NEWS FROM NPOWER

THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT, THE FUTURE’S GREEN
The planet’s in safe hands as children grasp energy issues


LONDON February 23RD, 2009 – Leading energy company npower is investing in the next generation of bright green hopes as it launches Little Green Fingers – a campaign to help primary school children learn about the potential of renewable energy through the science of gardening.

npower is offering 50 schools solar panelled greenhouses for schools keen to get green - and research shows children are eager to learn about the big eco issues of the day. When asked about their understanding on energy issues, savvy seven-year-olds revealed heartening responses: 98% of kids know they should always turn lights off and 93% have the ‘techno-how’ to take their computers off standby to save electricity.

But there is still more to learn, with the Government striving to hit 20% of UK power being generated by renewables by 2020, one third (31%) of the next generation of home owners don’t understand what the term ‘renewable energy’ means.

npower commissioned the research to launch Little Green Fingers, an inspiring initiative designed to help four to seven year-olds learn about natural and renewable energy through the science of gardening. The programme will award 50 schools an eco-friendly, solar heated greenhouse to highlight how the earth’s energy gives plants the power to grow. Schools and families across the UK will be able to benefit from engaging teaching resources and how to guides and watch video clips which will help to bring the power of the earth’s energy to life for children in a fun, hand on way.

Baby Brainboxes
• Almost 70% of children know that the sun and wind can make power – but they don’t know exactly how!
• Up to half (49.8%) understand that solar panels can collect energy from the sun and turn it into power
• 88% of kids know that wind turbines create power for our homes

Confused kids
• But kids don’t always get it right - one in ten even think energy makes them tired!

Former Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon, who launches the campaign for npower today, says: ‘Making science inspirational and getting to grips with natural and renewable energy has never been more pressing. That’s why I’m out in the garden for npower’s Little Green Fingers campaign to help under-7s learn about energy and growing in the way they learn best - hands on and hands dirty!’

To bring the learning of energy to life for the ‘little green fingers’ in your life, ask your child’s head teacher to enter the competition today by visiting www.npower.com/littlegreenfingers.

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For further information, images and interview requests please contact:
Frank PR: 020 7693 6995 or npower@frankpr.it




About Little Green Fingers
Little Green Fingers is an inspiring new project from npower which focuses on bringing the learning of energy to life for 4 – 7 year olds through the science of gardening.

npower is offering 50 schools from around the UK the opportunity to get growing in a full scale greenhouse – with a solar powered heating system - as part of the npower Brighter Futures programme. Should your group of Little Green Fingers be one of the lucky winners, npower will provide you with a free greenhouse complete with safety glass and gardening kit. Curriculum based resources, tailored lesson plans and fun tasks will be available online to demonstrate the power of the earth’s energy.

Find out more at www.npower.com/littlegreenfingers

About npower Brighter Futures
npower Brighter Futures, our education programme, aims to inspire young people from their first day at school to their first day at work.
We achieve this by:
• helping them to develop their skills and knowledge to make their own choices
• empowering them to achieve their vision of a ‘brighter future’ for themselves and for the environment

npower Brighter Futures brings under one umbrella npower’s education programmes – from primary schools through to universities.
Our programmes focus on either:
• environmental education – energy generation, energy efficiency, climate change and sustainability
• our commitment to increase the pool of young talent in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths; or
• meeting the recruitment challenges we face in the energy industry www.npowerbrighterfutures.com

About npower
• npower is one of the UK's largest electricity suppliers and has 6.6 million customer accounts across the UK
• npower sponsors the Test Match Series in England, Women's Test Series, the Twenty20 Cup and Village Cup.
• npower was recently awarded platinum status in Business in

NEWS FROM KITKAT

LATEST CRAZE IN JAPAN TO HIT THE UK
Human Vending Machines unveiled in the Capital

Japan has already got the world hooked on sushi, tamigotchis and karaoke and now Brits are set to be wowed with the latest craze – Human Vending Machines – being brought to the UK by Kit Kat®.

