I was reading the latest story yesterday from the Campaign to Protect Rural England and it reminded me of how I once applied for a job as their regional press officer, but didn’t get it.
It was a part-time job which paid peanuts. The interview involved writing a test press release and being grilled by three officers who had travelled from London to Cambridgeshire.
After having my two lovely sons, it was always important for me to be a mum first, to try and find work which fitted around school hours. Believe me, they are few and far between.
So I was really keen to get this job and in the end it was between me and one other person, and they chose the other applicant because they felt I lacked formal campaigning experience, while I have always worked intuitively. What I didn’t lack, however, was imagination and creativity.
I was naturally disappointed because I felt it would have been a great organisation to work with as I share their concerns and beliefs about preserving our countryside.
However, I wasn’t without a job for long as within a week or so I was offered a press officer’s post with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Joint Waste Strategy to consult with the public and stakeholders on how the region’s household waste should be disposed of. This led to me later working as Press Officer for the Eastern Region Slim Your Bin campaign, which was hugely successful.
My boss on the Waste Strategy was a lovely man called Bernard. A month after I started working with him, I learnt that the CPRE and its then president, one of our greatest actresses Prunella Scales, would be visiting Ely, close to where I live. I was curious to know who had trumped me for the job, so I devised a plan to find out. I knew Prunella was keen on recycling and I called the CPRE to ask if Bernard and I could go to the Ely event and talk to Prunella about the region’s waste and recycling.
I dressed up to the nines in my new lilac suit and proudly took Bernard
along where I met up with one of the women who had interviewed me. She was stunned to see me there. Their new press officer was a wimpy looking guy with a limp handshake and, from memory, it wasn’t long before the job was readvertised.
Bernard and Prunella got along like a house on fire and I took some press photos for our campaign, which Prunella endorsed. Bernard was so thrilled, being an ardent admirer of hers, and he kept telling me his wife wouldn’t believe him. I later confided in Bernard the reason why I had planned the meeting, and he said he felt he got the best deal. We had lots of big smiles that day.
But here is what happened next, it was so amazing for me. Also during that week, Prunella was also appearing at the Cambridge Arts Theatre with her husband Timothy West, a huge, towering figure of a man. I had already bought tickets and she invited me to join her and her husband in their changing room afterwards for drinks, which I did. They were wonderful, so very sweet – "darling this", and "darling that" – so lovey dovey together, I will never forget their kindness.
A couple of weeks later I had another brainwave and asked Prunella if she would launch one of our Slim Your Bin recycling roadshows which she agreed to do, in the very unglamorous location of Tesco’s car park, Bar Hill. I have published a couple of the pics I took of her there, including one with a very chuffed Bernard. I had to liaise with the Tesco press office due to her advertising commitment with them, but they were very supportive and Prunella was magnificient. And all this cost us nothing, just a little imagination. And a bit of cheek!
I wonder if you have triumphed after losing a job you really wanted, if you turned it into something positive too.
My cloud certainly had a silver lining …..
Ah, now I understand your enigmatic optimism. May everything you touch turn to gold.
What a great story. I imagine they are very down-to-earth people.
So glad things worked out for the best in the end Ellee.
I saw Timothy West live in a play some years ago, in Leicester. I can;t remember what it was, but it was about Shostakovitch.
Great story! I had a proper job for about twenty years I was earning a huge six figure sum when I gave it up in 1989. I called my boss in NYC from my car phone while driving round the M.25 and said I wanted out. I had no job to go to and when I finally left the job about two or three months later it was with relief but also there was the feeling of what next. Since then I’ve had many of the most exciting, interesting and wonderful times of my life. Work does not define us, or it should not. It’s important to keep life in perspective and it’s clear that you have done just that Ellee.
Richard, I hope I am entering that second career phase you experienced in your life too – “exciting, interesting and wonderful”! They say the best things are worth waiting for. Lucky you, and brave you too.
I’d like to hang out with Prunella. I’m envious. Of course, she had the privilege of hanging out with you, so I’m envious of her in that regard.
It was their loss, Ellee!
a lovely story Ellee. Lucky you meeting Timothy W and Prunella – I’m a great fan of both.
Lovely story – says much about your pragmatic attitude and views on family life – not many of us around these days. I am appalled at how many children are expected to cope. Not the point of your story though! Well done you.
Good work Ellee. The CPRE were very short-sighted: imagine what a terrific blog you could have done for them.
WW, my door is still open, I would love to write a blog for them.
Hi Ellie – lovely story!
Like you I returned to p/t work after having my children and have done my best to choose projects that continue to allow me some balance.
I remember in the early days after starting my company, myself and a colleague went to see a public organisation who wanted someone to work on PR for them.
We were grilled by the team and came out hopeful after discussing media knowledge etc, the next day they rang and the lady said: “After the meeting we were convinced you were the team for us.”
I started to punch the air as my colleague started to smile at the good news as she looked at me.
But I had to stop “mid punch” as I was then told: “But I have slept on it and changed my mind.”
It was a real comedy moment and seemed to go into slow motion! I was gutted but am much thicker skinned these days.
All the best to you.
By the way Ellie, we have started to work with a women’s refuge, so am very excited about that.
Linda, what a huge disappointment for you too. But I’m glad, like me, your cloud had a silver lining.
Please do keep me posted on the women’s refuge, it sounds a great project for you.
I see you’ve been making quite a splash in the local press.
[…] and found that the ideas I came up with – including obtaining the endorsement of actress Prunella Scales and two Environment Secretaries – were very successful. Journalists are used to working with […]