We loved the snow this winter! It was fun... It was a break from the norm...

But did anybody bother to go to work in Jan? What was going on? However, we did... and it was a time to reflect and reset our sights for the rest of the year.

Resulting in a new website (currently being built) and a chance to refresh our own brand and direction.

So let’s see what comes out over the next few months.

Just a quick mention of our 09 Christmas bash... We decided to get away from it all and head for the hills.

Staying at The Newfield Inn, Seathwaite, for a couple of nights, drinking ale and heading up over Dow Cragg, Coniston Old Man etc seemed a good idea... and it was.

Great day climbing... If anyone would like to join us next time, our spring walk is getting close!

Although, we think Emma may give it a miss.

www.newfieldinn.co.uk

Early last year Wash got involved in a DVD production project for The Oddfellows Friendly Society.

The project was to celebrate their bicentenary and involved numerous film shoots throughout the year capturing the history and ethos of the organisation.

From interviewing members to recording their brass band there was a lot to pull together but all finished now.

Working within the ‘schools budget’ we shot up to Teesside along with our animation team and interviewed a handful of children. Pete and Jenny then got on with animating what came out from that day.

www.youtube.com

www.petemellor.co.uk
holkhamsounddesign.blogspot.com
www.jennybowers.co.uk

The results where so impressive from the whole campaign, the school and Wash Design got invited to talk at ‘The best practice in public sector communications’ run by How-Do and Don’t Panic.

The event was at the Bridgewater Hall Manchester talking to over 80 delegates on the day.

www.how-do.co.uk
www.dontpanicprojects.com

‘First Bite’ a Creative Lancashire initiative, that gets hungry graduates into employment with support from the council, was a tight budget project that came to us in Feb... With a name like First Bite, we couldn’t resist putting this idea forward. Great fun.

Using students from UCLAN and blagging our way in to various location, the results turned out really well we think.

Photography: www.dankenyon.com

Rob Gaukroger has currently been working with us in
elevating his profile within the Architectural circles, producing a set of literature and website.

www.gaukrogerandpartners.com

Work featuring in The Architectural Review and many other magazines back in October 09, things are looking good.

www.arplus.com

He was also showing at the Grand Designs Live this year.

www.granddesignslive.com

Photography: www.photo-genics.com

It’s taken a while as there has been so much work to do on all fronts with this product range from PaperlinX. But the relaunch of dtec and the new brand we’ve developed is now starting to roll out across Europe and getting some rave reviews.

Happy digital printing...

www.dtec-media.com

Branding projects are what we thrive on. Positioning a business and engaging graphically with it’s intended audience. The dtec and Teesside branding projects have had some amazing success and were a true joy to work on... but its not only the bigger projects we enjoy... small is good too when done right.

Bigger PR talked to us on setting up a brand for this new, exciting little business with big ideas.

www.biggerpr.com

Wash have been working on various projects for Bolton College over the last 12 months, but we have now been asked to look at the 16 - 19yr old market, by rebranding the Aspire campaign the college have been running for over two years.

We’ve been after an opportunity to work with Al Heighton for sometime now, but never seemed to have pulled it off.

However, we do feel this project is perfect in more ways than one! The project is set to start in May.

www.alanheighton.co.uk

In early March, Andy was invited by the Design Council to run a workshop with a group of school children at the Big Bang exhibition at the Gmex, Manchester.

The Design Mark is a quality standards framework developed jointly by the Design & Technology Association and the Design Council.

Future in Progress is a book that has been put together by a friend of ours who we have worked with in the past.

Wash got asked to write a small piece on our opinion on the future of graphic design. So looking deep into our crystal ball, we inevitably came up some sound bites. Come back in 10 years and see if they have relevance.

Dialrel is a forum for academics concerning the religious slaughter of animals - aimed at improving knowledge and expertise through dialogue and debate on welfare legislation.

Wash were asked to create a brand for them, rolling out stationary and fact sheets to be used at the various conferences.

Over the last few months Wash have been working with a great bunch of young people along with Sara Domville, project leader from LCC, in producing a new name and brand for what was called New Cultural Journeys.

The project involved several workshops working with the
group to find the core values in the project and help them develop a brand identity/ethos and new logo.

Now called BLAZE and coming to a youth group near you.

The 17th Annual Preston Beer Festival. A good doo had by all... especially Tom and Russ. Sporting Tweed, a fine evening was had and much ale drunk.

Our sponsored ale was Lemon Blossom. Not a great name but a fine beer we thought.

www.prestonbeerfestival.co.uk

In January we said our goodbyes to our lovely Jemma.

She has decided to go off around the world with longtime boyfriend Johnny. Not a bad plan and as you can imagine we are all pretty envious.

This gave way to Russ. Senior Account Manager. Ale drinker, man about town and all round decent chap.

Say hello. russ@wash-design.co.uk

Finally congratulations to Carl, our current work placement student, for raising £300 for AdraUK by doing 1000 pushups and 1000 situps. He also wore the pink vest as a bet, in case you're wondering.

www.adrauk.org/