Settle Hydro Ltd.

Settle Hydro is a dales community hydroelectric scheme generating power on the River Ribble. Manifest is retained by the board of volunteers running the hydro to raise the profile of this renewable energy enterprise to generate investment support.

We have implemented a rolling programme of PR and marketing, securing significant coverage across a range of local, national and even international media which has translated into financial support for the hydro.

Our strategy has been to target not only a local audience but also appeal to environmental supporters across the world. We have sought to appeal to both private individuals and potential corporate investors through specialist and business media. Our content has therefore featured in diverse media from news and regional interest media including The Dalesman, Yorkshire Post and local press to specialist titles such as International Water Power and reNews.

We have researched award opportunities and drafted entries which led to Settle Hydro winning the Best Environmental Project award at the Stray FM business awards and a Green Apple Award of Environmental Best Practice in the past year.

We produce a regular electronic newsletter to shareholders of the hydro scheme, creating or re-purposing all the content and handling its design and distribution through Mailchimp.

In addition to promoting an Open Day at the hydro, we produced the collateral for an exhibition in The Folly museum in Settle about the hydro scheme. Following its success we conceived the idea of getting more value from the exhibition boards by organising a touring roadshow and had secured dates at a number of village halls in Ribblesdale for 2020. Sadly these have had to be postponed due to COVID19.

Manifest established and gained PR coverage for a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for repairs to the weir – https://www.gofundme.com/f/repairs-to-weir-head-at-settle?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet, using the welfare of fish as a hook to securing prominent regional media coverage such as the Yorkshire Post page 2 on 6th June.

We continue to explore new ways to raise awareness of the hydro including rolling out a presentation to secondary schools and WIs when COVID restrictions deem it to be safe. Do get in touch if you would like to support these initiatives.