It’s the way that you do it

11:24am Wednesday 16th July 2008

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THERE must be many adults who envy the achievement of Olivia Walmsley in persuading councillors to cough up £1,000 simply by sending them a letter.

Although not many of them would have had much use for the object of Olivia’s plea – a new swing for the playground near her Oswaldtwistle home.

Olivia became cross that at the age of six she had outgrown the baby swings in the West End Play Area and wrote asking for at least one “big swing” to be installed.

They had disappeared when the play area was refurbished a few years ago.

Olivia approached her parents about a solution to the problem and they suggested she should write, and she drafted the letter herself.

So impressed was Hyndburn Council leader Peter Britcliffe that he referred the request to officers who put a funding to councillors.

The obvious positive public relations potential in her request clearly helped Olivia’s dream become reality. But it would not have happened without her all-important initiative and enterprise.

It might seem cynical but presentation possibilities and public relations opportunities are bound to enter the minds of elected politicians when it comes to making spending decisions.