Craig Holdcroft carried out a project for the Donna Louise Trust developing the website and social media. He has also started his own marketing business, Holdcroft Digital Marketing while at Staffordshire University, completing projects for a number of Micro and SME’s.

Craig Holdcroft
Craig Holdcroft is running his own agency and part-time lecturing for business and marketing.

Grace Thomson started a student peer blog for the Staffordshire University Careers Studio and this has now been incorporated into the main careers website for the University. The project included providing guidance and training for students across the different faculties in blog writing and social media. The blog has already achieved 23,000 reads in the short time it has been up.

Grace Thomson
Grace Thomson

Amber Mottershead carried out her project for Stone Cricket Club providing a new website and turbo charging the social media channels on twitter, instagram and facebook. She now has a new job as marketing and events executive at The Retrofit Academy

Amber is now the marketing and events executive for the Retrofit group
Amber is now the marketing and events executive for the Retrofit group

Here’s a short film

If you want to find out more about the course please contact

Paul Dobson (Course leader) or Kat Mitchell or Jon Fairburn

Sign up to our virtual course information event here – 3.00-4.00pm 1st September register here or 3.00 – 4.00pm 10th September register here

New book chapter on Silver Entrepreneurs

Head of School Hazel Squire has a chapter on Silver Entrepreneurs in a new book entitled Entrepreneurshp Education: A Lifelong Learning Approach edited by Sukanlaya Sawang and published by Springer.

Book cover of Entrpreneurship Education
The book explores how entrepreneruship education can be embedded throughout the learner’s lifetime.

Silver workers (entrepreneurs over 50) represent between 26 – 34% of new start ups in developed countries. This chapter discusses the specific barriers they face when considering or setting up a new business venture. The chapter also identifies policy interventions that may help to reduce some of these barriers.

The research draws on the EU Erasmus project Silver Workers which worked across five European countries (Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Spain and the UK) to develop an online set of resources and a series of workshops to assist people in the entrepreneurship process.

Hazel Squire with her new book chapter on Silver Entrepreneurs
Hazel Squire with her new book chapter on Silver Entrepreneurs

Some of the businesses that were set up or assisted locally include:

Chapter reference – Squire H (2020) Understanding the barriers faced by older entrepreneurs: A case study of a ‘Silver Workers’ project pp 123 – 144 in Entrepreneurship Education: A lifelong Learning Approach (ed Sawang). Springer

Resources

Hazel can be contacted at h.squire@staffs.ac.uk or you can follow her on twitter @HazelSquire

Environmental health inequalities research – assessment report, systematic reviews and a resource package for the WHO European Region

By Jon Fairburn, Professor of Sustainable Development @ProfJonFairburn

I have been working with the World Health Organization for 10 years on the topics of environmental health inequalities and environmental justice. 2019 saw the culmination of a body of work that was started as a result of the Sixth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health (also known as the Ostrava Declaration) in 2017. Anyone working in this topic area should have a good read of that document!

The Ostrava Declaration was signed by governments and commits them to a series of actions including:

“to consider equity, social inclusion and gender equality in our policies on the environment and health, also with respect to access to natural resources and to the benefits of ecosystems”;

“improving indoor and outdoor air quality for all, as one of the most important environmental risk factors in the Region, through actions to meet the values of the WHO air quality guidelines in a continuous process of improvement”;

“to actively support open, transparent and relevant research on established and emerging environment and health risks in order to strengthen the evidence-base to guide policy-making and preventative action.”

As such the WHO has co-ordinated a range of experts to meet and support the above commitments.

Firstly, a major report has been produced WHO (2019) Environmental Health Inequalities. Second Assessment Report and there is also a supplementary report providing country profiles

Environmental Heall Ineqaulities in Europe: Second Assessment Report
Environmental Health Inequalities in Europe: Second Assessment Report

Systematic Reviews

Teams of international experts were asked to carry out systematic reviews on a number of themes. Working with a team of colleagues in Germany we looked at air quality and social inequalities in the region.

