Transforming Lives Through Play

The Challenge

Every child has the right to play, and every family has the right to belong.

The Yard is not just a place for children to play freely, safely, and to be themselves. It’s an inclusive and welcoming community built on wider family support, an absolute lifeline.  With centres in Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow and Kirkcaldy, The Yard creates joy across Scotland but too many families continue to struggle, so The Yard is determined to do more.

To highlight the award-winning charity’s value and impact, The Yard relies on a steady stream of local and national press and media coverage to tell its story and those of the families at the heart of the service.

The Solution

I was appointed by The Yard on a retained basis in 2019, initially supporting a capital appeal for the Dundee service. While the appeal was paused during COVID-19, the scope of my work expanded to cover all of The Yard’s centres.

Working closely with senior leadership, I developed and delivered a proactive PR strategy to raise awareness of The Yard’s services, demonstrate impact and support organisational objectives.

A key element of my work was developing compelling case studies featuring children, young people and families. These stories became central to The Yard’s communications, supporting annual reports, funding applications, impact reports, digital content, social media campaigns and award entries.

Over seven years, I secured extensive regional and national media coverage by placing families’ experiences at the heart of the narrative. This included coverage of major milestones such as the opening of the Glasgow centre and the reopening of the refurbished Dundee centre in 2025, both of which attracted ministerial visits and significant media attention.

One of the most significant outcomes was my leadership of a high-profile campaign linked to Scottish Government funding for early intervention services. Centred on a Dunfermline family, the campaign generated widespread media and public engagement, contributing to nearly 2,000 petition signatures, a Scottish Parliament debate, and a visit by then-First Minister Humza Yousaf announcing continued funding of up to £2 million.

I also provided crisis communications support following a deliberate fire-raising attack on the Dundee centre, helping shift the narrative towards community resilience and supporting positive coverage of the refurbishment project.

Across my time with The Yard, I secured coverage in national, regional and specialist media, including the Daily Mail, The Scotsman, Daily Record, The Sunday Post, STV News, The Courier, Edinburgh Evening News, Children in Scotland, Third Force News, Dunfermline Press and Glasgow Times, as well as local radio.

The Impact

Beyond generating significant press and media coverage, our campaign also delivered tangible organisational benefits. Sustained visibility increased public awareness of The Yard’s services, resulting in new enquiries from families and helping more children and young people with additional support needs access the specialist support available to them.

We also strengthened The Yard’s reputation among policymakers, funders, partners and the wider public, positioning the organisation as a vital part of Scotland’s support ecosystem for children and young people with additional needs and their families.

A further outcome was the enhanced profile of The Yard’s Chief Executive, Celine Sinclair. Through strategic media engagement and thought leadership opportunities, I helped support her development as a recognised spokesperson on issues affecting families of children with additional needs. This increased visibility led to a number of high-profile opportunities, including fronting STV’s Children’s Appeal and appearing in the documentary It Takes a Village. Best of all, Celine’s significant contribution to the sector was subsequently recognised with an MBE in the 2026 New Year Honours List.