Long term, cohesive stakeholder engagement in multi partner environmental project.

Client: Huntingdonshire District Council

Campaigns, Digital, Engagement, Local government, Strategy

The challenge

Huntingdonshire District Council, alongside partners including the Environment Agency, Highways England, Godmanchester Town Council, and Godmanchester in Bloom, needed a clear and engaging narrative for a £470K ecological initiative to install a fish and eel pass at Godmanchester Mill Steps. The priority was to cultivate an engagement approach that would inform and inspire local communities while behind the scenes managing diverse stakeholder expectations—ensuring transparency and trust throughout the build process.

Our approach

We began with in-depth stakeholder interviews to uncover what each group (residents, council staff, environmental agencies, community groups)cared about most. This insight shaped a proactive communications strategy featuring monthly partner newsletters, a series of blogs, photo and video updates (including drone footage and wildlife content), all published on council and partner channels. We continuously refined messaging based on engagement data, pivoting to highlight the most resonant themes like local wildlife nesting spaces beside sluice walls.

Impact

• Audience engagement surged across council and partner social media channels, significantly boosting project awareness.
• Community understanding and enthusiasm grew, leading to robust local support for the ecological improvements.
• Successful completion in June 2022, enhancing ecological connectivity and opening the River Great Ouse for migratory fish.