Grief after a violent death is hard enough without a long wait for support. Ahead of the National Day of Reflection, we built Rowland Brothers' broadcast PR campaign around that reality: London knife incidents rose 21% between 2022 and 2023, while record NHS talking therapy referrals of 1.82 million leave bereaved families facing long waits for help. We put the chief development officer of the Rowland Brothers Foundation, a former football club chaplain, on air across a radio day of interviews, explaining how the foundation offers bereavement support straight away, with no waiting lists. The campaign secured 7 items of radio coverage reaching 4.2 million, including BBC Radio London, Magic London and Greatest Hits Radio London.
7Items of coverage
4.2 millionCombined reach
1h 37mTime on air
Coverage highlights
Magic LondonCommercial radio
Greatest Hits Radio LondonCommercial radio
BBC Radio LondonBBC radio
Listen
BBC Radio London · 16m 54s
0:00 / 16m 54s
Magic London · 0m 34s
0:00 / 0m 34s
Greatest Hits Radio London · 0m 34s
0:00 / 0m 34s
The story
Rowland Brothers, National Day of Reflection
The aim
Rowland Brothers wanted to highlight the importance of bereavement counselling and showcase the immediate support it offers bereaved families.
The message
Rowland Brothers offers the full range of funeral and cremation services with a family feel, and through its registered charity foundation provides bereavement support straight away, with no waiting lists.
The angle
Ahead of the National Day of Reflection, the focus was on grief from violent loss as knife crime rises: London knife incidents rose 21% between 2022 and 2023, while record NHS talking therapy referrals of 1.82 million leave bereaved families facing long waits for support.
On air
The chief development officer of the Rowland Brothers Foundation, a former football club chaplain
The result
7 items of coverage reaching 4.2 million, including Magic London, Greatest Hits Radio London, BBC Radio London.
About National Day of Reflection
The National Day of Reflection was started by the charity Marie Curie in 2021 to remember those who died during the Covid pandemic and support everyone bereaved. It is now a Covid-19 Day of Reflection backed by the UK government and held on a Sunday in March. It gives producers a reason to cover the subject, and brands with a credible spokesperson a way onto radio and TV.
Planning National Day of Reflection for 2027?
The Day of Reflection next falls on Sunday 14 March 2027. Talk to the team about a broadcast PR campaign that gets your spokesperson on radio and TV.