Main findings of the systematic review into air quality

This systematic review has been published, it was pre-registered on PROSPERO, and uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses: The PRISMA Statement

There is good evidence from ecological studies that higher deprivation indices and low economic position are usually linked with higher levels of pollutants such as particulate matter (particulate matter under 2.5 and 10 microns in diameter, PM2.5, PM10) and oxides of nitrogen (e.g., NO2, and NOx). There is also evidence that ethnic minorities experience a mixed exposure in comparison to the majority population being sometimes higher and sometimes lower depending on the ethnic minority under consideration. The studies using data at the individual level in this review are mainly focused on pregnant women or new mothers, in these studies deprivation and ethnicity are more likely to be linked to higher exposures of poor air quality. Therefore, there is evidence in this review that the burden of higher pollutants falls disproportionally on different social groups.

Here is a short film about the paper

References – open access and free

Fairburn, J.; Schüle, S.A.; Dreger, S.; Karla Hilz, L.; Bolte, G. Social Inequalities in Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution: A Systematic Review in the WHO European Region. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health201916, 3127. htt://mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/17/3127

Other systematic reviews in the series

The other four systematic reviews in the series are available open access:

Schüle, S.A.; Hilz, L.K.; Dreger, S.; Bolte, G. Social Inequalities in Environmental Resources of Green and Blue Spaces: A Review of Evidence in the WHO European Region. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 201916, 1216.

Dreger, S.; Schüle, S.A.; Hilz, L.K.; Bolte, G. Social Inequalities in Environmental Noise Exposure: A Review of Evidence in the WHO European RegionInt. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 201916, 1011.

Pasetto, R.; Mattioli, B.; Marsili, D. Environmental Justice in Industrially Contaminated Sites. A Review of Scientific Evidence in the WHO European RegionInt. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 201916, 998.

Sengoelge, M.; Leithaus, M.; Braubach, M.; Laflamme, L. Are There Changes in Inequalities in Injuries? A Review of Evidence in the WHO European Region. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 201916, 653.

The final output from this collaboration has been this document.

Environmental health inequalities resource package: A tool for understanding and reducing inequalities in environmental risk

The resource package explains key concepts and terms associated with the concept of environmental health inequalities and aims to support actions against disparities in exposure to environmental risk at the national and subnational level. The document presents methods for monitoring and assessment and suggests ways to use this evidence for action. It also provides information on a range of tools and guidance documents for those tackling environmental inequalities and striving to improve health and health equity.

About the author

I have been working in the area of environmental inequalities/environmental justice for over 20 years. If you are interested in this subject you can also follow me on twitter @ProfJonFairburn where I also maintain a specific air quality list. You can find my other publications in this area on our eprints system and on my google scholar profile.

Support for micro & SME’s businesses: Survive and Thrive

Project leads: e:Prof Jon Fairburn @ProfjonFairburn and e:Kat Taylor @KatTayloruk

There are two parts to the Survive and Thrive project – a series of webinars and 1 to 1 business support. This project aims to support businesses in Staffordshire and the surrounding regions.

The webinars are designed to be interactive and resources to download during the webinars will be made available, as well as examples and the opportunity for chat and questions. If you are unable to attend the webinar then you can watch a recording.

Several of the webinars link to each other and we would encourage you to sign up for all of the webinars.

Practical Hints and Tips for Small and Micro-businesses occurred on Staffordshire Day (May 1st)Recording here

How to critically assess your business operation and ask really good questions in light of Covid 19 – 2pm May 21st Recording here

How to Create Clear Messaging & Develop Customer Relationships Online – 2pm May 28th Recording here

Strengthening your business and its future prospects: adapting your operations and supply chain management 2pm June 4th Recording here

Are you in the right place? How to connect to the right audience & analyse your performance 2pm June 11th Recording here

E-commerce 1: A fun, no techno-babble guide to having a go with electronic commerce! 2pm 18th June Awaiting editing

E-commerce 2:  A detailed navigation of the e-commerce strategy template introduced in the E-Commerce 1 webinar 2pm June 25th Recording here

How to manage your staff and their wellbeing out of the lockdown and beyond 2pm July 2nd Recording here

Introduction to advanced operations for key social media platforms 2pm July 7th Recording here

How to develop & integrate email marketing into your business 2pm July 9th Recording here

Managing change, risk and longevity – what does the future hold? 2pm July 16th

Register here

Applications for FREE 1 to 1 business support are NOW CLOSED (All businesses that are due to receive help have been contacted).

