Press Release 26 | 02 | 20
Sponsorship Opportunities
as we mark the 150th anniversary of the first telegraph cable landing with a week of major events
The historic Cable landing at Porthcurno, as published in the Illustrated London News, June 1870
Take advantage of an exciting milestone in the international subsea calendar this June, with sponsorship opportunities around the 150th anniversary of the very first telegraph cable landing at Porthcurno, Cornwall. As the newly rebranded PK Porthcurno (previously Telegraph Museum Porthcurno), we present a week of unique and inspirational events marking the beginning of our modern global communications network. The associated sponsorship packages, listed below, offer a number of investment and marketing options and can be adapted to meet the specific objectives of sponsors, and are linked to a week of spectacular public events at Porthcurno which include a tall ship event, a historic theatrical re-enactment on the beach, the arrival of an interactive sea monster from the deep, and the chance to crew the Tall Ship ‘Pelican of London' from Cornwall to France on a thrilling 11 day trip.
Porthcurno 150: Connecting the World Since 1870
In June 1870, the world changed. On a sandy beach at Porthcurno, Cornwall, the final section of a telegraph cable was landed, enabling telegraphic communication between London and Bombay with connections in Portugal, Gibraltar, Malta and Egypt. From this moment forwards, messages that might have taken several weeks, or even months to arrive, could be sent in minutes. This landmark development was the brainchild of visionary entrepreneur Sir John Pender, founder of The Falmouth, Gibraltar and Malta Telegraph Company. English and Indian Royalty celebrated the event at Sir John Pender' s home in Piccadilly, London, recognising the huge significance of this achievement.
Year after year, more and more cables were brought ashore at Porthcurno and by the 1920's Porthcurno was home to the most important telegraph station in the world. In time, telegraph cables were replaced by co-axial cables and co-axial cables replaced by fibre optic cables. These still come ashore at Porthcurno, and other Cornish beaches, with fibre optic cables now carrying more than 97% of all communications between Britain and the rest of the world. That single cable landed at Porthcurno 150 years ago has been transformed into the global communication network that we all use today for internet, email, telephone and streaming traffic. In turn, this technology has laid the way for the development of new mobile and immersive technologies which are beginning to redefine the ways in which we live, work, play and connect today.
Our Plans for June 2020
2020 is an opportunity to shout from the clifftops about the amazing legacy of 1870. The focus of the celebrations is in June 2020, to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the cable landing. PK Porthcurno will join with our partners to celebrate with a programme of events, exhibitions and engagements which explore the past, present and future impact of an historic moment in time, a moment which placed a tiny Cornish valley at the centre of international telecommunications and set the stage for the world of global connectivity that we now take for granted.
Anniversary Launch & Exhibition Opening
4th June 2020
Working with our partners at the Museu das Comunicações in Lisbon, we will launch our 150th anniversary celebrations with a special event between the two sites - marking two ends of the final section of the 1870 cable. This will include the opening of new temporary exhibitions at Porthcurno telling the story of ‘The Cable King' John Pender, and the laying of the first cable in 1870 by CS ‘Investigator'.
During June we will ‘festivalise' the museum site at PK Porthcurno with activities and entertainment, including a bespoke set of silk flags commemorating the anniversary to decorate the museum exterior and Valley site, made by Cornwall-based textile artist, Lucy Birbeck.
In association with Portuguese/Italian design collectiveMoradavaga, our museum gardens will play host to ‘Morgy' the giant squid,an interactive sound-experience, which brings people together and explores ideas of human connectedness.
Working with the studio of Lego designer Warren Elsmore we have commissioned a scaled Lego model of the cableship ‘Investigator' and an imagined scene of the cable landing in 1870, complete with mini figures depicting the main characters. Construction is being filmed for online sharing. The finished model will be displayed in the museum, with potential for workshops, activities and spin-off mini products relating to the build.
Cable Landing Re-enactment, Voyage & Film
10th June 2020
In partnership with the Minack Theatre, Adventure Under Sail, National Trust SW and other partners, we will produce a celebratory event on Porthcurno beach to commemorate the laying of the first cable in 1870.