Rather than being victim to your favoured chocolate bar getting stuck in the mechanisms of a traditional vending machine; the Human Vending Machine is operated by an actual human ‘vendor’. The consumer will experience the speed and efficiency of a normal vending machine, with the added bonus of having a person to chat to and physically hand them their chocolate treat.

The innovative vending machine is part of the latest Kit Kat® ‘Working Like a Machine’ campaign, which plays off the idea that people are overwhelmed with the monotony of everyday life and so need to take a break. Consumers better just hope the ‘vendor’ isn’t having his very own break should they need a chocolate break of their own.

This latest craze is being launched in London Victoria National Rail station on Wednesday 17th February.

Beth Lyon, Kit Kat® brand manager says:
“We’re delighted to be the first to bring this craze over from Japan. It fits perfectly with our latest ad concept and highlights ‘Working Like a Machine’ in the literal sense, as well giving commuters a fun experience at the same time!”
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For further information or images please contact Frank PR on 0207 693 6999 or email kitkat@frankpr.it

Notes to editors
• KIT KAT® is the UK’s number 1 biscuit brand
• Total Kit Kat brand grew 10% in 2007, as more and more consumers enjoyed a KIT KAT break
• 37 KIT KAT® bars are eaten EVERY second!
• Four Finger KITKAT is designed for the classic 15 minute coffee break, two finger KITKAT for a family break and CHUNKY for a break on the go
• KIT KAT® was created in 1935 under the brand name “Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp”. It changed to KIT KAT® in 1937
SOURCE – Nestle Rowntree

NEWS FROM NPOWER

NPOWER IN POLE POSITION TO FIND TOMORROW’S FUTURE LEADERS
UK WIDE SEARCH FOR YOUNG ANTARCTIC EXPLORERS


LONDON February 19th, 2009 – As energy company npower sets out on its latest mission to explore the potential of renewable power in Antarctica, it launches a recruitment drive to find a team of intrepid youngsters who’ll set out on a mission to save the last great wilderness on earth.

The expedition, in winter 2010, will be lead by polar explorer Robert Swan OBE. As he embarks upon this year’s two week mission to Bellinghausen, Antarctica, Swan is joined by ten npower employees who, having completed a rigorous selection process, will leave their company call centres, power stations and offices across Britain for the trip of a life time.

Swan, aged 52, is a seasoned explorer having first docked on the Earth’s southernmost continent in 1984, and becoming the first man to walk to both the North and South poles in 1989. npower joined Swan’s Antarctic mission in 2008 when it equipped him with a wind turbine and solar panels, helping him also become the first person to live powered solely by renewable energy in the harshest environment on earth. Renewables experiments in Antarctica aim to prove the possibility of harnessing the elements to power homes and work places in more clement conditions.

Future Leaders has been developed by 2041 and npower to find the next generation of Robert Swans; young people with drive and passion, committed to learning about climate change and discovering new solutions to tackle its harmful effects. All 18-23 year olds nationwide are invited to put themselves forward as a potential Future Leader. Robert Swan and npower will select Future Leaders who will visit Antarctica in 2010 to see the effects of climate change at its raw edge and understand the potential of renewable power. Each Future Leader will be inspired to instigate climate awareness among their peers upon their return to the UK.

Robert Swan says, “Our aim is to find a group of passionate environmental advocates whose experiences in Antarctica will spur them to ignite climate change awareness among their peers. We’re looking for passionate young people who want to make a difference and who are excited by the potential of renewable energy to power our futures. Nowhere is environmental damage more evident than in Antarctica so by taking npower employees there in 2009, and the Future Leaders in 2010, I’m confident we can start to make a real change to the public perception of climate change and eventually see widespread use of renewable energy.”

To learn more about the 2041 – Future Leaders programme, and Robert’s latest visit to Antarctica, log on to www.npower.com/2041. Robert Swan and the npower team will host regular updates from his expedition from the e-base which is going live 365 this year, completely powered by renewable energy. The 2009 expedition departs Great Britain on February 24.