CONTACT INFO Prof Jon Fairburn or Kat Taylor

#SurviveandThrive #Staffordshire #Staffsbiz #Businesstips

MSc Digital Marketing Management students preparing for placement and connecting with the region

When we started the MSc in Digital Marketing Management (FT and PT available), we were determined that students would get credited work experience working with partners. To set up the placement there is a whole module dedicated to the preparation of the placement (which is three months long). Details of when and how to get involved are on our earlier blog here.

Charlotte Cunningham is working with Valentine Clays in Fenton. The placement will be focusing on a strategic digital marketing plan and improving their SEO performance of their main website, along creating website content for their sub-companies LoveClay and Art in Clay.

Charlotte Cunningham
Charlotte Cunningham

Eerik Beeton will be completing his placement with a Staffordshire local IT Company, CoRE Educational Ltd. During his placement Eerik will improve the SEO performance of the company’s e-commerce site selling refurbished IT.

Eerik Beeton
Eerik Beeton

Lewis Copeland is working with Hilton Garden Inn in Hanley on behalf of RBH Hospitality Management. The placement is focussed on developing and implementing a strategic social media plan for the opening of the new hotel.

Charlotte Gooding will be completing her project placement with City Stage Crews Ltd. The project will focus on implementing a digital marketing strategy due to the business currently not having one including creating a website for the business.

Charlotte Gooding
Charlotte Gooding

Sohnia Butt will be undertaking a project at The Mitchell Arts Centre in Hanley, Stoke on Trent. The project will focus around the social media marketing, email marketing and website revamp to increase sales with their target audience

Sohnia Butt
Sohnia Butt

Amber Mottershead will be completing her placement in her current employment at Stone Cricket Club. The placement will focus on developing and implementing an improved digital marketing strategy. This will include building a new website, monitoring the Google Analytics, developing a clear and consistent brand identity and managing multiple social media channels.

Grace Thomson will be completing her placement with Staffordshire University in the Careers Team. Grace is focusing on implementing a social media strategy with an aim of increasing brand awareness. Grace is also working on increasing website traffic.

Grace Thomson
Grace Thomson

Leah Mahon will be completing her project placement at creative recruitment agency, The Candidate in Manchester. The project is focused on creating a content marketing/SEO and social media strategy to increase reach, particularly with client audiences.

Leah Mahon
Leah Mahon

Daniel O’Sullivan is now working for Port Vale Football Club he will be developing the strategic direction of the markerting plan.

Craig Holdcroft, will be completing his placement with The Donna Louise Trust, a charitable organisation located in Stoke On Trent. The initial plan will be to extend the digital reach of the charity with the aim to grow followers and charity engagement within the Staffordshire and South Cheshire area. 

Craig Holdcroft who will be working with the Donna Louise Trust
Craig Holdcroft




Keair Bailey will be developing the website and social media content for PeakMyRun

Jordan Hubble will be working with the Staffordshire University Student Union

Sophie Lawrence is working with Stoke City Football Club. The placement will entail content creation and SEO to display the impact and raise awareness of the Premier League Primary Stars Project.

More to be added as the placements are confirmed.

All of these students and course tutors Prof Jon Fairburn @ProfJonFairburn and Kat Taylor @kattayloruk will be attending the Digital City Festival in Manchester on Thursday 12th March if anyone wants to connect there.
#DCF2020

Need help with Digital Marketing in 2020?

The MSc in Digital Marketing Management is one of our awards to meet the changing demands of industry. Marketing is going through a fundamental change with ever more marketing carried out online – a major consequence of this is the incredibly detailed data that is generated which leads to data driven policy.

The marketing industry is booming, examples from our partners include, Synectics Solutions in Newcastle under Lyme, Don’t Panic who organise many digital award nights and conferences or alumni who have set up businesses such as Jill Quick, or Louise Holland

To get our Masters students ready for the industry we have two modules:

  1. ‘The Management of a Digital Marketing Project’ – this module will prepare a tri-partite agreement between the student, the academic staff and the organisation as to the focus of the project, existing benchmark measures, what is to be achieved and how to make the project sustainable (so that it can continue after the student leaves). This is carried out between January to March/April
  2. The Work Based Digital Marketing Project – a credit work experience (450 hours) to deliver the project with the organisation concerned. (April to August)

The project can be in any type of organisation e.g. private sector, public sector, charity or a university. It is desirable but not essential for the work project activity to take place at the premises, or it could be a mix with some days in the company and some work off site.