CS Investigator
The part of Cable Ship Investigator, which landed the first cable at Porthcurno, will be played by the Training Ship Pelican of London. Working with Adventure Under Sail, who operate the TS Pelican, we will recruit 12 young people from Cornwall who are in or leaving care, to undertake a 11-day voyage on board the Pelican training vessel. The ship will drop anchor at Porthcurno on June 10th for the re-enactment event before sailing to Falmouth for the Sea Shanty festival, and then on to France.
Beach re-enactment
Working with the Minack Theatre, local community members, schools, actors and volunteers we will produce a series of events and activities that celebrate the cable landing on Porthcurno Beach. Local gig rowing clubs will be invited to attend and will race out to the TS Pelican (moored off Minack Point) to bring the cable ashore. The Valley will have a festival feel, with catering stalls and a beer tent in the museum gardens. VIPs and sponsors will be invited to join us for the day, with an anniversary thank you dinner for sponsors and supporters rounding off the day.
Film of the voyage and re-enactment
Created for us by experienced filmmakers, this 25 to 30-minute film will reveal Porthcurno's history to the world filmed from the boat, the air and the ground. The film will provide a lasting legacy, which can be used by sponsors, the museum, teachers, tourist organisations and at local events including film festivals. It could be released on DVD and the internet.
New Writing Commission & Minack Theatre Production
22nd to 26th June
For the first time, PK Porthcurno is partnering with the world famous Minack Theatre to commission a new production for the Minack Theatre stage which will premiere within their main 2020 season.
The Valley
A new play by David Lane
In a world of global connections, what happens when you feel more alone than ever?
In 1870, hours after the first telegraph cable linking Britain to India has been laid in Porthcurno, a farmer finds an abandoned child on his doorstep. 150 years later, her great-great-great-granddaughter returns to The Valley. This is a story spanning two centuries, a story about seeking a place in the world when nowhere feels like home, and a submarine network intertwining power and politics.
Golowan Gets Connected
Weekend of 27th and 28th June
T
The Golowan Festival in Penzance is a major event in the Cornish summer calendar, taking place at the end of June every year and attracting tens of thousands of residents and visitors to West Penwith. Each year the festival committee pick a theme for the artist commissions, parades and banners that are created for the occasion. For 2020, PK Porthcurno will partner with Golowan for the festival. The theme will be Golowan Gets Connected, giving PK Porthcurno an important platform to celebrate the anniversary in our nearest large town. Specific activities will include:
Cornwall-based sculptor, Graham Jobbins will be commissioned to create a large-scale processional 3D image of Mercury, Messenger of the Gods for the anniversary, to be carried in the Golowan Festival parades and further festivals, feast days and community events during the summer 2020.
PK Porthcurno will have a presence within the town for the festival duration, including a pop-up shop and street stall, and will hold events and activities organised by our in-house Engagement team.
Sponsorship Opportunities
The sponsorship opportunities listed below, through the example Tier 1 & 2 Packages, offer a number of marketing options that interested companies can select to take advantage of this exciting milestone in the international subsea calendar.
Packages can be adapted to meet specific sponsor requirements and the specific objectives/outcomes they want to see from their involvement in this event. Investment can be best suited for the individual sponsor needs.
These packages, therefore, come with some flexibility and can be considered as a shopping list of opportunities. Other sponsor ideas can be considered instead of or alongside these. We welcome further discussion.