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For further information, images and interview requests please contact:
Frank PR: 020 7693 6995

About Future Leaders
Future Leaders is a programme within npower Brighter Futures that is aimed at 18 to 23 year olds. The aim is to find young people with drive and passion, committed to learning about climate change and discovering new solutions to tackle its harmful effects. All 18-23 year olds nationwide are invited to put themselves forward as a potential Future Leader. Through visiting Antarctica with Robert Swan in March 2010 and seeing the effects of climate change at its raw edge and understanding the potential of renewable power, each Future Leader will be inspired to instigate climate awareness among their peers upon their return to the UK.

About Brighter Futures
npower Brighter Futures, our education programme, aims to inspire young people from their first day at school to their first day at work.
We achieve this by:
• helping them to develop their skills and knowledge to make their own choices
• empowering them to achieve their vision of a ‘brighter future’ for themselves and for the environment

Npower Brighter Futures brings under one umbrella npower’s education programmes – from primary schools through to universities.
Our programmes focus on either:
• environmental education – energy generation, energy efficiency, climate change and sustainability
• our commitment to increase the pool of STEM talent; or
• meeting the recruitment challenges we face in the energy industry

About 2041
• 2041 is the year of the review of the Environmental Protocol of the Antarctic Treaty. Our aim is to work towards the protection of this treaty, so there is never a need to exploit the last great continent on Earth for minerals and fossil fuel.

About Robert Swan
• The 'English Al Gore', Robert Swan is a prominent environmental campaigner and polar explorer who has spent his life working towards preservation of the Antarctic wilderness and promoting recycling, renewable energy and sustainability to combat the effects of global warming
• In 1992, Robert spent 8 years in the Antarctic cleaning up over 1,500 tonnes of scrap metal on the Russian base. With the current Antarctic mining treaty terminating in 2041, Robert is calling for people to investigate renewable energy so that they can find alternatives so that the fragile polar environment is left unharmed
• Robert Swan has campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness about climate change, the future of Antarctica and the importance of renewable energy. From UN activities, Climate Summits, working with businesses like npower and even in primary schools, Robert takes every opportunity to build awareness and commitment to change

About npower
• npower is one of the UK's largest electricity suppliers and has 6.6 million customer accounts across the UK
• npower sponsors the Test Match Series in England, Women's Test Series, the Twenty20 Cup and Village Cup.
• npower was recently awarded platinum status in Business in the Community’s CR Index.

NEWS FROM FOXY BINGO

Strictly Come Dancing star invents her own ‘Foxtrot’

Kristina Rihanoff stars in new dance for Foxy Bingo and Comic Relief

Having previously taken news reporter John Sergeant through his paces, Strictly Come Dancing star Kristina Rihanoff has now gone a step further, this time with a dancing fox, as part of a new hilarious dance video for Red Nose Day.

Kristina, whose routines with Sergeant captured the nation’s hearts, has teamed up with Foxy, the cheeky mascot of Foxy Bingo for the hilarious video. In keeping with the Red Nose Day theme of ‘Do Something Funny for Money’, the clip teaches players the ‘Foxy Dance’ ahead of Foxy’s Red Nose Bingo game taking place live on Friday 13 March.

Foxy Bingo will be donating £1 to Comic Relief for every £1 bingo card purchased in a series of games over the next six weeks culminating in Foxy’s big £50,000 jackpot game.

The ‘Foxy Dance’ craze looks set to take the nation’s bingo players by storm as they are invited to shake their stuff ahead of the Red Nose game. The dance incorporates a number of fun, 70’s style dance moves set to energetic disco music. The dance aims get players excited about Red Nose Day and help to raise £150,000!
Blond bombshell Kristina says:

“I’m delighted to be working with Foxy and we had a great time creating our own unique ‘foxtrot’. Our dance is great fun and will also help you get fit in the comfort of your own home. I urge everyone to sign up for the Red Nose game on FoxyBingo.com and raise as much money as possible for Comic Relief.”

