Ellen Manning / empr - freelance journalist & PR consultant

22/01/2025

A privilege to have helped highlight the work of the fab on Blue Monday, and a reminder that this stuff matters all year round. This little group that started in has now expanded into a registered charity with walks and meet-ups all over Warwickshire. So if you or anyone you know needs help, look them up. Big thanks to for helping to raise awareness.

21/01/2025

Is it too late for a Happy New Year?

Not entirely sure where January has gone, but safe to say it’s been a busy start straight in at the deep end with clients and my various different ‘hats’:-

:: Kicking off proactive PR with some new clients as well as my longstanding partnerships
:: Marking the assignments from last semester’s journalism lecturing at Birmingham City University - rounding off my first foray into academia
:: An early bit of crisis comms here and there
:: Planning and prep to deliver media training to MBA students at Nottingham University’s Business School
:: Chance pub meetings leading to new pitches

In between the usual journalism rollercoaster 🎢 and all the highs and lows life behind social media brings. Running a small business has in some ways never been harder, especially when you relocate five hours from where you set it up. But support often appears when you least expect it and from places you didn’t think you would, and for that I’ll always be eternally grateful.

Here’s to 2025 and everything it throws at us 🙌

#2025

31/12/2024

A few snapshots from a year of all sorts. Getting clients in the media - radio, TV, and all sorts. Working from everywhere. Building relationships with clients, getting new clients on board.
Presenting. Hosting. Planning, doing.
And none of it alone. Always thanks to other people. Without whom I’d be able to do nothing.

21/12/2024

The final flurry of meeting, stories and PR fun. Not quite the end of the year but as things wind down and clients wave goodbye until January it’s inevitable that you end up looking back at the year, and boy has it been a mad one. Ironic that given freelancing is such a rollercoaster at times, that my work has been the source of stability this year. Who knew 🤷‍♀️

13/12/2024

13/12/2024

What a glorious showcase of just a fraction of the great stuff Warwick has to offer. From history and culture to food and drink, family-friendly, dog-friendly, everyone-friendly. Such a joy to have helped with this in a tiny way, but props to Warwick Town Council for getting behind something so brilliant. I do really love my job.

12/12/2024

Each year I have a little Christmas do, which is basically me, Jamie and the dogs. We have a meal, toast the fact I survived another year running a small business, and wonder what the next year will hold.

Safe to say this year has been a rollercoaster. I thought running a business while prepping for a bodybuilding competition would be the biggest challenge but that was nothing compared to doing it while relocating to the other end of the country. But as usual, it taught me a tonne of stuff:-

:: Client relationships are so important - so when you do do something like decide to move 5 hours away, it becomes possible thanks to technology, a long-term relationship, and trust.

:: You never know what opportunities will come your way. Little did I know at the end of last year that I’d be lecturing in journalism as part of my work. Nor did I anticipate some of the great clients I’ve landed - and how great they’d be to work with.

:: Collaboration is key. And the best part of being freelance. I’ve always thought this but this year it really has come to the fore. I am so lucky to work with some amazing fellow freelancers, to know others, to be inspired by them, and to be able to lean on them.

:: Burnout is real. I’ve always been a 100mph kind of girl, but this year has tested me to the max and I reckon I’ve come pretty close to complete burnout. So project 2025 is to be mindful of that, to know when things are too much, and to make sure I don’t come this close again.

But despite all that - man has it been a great year. Bring in 2025, lets see what that holds 😻🎄

12/12/2024

I am far from responsible for much of the coverage these days - it’s mainly the handiwork of the amazing Paul Kirby of Octopus Public Relations (who is an utter machine and inspires me every day). But it’s a cause I’ll never not be part of and try to help spread the word about - even when the word we’re spreading is so utterly disappointing and depressing. Tool theft is so much more than just a few nicked bits of kit, it’s people’s whole livelihoods. And time we actually tackled it instead of shrugging our collective shoulders. Big thanks to PA and the Mirror for covering.

06/12/2024

It’s been a busy few weeks for writing. Nothing if not varied of late ….

03/12/2024

Some nice local stories coming out of Houlton from - from new What3Words signage for the community to a visit from MP John Slinger, sponsorship for the local school’s girls’ football team and more in the pipeline. Great to be working with the team as well as on all things Houlton 🙌

18/11/2024

Just to say a huge thanks to everyone who voted for me in The Small Business Awards West Midlands. I didn’t win but even to be shortlisted alongside these amazing businesses makes me so chuffed. And grateful to all you lovely peeps who voted and sent me lovely support. You’ll never know how much it means. Running a little business when it’s just you is an amazing experience, but bloody hard at times, and having people who get that, who ask how you are, check up on you, and back you, makes all the difference. So thanks 🙏❤️ And bravo to all those fab small businesses that smashed these awards - you bloody deserve it you heroes. 🤗🤩

10/11/2024

A privilege to have shared the ’s Remembrance poppies with local and regional media. Such a special place - not just historic buildings but a home for veterans, and has been for hundreds of years. Warwickshire is so lucky to have its very own home for heroes.

08/11/2024

04/11/2024

Interrupted moving house to test a non-electric slow cooker. Here’s what I found…

Created in 2008 by South African entrepreneur Sarah Collins, the Wonderbag ios becoming popular in the UK as people look for unique ways to slash their energy bills.

28/10/2024

Such a gorgeous review of a weekend break in Warwick from - wonderfully comprehensive and a real showcase of all the glories Warwick has to offer and the amazing members of . Head to her fabulous blog to read the full review.
town.council

15/10/2024

Another piece live today - yes, this is the kinda stuff I get up to in my free time….

Heinz has released a limited edition 'Upside Down' can, designed to make it easier to tip the whole contents out. But does this storage 'hack' really work?

14/10/2024

Latest feature for Telegraph Travel basically made me want to run off and live in the campervan 🙌

These young Britons, often inspired by social media, are giving up on ‘conventional’ life in favour of globetrotting on four wheels

10/10/2024

A busy few days with The Lord Leycester team helping spread the news about their latest arrivals. National coverage online and in print, radio stuff in the offing, and a kickstart in showing the world how fabulous this historic treasure is and what it does.