Porthcurno 150 Sponsorship Package
TIER 1 (1 package available)
Main Sponsor of Cable Landing event - feature placement of branded materials throughout all venues, marquee at PK Porthcurno /beach viewing area/evening venue, mentions in VIP address, event photographer, social media mentions and inclusion. Branded lanyard for all attending guests
Main sponsor of ‘Thank You' Dinner - drinks and dinner event with key branding placement across local feature venue, bringing together all ambassadors, invested groups, influencers, funders and participants from the Cable Landing Re-enactment plus invited VIPs. Speech mentions, event photographer to capture plus specific sponsor shots, social media mentions and inclusion. Branded lanyard for all attending guests (40 dinner guests)
Pre Dinner drinks event at Porthcurno Telegraph Museum - within the museum tunnels and exhibition space with (40 guests)
Brand Placement (with specific mention as Key Sponsor) across all key marketing materials and platforms created for the event - website (with sponsor info and links to sponsor web pages) social media inclusion - pre-mid-post event, printed material
Porthcurno 150 brand placement - use of the event logo on all sponsor website/marketing collateral
Porthcurno 150 Event Film - inclusion in film created to mark the 150th anniversary - exact format TBA
Branded Clothing - members of the event team to wear branded sponsor clothing throughout Cable Landing events
PR campaign - specific PR created for Tier 1 sponsor - will cover local/regional press, specialist trade press, national/international press (including standalone release on sponsorship) Featured content across all platforms, including photography. Materials supplied to enable sponsor to use these across their own marketing channels/target media
Social Media Placement - inclusion in event posts across all social media platforms pre-mid-post event - material supplied for sponsor to use across their own social media channels
Visit to the Pelican - Sponsor to take boat to visit Pelican and crew on day of the re-enactment (weather permitting - 10 people)
Escorted tour of West Cornwall's communications hubs - Goonhilly, Land's End, Marconi, Sennen (20 people)
West Cornwall from the Sea - a tour along West Cornwall's South Coast by sea - capturing the abundance of wildlife (20 people)
PK Porthcurno Corporate Membership - Free access to the museum for key members of staff with guests, plus additional free passes
Dedicated PK Porthcurno host to look after VIP sponsor during re-enactment day
Commemorative photograph and mini film/inclusion in event documentary
Commemorative copy of 'The Cable King' the biography of John Pender
Free entry to PK Porthcurno for sponsor staff and family for one year
Wider Opportunity
Join the crew of the TS Pelican of London for an 11 day adventure under sail!
You or a member of your team can take part in the historic re-enactment on Porthcurno beach on 10th June. You will board the Pelican to begin your voyage on June 10th before sailing to and stopping over in Falmouth for the Sea Shanty festival from 12th to 14th June. From there you will sail onto France before arriving back in Penzance to disembark on June 21st.
During your 11 day adventure you will join an experienced, professional crew and will learn skills and complete tasks associated with sailing a tall ship: taking the helm, keeping a look-out, navigating, pulling on ropes, and heaving mooring lines. You'll learn to use a harness safely and climb the rigging, adjust and stow sails, complete night watches, help in the galley - and even scrub the decks!
Cost: £1,100 per person (additional to core sponsorship cost)
Porthcurno 150 Sponsorship Package
TIER 2 (x4 packages available - selection from below)
VIP Guest at Cable Landing event - inclusion in branded material at event locations- PK Porthcurno/Porthcurno beach viewing area, mentions in VIP address, sponsor photography inclusion at event, social media mentions and inclusion. Logo on name badges (20 people)
VIP Guest at ‘Thank You' Dinner - evening event within Porthcurno bringing together all ambassadors, invested groups, influencers, funders and participants from the Cable Re-enactment plus invited VIPs. Speech mentions, event photography, social media mentions and inclusion. Logo on name badges (20 dinner guests)
Early Evening drinks event including branded sponsorship with 1 other Tier 2 sponsor at Porthcurno Telegraph Museum - within the museum tunnels and exhibition space with (40 guests)
Brand Placement across all key marketing materials for the event as a Tier 2 sponsor - website, social media etc
Porthcurno 150 brand placement - use of the event logo on all sponsor website/marketing collateral
PR campaign - inclusion in PR campaign aimed at local/regional press (including standalone release on sponsorship), Materials supplied to enable sponsor to use these across their own marketing channels
Social Media Placement - Inclusion in key posts across social media platforms pre-mid-post event - material supplied for sponsor to use across their own social media channels
Visit to the Pelican - Sponsor to take boat to visit Pelican and crew on day of Cable Laying re-enactment (weather permitting - 4 people)
Escorted tour of West Cornwall's communications Hubs - Goonhilly, Land's End, Marconi, Sennen (5 people)
West Cornwall from the Sea - a tour along West Cornwall's South Coast by sea - capturing the abundance of wildlife (5 people)
PK Porthcurno Corporate Membership - Free access to the museum for key members of staff with guests, plus additional free passes
Dedicated PK Porthcurno host to look after VIP sponsor during re-enactment day
Commemorative photograph and mini film/inclusion in event documentary
Commemorative copy of 'The Cable King' the biography of John Pender
Free entry to PK Porthcurno for sponsor staff and family for one year (10 people)
Wider Opportunity
Join the crew of the TS Pelican of London for an 11 day adventure under sail!