Kristina appears in the ‘Foxy Dance’ video ahead of ‘Foxy’s £50,000 Red Nose Bingo game on 13 March in support of Red Nose Day. For every £1 card bought, Foxy Bingo will donate £1 to Comic Relief to help give poor and disadvantaged people in the UK and Africa a helping hand to turn their lives around. To see Kristina and Foxy’s hilarious video, go to www.foxybingo.com

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For further information or imagery, please contact Frank PR on 020 7693 6999 or email foxy@frankpr,it


For more information on Red Nose Day:

Larissa Abl
l.abl@comicrelief.com
020 7840 2521

Notes to Editors

About Comic Relief

• Red Nose Day is coming on Friday 13 March 2009 and is going back to its roots, asking people to Do Something Funny for Money!
• The Red Nose Day fundraising kit includes loads of ideas to help you Do Something Funny for Money! Order your copy now at www.rednoseday.com
• To make a donation, call 03457 910910 (Calls to our new 0345 number will cost the same as calls to 01 and 02 prefixed numbers and will be included as part of any inclusive minutes or discount package)
• Comic Relief’s vision is to create a just world, free from poverty
• Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England / Wales); SC039730 (Scotland)
• Comic Relief spends all the money raised giving extremely poor and disadvantaged people in the UK and Africa a helping hand to turn their lives around

NEWS FROM TIME TO CHANGE

“WOULD HIS DEPRESSION HAVE STOPPED CHURCHILL BECOMING PM IN MODERN BRITAIN?”

“Today’s mental health discrimination would count against wartime premier”, says Alastair Campbell

Tuesday 10th February 2009

Alastair Campbell, former Director of Communications for No 10, says Winston Churchill might never have made it to the top job if he’d worked in 21st Century Britain. He believes modern-day attitudes to mental health are in some ways more discriminatory now than then, and that Churchill’s depression, which he famously called his black dog, would have been held against him.

The claim is part of a report released today, co-authored by Campbell and historian Nigel Jones, on behalf of mental health campaign Time to Change. It looks at five great historical figures, all of whom had mental health problems, and suggests they may have fared less well had they worked under the intense glare of today’s media and often unforgiving public scrutiny.

The report, entitled ‘A World Without’, examines the achievements of Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, Florence Nightingale and Marie Curie and asks how different our world would be if they had been sidelined because of prejudice about mental problems; without a President Lincoln, who held the United States together through civil war and led the fight to abolish slavery, would we have seen a President Obama? Without Florence Nightingale, described by psychiatrists of today as a ‘classic case of Bipolar Disorder’, would modern healthcare have developed as it has? Without Marie Curie, hospitalised because of her depression, how many more people would have been killed by cancer?

The report is published alongside research showing continuing and substantial discrimination against people with mental health problems in the workplace. A new survey for Time to Change shows 29% of people think someone with a mental health problem is unable to do a responsible job. It reflects the views of employers, 60% of whom say they wouldn’t feel able to employ someone with mental health problems – even though they affect one in four people in Britain at some stage in life. This kind of

stigma has a real impact on peoples’ lives. Time to Change research shows that nearly nine out of ten people who have experienced mental ill health have experienced stigma and discrimination as a result – often from employers.

Alastair Campbell says: “Alastair Campbell says: “Churchill was by common consent Britain’s greatest ever leader, and voted the greatest ever Briton, but I wonder whether his depression would have stopped him becoming Prime Minister in modern Britain. It seems impossible to imagine our history, and particularly our Second World War history, without him. It could have taken a very different course had he not been leading Britain against Hitler’s Germany. Yet as I watch politicians and other public figures deal with the pressures of modern leadership, not least dealing with harsh 24 hour scrutiny, I sometimes wonder how these great historic figures would have fared had they been alive today . Churchill with his depressions, drinking and long lie-ins; Darwin with his severe anxiety that showed up in stomach disorders, crippling headaches, agoraphobia, trembling, palpitations of the heart, and mental torment which often left him in floods of tears. Would the media and public have been understanding about their conditions? – these statistics suggest otherwise. I am not convinced that a modern politician who admitted to mental health problems would be able to get to the top. The five people we focus on all made an enormous impact on our world, still felt by all of us, but it is worth at least asking the question how they would have fared had they been alive today.”

