Well, can you believe another year has come and gone and we still haven't spent any quality time updating this web site?
It really is a case of 'cobblers bairns' shoes'. What should be a high priority for us has simply taken second place to work for our much more important customers.
It's one of our new-year resolutions to remedy that situation, but don't hold your breath. We still have plenty of other priorities.

The amount of work we've managed to get through in 2011 has broken all our in-house records, with Kris in particular putting in some serious time on her various NHS public relations and communications contracts. Long may it continue.
On the design and production side, we've finally made the leap to Intel Macs which will give us another boost in production speed and help the creative flow in many other ways.

Despite our best intentions we still have not managed to to get to grips with our own long-planned CMS site so apologies for that.
The reason is simple. The customers work always comes first!
Rather than bore you with details let's just give you some edited highlights of some of our more notable achievements in 2011 before we hit 2012 running.

Membership of the Collingwood chapter of the BNI (Business Network International) has introduced the company to a number of new clients, many of whom are now firmly established on the books.
Dave did a sixth month stint as Chapter Director at the beginning of the year and has seen the chapter grow steadily during 2011.

Dave completed a degree course in Creative Practice : Design at Newcastle College to top-up to his long established diploma in applied design, graduating with a first class honours in June. Although not directly influential on the day job, it is another feather in his cap of which he is justly proud.

Web-wise, we've built an exciting new identity for Learning and Training Consultancy (LTC) and strengthened links with Nunnykirk School, whose web site is doing a great job of helping to boost pupil numbers. Our thanks to Ashleigh and the team at It'seeze Websites for their help with these.

Applied Heating Services have kept us busy with their new corporate advertising campaigns and associated print and exhibition material.

We've continued to work with Blyth Valley Arts & Leisure in helping the New Hartley Community Association with their 150th anniversary commemorations of the famous 1862 pit disaster.

We've worked with Whitley Bay based 2Pure Products in trialling 'Taxi Fresh' an amazing new cleaning and deoderising formula designed especially for the hire trade. We've also revamped the branding for Will Writing & Legal Services in Newcastle, bringing a fresh look and added appeal to a sober and serious service.

We edited and published another eleven issues of NEPA News, the full colour magazine of the North East Publicity Association, as well as designing new publicity material for the Bewick Society.

As usual, the work has been as varied as ever and the challenges of the economic climate have ensured we've had to be even more creative to maximise budgets and create impact across the board.
From flyers to folders and brochures to banner stands, the company has produced some work of which we are very proud this year. One of these fine days we'll find the time to add some new pictures to the site.

On a personal note, the directors were delighted to attend the wedding of (and design the invitations for) our long-term collaborator and very good friend Phyllida Shaw and have produced more than the usual number of Christmas Cards too. We enjoyed (all too short) holidays in Menorca and Scotland just to prove it's not all work after all...

So that's about it for now. Time to get back to the proper work and produce some more goodies for our clients. We’ll redo the site when we can, but if you want to know more about what else we've been up to lately please feel free to give us a call or drop us an email and we'll be delighted to tell you all about our more recent successes and even show you some new examples.

You know the numbers, so give us a call on 0191 272 8283 or drop us a line - design@kimmerston.co.uk

Here's to a happy, healthy and prosperous new year of boosting business with better branding.

All the best.
Dave & Kris Grey
Directors