“I never imagined myself dealing with weights and finishes of paper,” says Thomas, who joined HNS after graduating from Goldsmith’s College in 1999 with first class honours in Drama and Theatre Arts. Her current role includes marketing, fundraising and management duties.
HNS’s print is outsourced to a variety of UK litho and digital firms. Its current suppliers are Padnall Printers, based in north London, and Words and Pictures, a digital print company in south London used for short runs and signage.
“I think it’s a good idea to send clients lots of samples and even invite them to the print works so they can better understand the print process and the possibilities,” she says. “Our only flaw is our own lack of expertise.”
In an average year, HNS’s print amounts to 30,000 A5 flyers, 1,600 A3 posters, 2,500 A4 event programmes, 1,000 24pp brochures and annual reports. There are also small runs of CD and DVD covers and signage. HNS spent £14,000 on print last year.
Thomas believes that price and trust are important factors for charities when choosing printers. “I also like to deal with someone that doesn’t use too much jargon, helping me to interpret the finish I want, without expecting me to know what processes or even what paper that will require.”
“My vision is for print that is both accessible and stylish,” she adds. “We aim to show that accessible doesn’t have to mean dull. After all, who doesn’t want clear information that speaks to you directly?”
HEART'N SOUL IN NUMBERS
Turnover £500,000
Annual print spend £14,000
Staff 5 full-time, 1 part-time
Processes litho and digital
Printers Padnall Printers, Words and Pictures
Source: Heart ‘n Soul
Client Audit: HEART'N SOUL
Heart n Soul (HNS), established in 1986, is an arts organisation and charity, focused on changing the lives of people with learning difficulties. Clare Thomas is communications manager for the London-based company.