Campbell continues: “I know from my own experience how important employers are in the process of recovery. When Tony Blair asked me to work for him in 1994, I told him about my breakdown and my drink problem. He said he wasn’t worried. If a Prime Minister can have that attitude, then I think it is about time the six out of ten who say they wouldn’t consider taking on someone with a history of mental illness join the four out of ten who say they would. It is time to change.”

Campbell, and historian Nigel Jones wrote the report on behalf of Time to Change - England’s biggest and most ambitious campaign to end mental health discrimination. It’s run by leading mental health charities Mental Health Media, Mind and Rethink, and backed by £16 million from the Big Lottery Fund and £2 million from Comic Relief. Campbell is fronting press adverts for the campaign alongside Ruby Wax and Stephen Fry.


Sue Baker, Time to Change Director adds: "Time and time again people with mental health problems say that other people's prejudice, fear and discrimination can have a worse impact than the
problem itself. The ‘A World Without’ report demonstrates how wrong we are getting it on mental health – the people featured in it are responsible for shaping the world as we know it and yet today we often won’t give people with mental health problems a chance. With one in four of us experiencing a mental health problem at some stage, this is an issue that affects all of us - whether it is directly or a family member or friend. We’ve got to realise that stigma, discrimination, and outdated attitudes wreck lives. But it doesn't have to be this way – this is the beginning of a social movement that can change things for the better”.

To see the full version of the ‘A World Without’ report or to find out more about Time to Change visit www.time-to-change.org.uk
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For interviews with Alastair Campbell, and/or a Time to Change spokesperson please contact Frank PR on 0207 693 6999 / 0781 309 5242 or email rethink@frankpr.it


NOTES TO EDITORS
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,0331 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 23rd-26th January 2009. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). ‘A World Without’ was written by Alastair Campbell and historian Nigel Jones.
About Time to Change:
Time to Change is England's most ambitious programme to end the discrimination faced by people with mental health problems, and improve the nation's wellbeing. Mental Health Media, Mind, and Rethink are leading the programme, funded £16m from the Big Lottery Fund and £2m from Comic Relief and evaluated by the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College, London. For further information go to www.time-to-change.org.uk

About The Big Lottery Fund:
The Big Lottery Fund’s support for Time to Change comes from its £165m Well-being programme, which provides funding to support the development of healthier lifestyles and to improve well-being. The Big Lottery Fund has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004. It was established by Parliament on 1 December 2006. Full details of the Big Lottery Fund, its programmes and awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888 / Out of hours: 07867 500 572 Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030 / Textphone: 08456 021 659

About Comic Relief:
Comic Relief is committed to supporting people living with mental health problems. The projects Comic Relief funds ensure people with mental health problems get their voices heard in the decisions that affect their lives and to get the help they need to recover. Comic Relief also helps people to promote their rights and reduce the stigma and discrimination they face so that they feel more included in society. The £2 million grant to Time to Change is part of Comic Relief's long standing commitment to this issue. For more information go to www.comicrelief.com

NEWS FROM FRANK PR

Frank PR goes ‘Down Under’ (not ‘down or ‘under’!)

Award-winning UK public relations agency Frank PR is opening its first international office in Sydney, Australia, on March 3rd 2009. Sydney-native Myf McGregor, following 2½ years in London with Frank, will be returning home as Managing Director of the Australia office.

Since it was founded in September 2000, Frank PR has consistently out-performed its rivals in the UK and has been the fastest growing consumer PR agency in the country*. Its fee income for 2008 was in excess of ASD $11.5m (GBP £5.3m) and it has 55 staff based out of its Camden Town offices in central London. Current clients include BlackBerry, Nestle, Budweiser, Activision, FootLocker, PepsiCo, Virgin Media, Aviva and WWE.

Frank PR has received widespread acclaim for its creative and groundbreaking approach to public relations. It has won the Best Consumer PR Campaign Award in the prestigious PR Week Awards three times in the last five years and has been the only ever agency to have the mantle of Best PR Agency bestowed on it for two years in succession by the marketing industry’s weekly magazine, Marketing.

