Neil Anderson Media - Public relations

18/08/2026

It’s always good to see a heritage communications campaign translate into people actually coming through the doors.

There was a steady stream of visitors to Holy Trinity Church in Chesterfield for its latest George Stephenson open day, held to mark 178 years since the death of the “Father of Railways”.

Visitors explored the growing exhibition, saw artefacts connected with Stephenson’s remarkable story, visited his grave and got another look at the progress being made on the church’s new visitor facilities.

Neil Anderson Media has been supporting the communications around the project – helping shape the narrative, promote the events and tell the wider story of Holy Trinity’s transformation into a heritage destination celebrating Chesterfield’s railway and industrial history.

The project is supported by a £240,600 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with additional backing from EMR, CrossCountry Rail, the Raymond Ross Fund, Graysons Solicitors and Holy Trinity Church.





Thanks to National Lottery players.

18/08/2026

I’m increasingly being presented with press releases that clients have drafted using AI.

And why shouldn’t they?

Why pay someone to write 600 words when ChatGPT can produce something perfectly competent in ten seconds?

There’s just one problem.

If you use AI to do something you’re not an expert in, you often don’t have the expertise to spot the problems.

A press release can be beautifully written, grammatically perfect and contain every fact the client wants included – but still have virtually no chance of becoming a story.

Why? Because AI can’t read a newsroom or know the nuanced tastes of an individual journalist or media channel.

When I’m writing a release, I’m thinking about what will make a journalist stop scrolling. What the actual story is. What should be in paragraph one rather than paragraph five. What needs taking out. What their readers, listeners or viewers will care about. How much of the legwork can be done by an accompanying image or video clip.

And I’ll frequently produce different versions for different media.

A business title gets one angle. A local newspaper another. Radio needs something else again.

Sometimes I’ll change little more than the headline and opening sentence.

But after 30 years of doing this, I know those few words can be the difference between the front page and the recycle bin.

That’s the fascinating thing about AI.

The danger isn’t when it produces something terrible.

It’s when it produces something that looks perfectly good.

AI is an extraordinarily powerful tool in the hands of somebody who knows their subject. I use it myself.

But AI plus deep subject knowledge and AI without deep subject knowledge are two very different things.

So when a client jokingly suggests they’ve beaten me at my own game with their AI-generated press release, I’m not panicking just yet.

I just take a deep breath and start explaining what’s wrong with ‘their’ beautiful prose – without putting their nose out of joint.

For the moment, I’m pleased to report I still have a job.

Which is always a bonus.

15/08/2026

A fantastic result for the first-ever HeART of Ashgate.

The three-day event, sponsored by Graysons Solicitors, saw Ashgate Hospice and its gardens transformed into a showcase of art, creativity and community.

Visitors enjoyed paintings, photography, ceramics and mixed-media work alongside live entertainment, food, family activities and the popular sip-and-paint sessions.

The weekend also helped raise vital funds to support Ashgate Hospice’s specialist care for patients and their families across North Derbyshire.

Laura Cowan, Partner at Graysons Solicitors, said: “It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying the first HeART of Ashgate and supporting such an important local cause.”

Graysons has supported Ashgate over many years, including the hospice’s Dragonfly, Butterfly and Forget Me Not appeals and its recent Tree of Life initiative.

Delighted to have helped share the story of another successful partnership between two organisations doing so much in the local community.

Graysons Solicitors
Ashgate Hospice

12/08/2026

We’re delighted to welcome Cultura Creative to Neil Anderson Media.

Based in Sheffield’s Kelham Island, Cultura is a boutique, all-female creative technology company doing extraordinary work on the international stage.

In just three months, its specialist team coordinated the capture of more than 400,000 images across six countries and eleven cities, helping create representative visual datasets used to train artificial intelligence and machine learning systems.

And there’s a really important purpose behind the work.

Cultura is helping tackle bias in AI by ensuring the information used to train emerging technologies better reflects the diversity of the real world.

Our initial work will focus on raising Cultura’s profile across Sheffield and South Yorkshire, strengthening its connections within the region’s growing innovation community and helping tell what we believe is one of the most exciting business stories currently emerging from the city.

We’re incredibly excited to be part of the journey.

10/08/2026

THIS WEDNESDAY – discover the remarkable Chesterfield story of the “Father of Railways”.

Holy Trinity Church opens its doors this Wednesday, 12 August, for a special open day marking the 178th anniversary of the death of George Stephenson.

From 10am–4pm you can:

• Visit George Stephenson’s grave inside the church
• Explore the growing exhibition and information displays
• See artefacts connected with his life and industrial legacy
• See the progress being made on Holy Trinity’s new visitor facilities
• Enjoy tea, coffee and homemade cakes

George Stephenson changed the world – yet many people are still surprised to discover that his final resting place is right here in Chesterfield.