We have built in flexibility to the work-placement so it could be that you would like a portfolio of tasks to be completed rather than just one main project. Examples could be – creation of a digital marketing strategy, audit and re-launch of social media, budget and investment plan for marketing, devising and implementing a training plan for existing staff.

As the module is part of the course then paid remuneration is not required. However, we would expect travel expenses and any other identified costs of the project to be paid – these can be discussed and agreed before the placement starts.

Below are profiles of some of the students on the course so reach out direct to them if you are interested or if you want to discuss it with a staff memebr contact Jon Fairburn 01782 294094 jon.fairburn@staffs.ac.uk

Alex Bedford

Alex Bedford
Alex Bedford

I have a lot of experience developing and leading teams to achieve results. This is proven through a history of achievement working with Active Lives Education, Cheshire Football Association, Birmingham County Football Association, Walsall Local Authority, Sported UK, Sports Across Staffordshire, and The Football Association.

I have a keen interest in Digital Marketing. I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Digital Marketing Management.  I have experience in creating and managing marketing and communication strategies and also have experience in website management, email and text marketing, social media management, content curation, and online paid advertising.

I currently run a business called Active Lives Education however am looking for a project that helps me gain further experience in digital marketing, to develop my skills and develop a career or business in this field.

Contact information – Linkedin profile email alex.bedford@activeliveseducation.co.uk mob 07468583274

Amber Mottershead

Amber Mottershead
Amber Mottershead

I hold a foundation degree of science in Film and Television Production and have recently graduated from my BA degree in Events Management (2 year fast track) which I gained a 2:1 in. I have a large work experience portfolio from volunteering to paid work. For 4 years I was a manager of a Children’s play centre then moving onto the cash manager of B&M. I now work as an Events Assistant at Moddershall Oaks. For my volunteer work I have experience of working for the likes of Channel 4, Woman of the Year and Stone Food and Drink Festival. I have also worked several corporate events such as the Hotel Marketing Conference and Land Rover.

I have skills within Web design, as well as using all social media platforms for brand building. I also have quite a good understanding with photoshop and other computer software that may be needed, I am a quick learner and can pick up things fairly quickly.

Ideally, I would like a placement within a sector that holds Events, but I would be open to offers. 

If you would like to follow my LinkedIn, this can be found at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-mottershead-ba48b1166/ or email me Amber1210@live.co.uk

Or if you’d like to have a look at some of my volunteer work you can find this on Instagram: @amottevents 

Lewis Copeland

Lewis Copeland
Lewis Copeland

I have recently graduated from my BA Events Management (2 Year Accelerated) in which I achieved a first-class honours. I have previous work experience as a bar supervisor for three years as well as voluntary work experience with Channel 4, The Stone Food and Drink Festival as well as being a student representative for my course.

I currently work for The Student Hub at Staffordshire University as a Digital Marketing Ambassador. In this role I manage multiple platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) as well as improving the overall engagement and reach of the platforms.

I am able to use social media platforms to build and uphold brand image. I have experience in using analytics to improve the reach of posts as well as identifying demographics which not be being reached and making steps to target them.

Ideally I would like a placement in tourism, events or hospitality but I am open to offers.

If you would like to connect with me, my LinkedIn is: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-copeland-10268515b/  or Email me at: lewis_copeland@hotmail.com

Sophie Lawrence

Sophie Lawrence
Sophie Lawrence

I have recently graduated with a First-Class BA (Hons) Degree in Events Management and have now started studying MSc Digital Marketing Management. I have a large work experience portfolio from both paid and volunteer work. I have been a chef for the past three years at The Orange Tree Bar and Grill, I also hold a range of customer service skills which I have been able to develop by working at a bar and on a hotel reception. To broaden by experience in events management I have volunteered at numerous events such as Woman of the Year 2018, Stone Food and Drink Festival and The Royal Oak Gin festival.

I have skills in web design, brand building and analytics, I can also use all forms of social media and some computer software which may be required. I am a reliable team player who learns quickly, I enjoy expressing my creativity when carrying out jobs and ensuring all tasks are completed to the best of my ability.