Graham Goodkind, Chairman and Founder of Frank PR, said: “Australia represents a really exciting market for public relations. We believe PR as a discipline there is nearing a tipping point in consumer marketing terms and will get even more respect and reliance over the coming years. We adopt much more of an ideas-based approach to PR, breaking conventions and challenging perceptions as we go, with the objective of kick-starting what we refer to as Talkability® for brands, products and services. Triggering this word-of-mouth effect, via PR, is the holy grail of marketing communications and we have developed a process and method for engineering it. We expect clients ‘down under’ to be receptive to this approach, in the same way that they have in the UK.”

Myf McGregor, Frank PR Australia Managing Director, added: “The Frank take on PR has worked wonders for consumer brands in the UK and I will be bringing this approach back home with me. Frank PR Australia will have full access to the additional creative and strategic expertise from the UK, with the on-the-ground presence to make things happen.”

Frank PR Australia is located on the 5th Floor of 2-12 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills in Sydney, New South Wales, next door to Naked Communications, a sister company. Frank PR was acquired by the Photon Group in October 2007, Naked in February 2008.

* Source PR Week Top 150 Consultancies, based on compound annual growth rate 2000-2007.
Talkability® is a registered trademark of Frank Public Relations Limited.

For further information, please contact: Graham Goodkind; Tel: + 44 (0) 207 693 6999,
Cell: +44 (0) 7774 214 006, E: graham@frankpr.it

NEWS FROM ACTIVISION

FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY

ACTIVISION UK UNVEILS ITS ‘FUN4ALL’ RANGE DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY FOR WII™

February, 2009 – Activision UK today announces six titles in the UK as part of its new ‘FUN4ALL’ range designed exclusively for Wii™. With a choice of astounding adventures, mischievous gameplay and thrilling sports challenges, the child-friendly collection offers something the whole family can enjoy! The six Wii™ exclusive titles will be arriving in UK stores on 13th February.

Kate Ward, Head of PR UK and Ireland, said “With the rise of casual gamers in the UK, we wanted to release a range of games that families could play and enjoy together. Parents can feel reassured that buying a game from the FUN4ALL range will be safe, enjoyable and provide entertainment for children of any age.”

The FUN4ALL range launches with the following titles:

Pirates: Hunt for Blackbeard’s Booty- Set the sails towards family fun! There’s adventure ahoy in Pirates: Hunt for Blackbeard’s Booty as you swashbuckle your way towards Blackbeard’s treasure in a series of timber-shivering challenges. Bolster your trusty crew with friends and family, or clash cutlasses with them and go head-to-head!

Monkey Mischief- When the zoo keeper’s away - the monkeys will play! Get mixed up in some serious ape antics with Monkey Mischief, packed with enough crazy chimp mini-games to get the whole family going bananas!

Block Party- Take to the streets in Block Party to show the neighbours who’s boss – taking on friends and family in 20 exciting challenges including Garage Juggle, Slobber Slammer and Picnic Pests. Settle once and for all who’s best on the block!

Pitfall: The Big Adventure- Leap and swing your way through the exciting world of Pitfall: The Big Adventure as you step into the shoes of Pitfall Harry – treasure hunter extraordinaire. Explore exciting new worlds and battle evil with Harry’s astounding athletic abilities. This title also includes bonus content, bundling both Pitfall 1 and Pitfall 2 with The Big Adventure.

Little League World Series Baseball- Go for a home run in the comfort of your home with Little League World Series Baseball. Learn to bat your way to first base with the Skills Challenge mode before smashing your way to the top of your field in World Series mode!

World Championship Sports- Take on the world from your living room with World Championship Sports, pitting your skills against friends and family in sports such as tennis, basketball, football, hockey, Lacrosse and Ice Hockey – see who can perform under pressure and go for gold.

