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Public Relations Team

Our Public Relations Team is at the centre of all activity here at ASCL and has the vital role of keeping all ASCL members up to date with the latest information. Be it through Leader magazine, social media, email newsletters, or via the media, you will have received some form of communication from the team.

Head of Public Relations Richard Bettsworth has been at ASCL for three years and handles our external relations, working with the national, regional and specialist media, writing press releases, articles and blogs, responding to enquiries on a range of subjects and setting up press and broadcast interviews. He was previously the editor of the Leicester Mercury, a regional daily newspaper serving the city and county, and prior to that deputy editor, and head of news. He also worked for ten years at another regional daily, the Portsmouth News, in roles that included political editor and defence correspondent.

Interesting fact: Richard is a keen runner and competes in local road-running and cross-country leagues. His proudest running achievement was completing the London Marathon in 2008 in a time of 2:56:14, and the Belvoir Half Marathon in 2010 in 1:18:56.

Publications Editor Permjit Mann has worked at ASCL for more than six years and is responsible for creating and editing Leader magazine, and all of the email newsletters that you receive. Prior to working at ASCL, Permjit worked for Leicestershire County Council’s Public Relations Unit for 14 years, where she was Media Officer responsible for key campaigns, including promoting the historic sites connected to King Richard III and publicising the county’s multi-million pound Building Schools for the Future (BSF) projects.

Interesting fact: As part of her role at the Council, Permjit attended many Royal visits to Leicestershire and she has met many members of the Royal family. On one occasion, she had to stand in front of Her Royal Highness Princess Anne to protect her derriere from being photographed by the media. The Princess had bent down to talk to a canoeist.

Online Editor Sally Jack has been in the PR team since July 2015. Her role involves managing the content of ASCL’s website, and editing guidance and information papers and other downloadable resources. Sally is also the face behind ASCL’s social media presence, responsible for ASCL’s tweets (and ‘live-tweeter’ at Annual Conference), Facebook posts and LinkedIn updates.

Prior to her role at ASCL, Sally worked at Leicester’s Women’s Aid charity, and completed a degree in creative writing and English language as a mature student (following her successful escape from a previous life in corporate banking).

Interesting fact: Sally loves theatre and is a critic for the British Theatre Guide, covering the East Midlands, and the Edinburgh Fringe when she can. She also co-founded Upstairs at the Western, Leicester’s first pub theatre.


Keep in touch with the PR Team

Follow ASCL (Sally) on Twitter at @ascl_uk or find us on Facebook, or LinkedIn, and if you have an interesting story you’d like to share in Leader, or that you wouldn’t mind sharing with the media, about yourself or your school or college, please get in touch with the team at leader@ascl.org.uk.

LEADING READING