If possible, I would like to find a placement within the events, tourism or hospitality sector although I am open to other opportunities.

Please find me on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-lawrence-05367414a/) or email me (sophielouiselawrence@gmail.com) if you are interested in my expertise.

Charlotte Gooding

Charlotte Gooding

I have recently graduated with a 2:1 in BA (Hons) Events Management and am now currently studying MSc Digital Marketing Management. I have a wide work experience portfolio varying from paid work to voluntary. Over the last three years I have been a bar staff member for Stonegate pubs working for Walkabout until it closed down in April this year and now Yates Newcastle-under-Lyme. Within my role at Yates I tend to work on the bar and occasionally the kitchen, but recently I have taken on the role to be more involved in the social media for the business. To help to widen my knowledge of events and volunteers I volunteered for the Stone Food and Drink Festival in 2017/18. 

My main stills revolve around social media and helping to design promotional material. I am a reliable person with work ethic and put all my effort into anything that I do.

My ideal placement if possible would be within the events, tourism or hospitality industry. However, I am willing to try anything new that may broaden my knowledge and skills 

Please find me on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-gooding-66867314a/) or email me (charlottegooding@live.co.uk) if you would like to contact me.

Aaron Shaw

Aaron Shaw

I recently graduated from Staffordshire University with a 2:1 BA (Hons) degree in Business management and I’m now studying an MSc in Digital Marketing Management. I am a team leader at the Staffordshire University Students’ Union. This role requires excellent communication skills, the ability to delegate tasks to the team I am managing and making sure the venue (LRV and Verve) is running as smoothly as possible. This has taught me a multitude of transferable skills within customer service as I have developed my interpersonal and leadership skills. This is reflected within my dedication to the Staffordshire Stallions American Football as a team player and a defensive captain.

I’m currently looking for a digital marketing placement for my work based digital marketing project. This will give me a chance to utilise the skills and knowledge that I have learnt within my masters and apply it to a professional environment. Any opportunity to be able to get this experience would enable me to further my employability.

My degree has given me an insight into a variety of different aspects within Business Management. This has given me fundamental knowledge on topics that also relate to the MSc in Digital Marketing Management. I have extended my academic skills and abilities by studying into a specialised area of Business.  An MSc has enabled me to have a greater understanding of analytics, search engine optimisation and the ability to design a global digital marketing strategy.

If you would like to contact me, my details are;

LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/aaron-shaw-ba20a3150

Email – aaronjamesshaw1994@hotmail.co.uk

Leah Mahon

Leah Mahon

I have graduated with a BA (Hons) Journalism and I am now studying my MSc in Digital Marketing Management. Throughout university, I worked as a venue member for Staffordshire University’s Student’s Union in front and back of house customer service roles and as a Student Ambassador. These roles have instilled me with strong interpersonal skills and self-organisation through working in these multifaceted positions.

I have experience working as a Trainee Journalist at The Sentinel newspaper and Staffs Live, where I was responsible for researching and writing feature and news content for print and online publication. I utilised my qualifications in Reporting and Shorthand at 100WPM from the National Council of Training for Journalists, ensuring accuracy and time management.

I am an experienced CRM Marketing Assistant, where I was responsible for curating content for email marketing campaigns and market research. Studying Digital Marketing has developed my knowledge within integral marketing theories, brand development and content curation/SEO. I am now implementing this in the creation of my own lifestyle blog, The Wordsmith.

I am interested in opportunities in the content marketing sector, and I am open to writing diverse content in an array of industries.

My contact details are:

LinkedIn   –    https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-mahon-b15627121/

Email       –    leah_mahon@outlook.com

Grace Hague

If you are a business owner and you are looking for a driven, creative and hardworking individual that has a keen interest in digital marketing, SEO and business development…then look no further!

I am currently looking for a placement within an organisation that will help me gain further knowledge and experience in the digital marketing field.

I have recently graduated from Staffordshire University with a 2:1 in Tourism Management. My main interests lie in SEO, content curation, analytics and brand building through social media.

I have consolidated experience working in fast-paced environments, working in a team, customer engagement and I have the desire to learn and help businesses grow!

So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch via LinkedIn or email!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-hague-12846b10a/

Email: Grace_Hague@mail.com