For more information on any of these games, please visit www.activision.co.uk

NEWS FROM BENNETTS

Oil Prices Fuel Concern For Bikers

Fuel prices named primary worry in 2009 for British bikers

Uncertainty over fuel prices in the next twelve months is the biggest worry for motorcyclists on Britain’s roads according to a survey released today by Bennetts. Despite oil prices falling over last six months, Bennetts, the UK’s number one for bike insurance*, has revealed a staggering 40% of bikers worry about the impact of any increases in fuel prices more than anything else on the road over the next year.

As Brits tighten their purse strings with the onset of a recession, the poll of motorcyclists from across the country shows the financial implication of riding a motorbike is at the forefront of their minds. In response, Bennetts launched its latest promotion offering 12 months for the price of 9** on all its insurance policies before the end of February.

Paul Galligan, Director at Bennetts says, “We want to encourage bikers to continue riding by helping to reduce the cost of biking in 2009. With this in mind, we are giving bikers the opportunity to save 25% on their bike insurance over the next 6 weeks following the launch of our 12 months for the price of 9 promotion.”

Increased numbers of motorists on Britain’s roads was found to be the second biggest concern for 2009 with 15% of votes in the survey, followed by deteriorating road surfaces (12%) and increased numbers of speed cameras (12%). Finally, theft (9%) was the fifth most popular concern for bikers over the coming year.

To shake off the winter blues and take advantage of the 12 for 9 promotion**, simply call 0800 975 9161 or get a quote online at www.bennetts.co.uk.

Top 5 Primary concerns for bikers in 2009

Increasing fuel prices
40%

More motorists on the road
15%

Deteriorating road surfaces
12%

Increased number of speed cameras
12%

Theft
9%


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* Based on brand tracking research in April 2008

** Terms and conditions

· Customers will automatically receive a 25% discount on their basic premium. Any additional products such as breakdown cover or any fees/charges are not included.

· Where a policy is paid for by monthly instalments, a deposit and 10 monthly instalments will still be payable and each instalment will be reduced to give a 25% discount of the basic premium.

· Offer ends 28 February 2009.

· Offer only available to new customers

· Offer may be withdrawn at any time on reasonable notice.

· The offer does not apply to any amendments made to the policy after purchase.



For further information, contact details or photography please contact:
Frank PR on 020 7693 6999 or email bennetts@frankpr.it

Notes to editors

Bennetts is a trading name of BISL Limited, Pegasus House, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6YS. Registered in England No. 3231094.



BISL Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.



THE BACKGROUND TO BENNETTS

· Bennetts was established in Coventry by the Bennetts family in 1930 to provide insurance services to people throughout the West Midlands.

· In the early 1980’s Bennetts decided to devise a number of specialist insurance schemes that would meet the needs of different types of biker. These schemes are constantly reviewed to give bikers the exact cover they need.

· In 2000 Bennetts was the first motorcycle insurance specialist to offer the ability to buy insurance online, through its website, www.bennetts.co.uk.

· In October 2001, the Bennetts brand was acquired by the BGL Group (formerly the Budget Group of Companies), through its purchase of the Dial Direct Group, a major UK car insurance intermediary.

· The BGL Group was established in 1992, and has grown to be the UK’s third largest personal lines insurance intermediary, through a combination of organic growth and a series of major strategic acquisitions.

· The BGL Group now arranges and administers insurance for around 2.3 million customers with more than £600million GWP. It has contact centre operations in Peterborough, Coventry, Sunderland, Peterlee and Cape Town, South Africa. It currently employs over 2000 people and its head office is in Peterborough.

· In May 2003, Bennetts unveiled its new brand identity to the industry.

· Bennetts became personal sponsor of former World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson in May 2003.

· In April 2008 independent brand tracking research identified Bennetts as the UK’s number one brand for motorcycle insurance.

· In January 2005, Bennetts signed the biggest sponsorship deal in the history of the brand by becoming title sponsor of the 2005 Bennetts British Superbike Championship. Bennetts continued its sponsorship of the British Superbike Championship in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

· In June 2007, Bennetts became official series sponsor of the World Superbike Championship for the remainder of the 2007 championship and for the whole of the 2008 championship.

· Bennetts was personal sponsor of Moto GP contender and former World Superbike Champion James Toseland from July 2007 to December 2008.