Admission is FREE and everyone is welcome.

Holy Trinity Church, Newbold Road, Chesterfield
Wednesday 12 August
10am–4pm

The event forms part of the wider Holy Trinity heritage project, supported by a £240,600 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with additional backing from EMR, CrossCountry Rail, the Raymond Ross Fund, Graysons Solicitors and Holy Trinity Church.

Thanks to National Lottery players.

Please share and help us spread the word.


Graysons Solicitors

10/08/2026

The final countdown to one of Sheffield’s biggest cultural weekends is officially under way.

Sheffield’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Andrew Sangar, and Lady Mayoress, Councillor Sue Alston, joined Peter Clark of Graysons Solicitors to help promote the return of Art in the Gardens.

Taking place at Sheffield Botanical Gardens on September 5th and 6th, the event will once again bring together hundreds of artists and makers for one of the UK’s largest outdoor art shows.

Visitors can expect everything from painting, sculpture, ceramics and photography to jewellery, textiles, live demonstrations and the popular Open Art Competition.

Graysons Solicitors returns as Premier Sponsor as part of its longstanding support for the event.

Art in the Gardens 2026 takes place at Sheffield Botanical Gardens on September 5th and 6th, with a special preview evening on September 4th.

www.graysons.co.uk

Graysons Solicitors

10/08/2026

Fantastic news for one of Sheffield’s most remarkable family stories.

Jon Pullins Amusements Sheffield Ltd have secured £120,248 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for The Showmen of Sheffield.

The ambitious 30-month project will celebrate eight generations of the Pullin family – one of Britain’s oldest travelling fairground families – and preserve an important but often overlooked part of Sheffield’s social history.

Alongside collecting memories, photographs and oral histories from Sheffield people, the project will restore two historic 1950s children’s rides and celebrate the specialist hand-painting and decorative skills associated with the traditional fairground.

The project will eventually produce exhibitions, a documentary, podcasts, school activities, a book and a dedicated Pullin Family Collection within the National Fairground and Circus Archive.

We couldn’t be more pleased to see this extraordinary piece of Sheffield history finally getting the recognition it deserves.



Thanks to National Lottery players.

05/08/2026

We are delighted to have helped spread the word about a brand-new celebration of art and creativity taking place at Ashgate Hospice this weekend.

Graysons Solicitors is sponsoring the first-ever HeART of Ashgate, which will see the hospice and its gardens transformed into a showcase of paintings, photography, ceramics and other work generously donated by artists and supporters.

The event opens on Friday evening and continues across Saturday and Sunday, with artwork for sale, entertainment, refreshments and activities for all the family.

Most importantly, every penny raised will go directly towards the care Ashgate provides for patients and families across North Derbyshire.

Graysons’ support continues the firm’s strong commitment to regional arts and cultural events, including its premier sponsorship of Sheffield’s Art in the Gardens.

* August 7th–9th
* Ashgate Hospice, Old Brampton
* £6 for adults; free for under-16s.

HeART of Ashgate tickets and further information are available from www.ashgatehospice.org.uk/heart-of-ashgate/

Join us in 2026 for HeART of Ashgate, an outdoor art exhibition in our hospice garden celebrating local creativity, inspiring stories, and the heart of our North Derbyshire community.

03/08/2026

Another heritage story I’m proud to be helping bring to a wider audience.

On Wednesday, 12 August, Holy Trinity Church in Chesterfield will hold a special open day marking the 178th anniversary of the death of George Stephenson - the “Father of Railways”, who is buried inside the church.

Visitors will be able to view his grave, explore the exhibition and artefacts, and see the continuing transformation of Holy Trinity into a heritage destination celebrating Chesterfield’s railway and industrial past.

This is exactly the kind of project Neil Anderson Media was created to support: shaping strong campaign narratives, turning local history into compelling stories and helping heritage organisations connect with new audiences.

The open day runs from 10am–4pm. Admission is free and refreshments will be available.


Thanks to National Lottery players.

21/07/2026

One of the Peak District’s best-loved traditions is returning this September.

Neil Anderson Media is delighted to be helping Graysons Solicitors spread the word about its renewed sponsorship of the Longshaw Sheepdog Trials.

First staged in 1898, the event is now preparing to celebrate its 128th year at the spectacular Longshaw Pastures, near Grindleford.

Taking place from Thursday 3rd to Saturday 5th September, the weekend will feature some of the country’s leading sheepdog handlers, the popular Longshaw Fell Race, trade and craft stalls, food, a licensed bar and plenty of family-friendly entertainment.

It is always a privilege to help tell the story of a business that continues to support the heritage and community of the area it serves.

More information: www.longshawsheepdog.co.uk

Graysons Solicitors