You or a member of your team can take part in the historic re-enactment on Porthcurno beach on 10th June. You will board the Pelican to begin your voyage on June 10th before sailing to and stopping over in Falmouth for the Sea Shanty festival from 12th to 14th June. From there you will sail onto France before arriving back in Penzance to disembark on June 21st.
During your 11 day adventure you will join an experienced, professional crew and will learn skills and complete tasks associated with sailing a tall ship: taking the helm, keeping a look-out, navigating, pulling on ropes, and heaving mooring lines. You'll learn to use a harness safely and climb the rigging, adjust and stow sails, complete night watches, help in the galley - and even scrub the decks!
Cost: £1,100 per person (additional to core sponsorship cost)
www.porthcurno150.com
For further Information regarding the Sponsorship Packages available
as part of Porthcurno 150, please contact:
Julia Twomlow, Director
julia.twomlow@pkporthcurno.com www.pkporthcurno.com
07841 286346, PK Porthcurno, Eastern House, Porthcurno, Cornwall, TR19 6JX
This document has been created with support from Subsea Networks,www.subseanetworks.com
-END-
Print Ready 300dpi images for press use:
For further press information and additional high resolution images contact Mercedes Smith
director@culturenotes.co.uk| Tel 07825 270235 |www.culturenotes.co.uk
Notes
PK Porthcurno
The tiny Cornish village of Porthcurno was once the heart of international telecommunications, boasting the largest telegraph station in the world. Today, PK Porthcurno is a vibrant and captivating heritage attraction. Discover our World War II tunnels, which were the secret hub of Britain's wartime communications; visit the Cable Hut where the UK's network of underwater telecommunication cables came ashore; explore exhibitions and interactive displays telling the amazing story of global telecommunications. from the first practical use of electricity to how we communicate today using fibre optic cables that still run beneath the world's seas and oceans.
A Unique History
PK Porthcurno is unique amongst Cornwall's heritage attractions and illustrates the crucial role Porthcurno and its residents played in the development of modern communications. In particular it tells the story of the people who came to train at the telegraph station, the friendships and romances they formed, the extraordinary lives they led as Cable & Wireless employees in far flung locations across the British Empire, and the vital role they played in defining the Allies' strategy during World War II.
For Families
Designed for all ages, this family-friendly interactive museum showcases the science, the people, and the amazing stories that made developments in global communications possible, and demonstrates how advances in digital communications are changing the world forever. Immerse your family in Porthcurno's lasting legacy and spend the day exploring science, technology, history and the world around us. With secret tunnels, trails, codes to crack, interactive technology, hands-on experiments and creative seasonal events, families can take advantage a wealth of inspiring activities throughout the year, as well as enjoying our onsite café, and browsing our museum shop.
For Schools
Our varied programme of school workshops combines engaging hands-on activities with time to explore the Museum. Our experienced learning team will work with you to plan your visit, tailoring workshops to meet your groups' needs or specific learning outcomes. Activities are hosted at our onsite Clore Learning Space - an accessible and flexible space designed for both formal and informal learning.
For Students and Researchers
Available by arrangement to school students, undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers, PK Porthcurno houses the business archive of Cable & Wireless, an enviable collection that includes thousands of unique records from Porthcurno's lasting communication legacy, including an estimated 10,000 photographs from the 1850's to the present day. Following the closure of the original telegraph station and training school, many historically significant objects were kept and now form the basis of the Museum's unique collection, which has designated status in recognition of its national and international significance.
Additional Information
PK Porthcurno is owned by the PK Trust which is a registered educational charity no. 1062233.
PK Porthcurno, Eastern House, Porthcurno, Penzance, Cornwall, TR19 6JX | 01736 810966
info@telegraphmuseum.org|www.pkporthcurno.com