Mash PR appointed by National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society

Mash PR has been appointed by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) to raise awareness of the autoimmune condition.

Mash PR has been retained by the NRAS to raise awareness of the chronic disease, that of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) and the charity’s work in the field. The agency is working on a part-pro-bono basis, providing NRAS with services including influencer relations, fundraising support, media relations, public affairs, lobbying, social media and events.

The first press campaigns for NRAS will launch in February to support RA Awareness Week 2017, which runs from 19 to 25 June.

Sally Wright, head of marketing and communication at NRAS, said: “We appointed Mash PR as our retained agency because we wanted a fresh, energetic and tenacious approach to media. RA and JIA are unknown conditions and having met several agencies we feel that Mash PR is best equipped to blow the lid on this. The Mash team are fun to work with – its creative approach to handling a serious brief really impressed us.”

Across the UK there are around 690,000 people living with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) which is an autoimmune condition which can, if left untreated, lead to disability and a shortened lifespan.

Stu Campbell-Carran, CEO at Mash PR, added: “We decided to work with NRAS as there is a clearly defined need for PR to support its cause. Awareness of RA in the UK is very low and there is also a great deal of confusion as to what the condition actually is, as it is so frequently confused with osteoarthritis. This means that we can make a measurable difference by supporting NRAS with activity to increase education and raise awareness.”

As local MP for Maidenhead, Berkshire, where the NRAS is based, UK Prime Minister Theresa May is the charity’s patron.