This year instead of sending Christmas cards, Golden Goose PR decided to donate some of its time to a charitable cause and Laura was the lucky one to venture out into the jungle and more specifically a children’s home on the Thai Burmese border. A 12 hour flight and eight hour bus ride later Laura arrived in Sangklaburi and more importantly Baan Unrak Children’s Home. Baan Unrak provides food, housing, emotional support and education to over 140 children.

Sangklaburi as an area is home to many refugees fleeing war, forced labor and poverty in Myamar/Burma. Leaving family and community behind has destroyed the support network for families and exacerbated the immense challenges they face when relocating to a foreign country and culture. Upon arrival in Thailand, Burmese immigrants are restricted to living in a small region around the border where they encounter discrimination and lack of jobs. Access to medical treatment and public education is also limited. Most of the children at Baan Unrak have either come from Burma or were born in Thailand but lack legal papers claiming their national identity.

Laura spent a wonderful ten days in Sangklaburi running activities with the children including an art workshop and yoga rehearsals as well as supporting in the nursery, spending one-on-one time with new arrivals, assisting with medical care and accompanying the team on the outreach program where volunteers take much needed supplies out to the elderly and the young in Burma.

The experience is one Laura will never forget and we all take our hats off to the individuals who dedicate their lives to nurturing, loving and supporting all of Baan Unrak’s wonderful children. Without them, they would literally have nowhere to go.

GGPR is currently planning a number of fundraising initiatives to support the home and is looking for 5 volunteers to visit the home and build a much needed fence around the complex. If you are interested in assisting in this project or hearing more about how you can support the home, please email laura@goldengoosepr.com

And they’re off! The 10 Virgin Active ad vans are doing the rounds at Westminster…and our favourite photography wizard Jim Marks was on the scene, brand new (two days old!) Canon 5D Mark II in hand with a 28-105 lense….the fog was as thick as Dickensian pea soup, yet ever the resourceful artist, Jim managed to capture the perfect shot. In fact, if you look at this picture closely, you’ll see that the Houses of Parliament have been re-touched so that they are actually visible..they were completely whited out in the actual shot and the van has been super-imposed so that branding and wording can be seen. It was however, on the actual bridge – just not driving past at that precise moment. A true masterpiece of editing and post-production…

It’s rare to get coverage in the FT and Asian Tatler in the same week, but we did just that for our client mdesign. With the global jet set rushing to purchase mdesign‘s luxury London properties, this couldn’t have come at a better time. Stephen Sellar, co-founder of mdesign, appears as a spokesperson in the FT and you may recognise Yusef from Quantum of Solace in the Tatler piece…!

We’ve had a lot of fun with Virgin Active, our health and fitness client, over the years. Being arrested on the concourse of Waterloo Station was quite a novel experience, further to the creation of our ‘Jumping Jack Flash Mob’ in 2007. In 2008, we stormed the streets of Manchester with anti-‘moob’ placards and a camera crew…our clan of bra-clad men made Jordan look flat chested. Knowing that the cheeky team at VA HQ are always up for a little controversy (and quite fond of putting us in the line of fire), it came as no surprise to learn that our first mission for the new year was to ask the nation, the PM and the leader of the opposition to ‘Lighten Up’. As we type, ad vans are being created to drive around Westminster…complete with images of Gordon Brown and David Cameron grinning away at the gym. The Sunday Telegraph’s Dashwood got wind of our story…will Cameron and Brown take this lightly? Will they be joining Amy Winehouse in the queue for the sunbed at their local Virgin Active? Or following in the footsteps of Guy Ritchie, who has also been seen working out at his local VA? Watch this space, reader…

Ooooh we love it when we get two clients in one article. Especially when it’s in Grazia. Today’s issue has a fitness fashion special in it and not only do we (again!) have Pineapple all over it, but we’ve also got a quote in from our super fitness savvy Virgin Active trainer, Jane Chinery… it’s all about the legwarmers, ladies.

Happy New Year everyone! Our tree may be gone and our tins of Roses may be empty (we’re now back on our good old daily Wispa run)…but our festive spirits are soaring high thanks to the wonderful Ruby Warrington, who was lovely enough to feature two of our clients in this year’s first ever issue of Sunday Times Style.

Chinawhite gets the top spot in the ‘Going Out’ guide, so watch out for the new club which will re-open this Summer.

Our two cartoon rock goth chicks, Scarlett & Crimson, are listed next to Suri Cruise, Emily Blunt, Sally Hawkins and Georgia May Jagger as two girls to talk about this year – which is incredible, seeing as they’re the only two non-humans to get a plug in this illustrious trend guide. As Ruby says, S& C are ‘leading the anti-Bratz revolution’…and they don’t look like they’ve had any surgery, which is quite an achievement for a ‘toon in this day and age…think about it…!

Even more excitingly on the Scarlett & Crimson front, we’ve just taken delivery of the 300 x hand finished limited edition vests that have been created by iconic Brit rock fashion designer Robert Cary-Williams. Each vest (there are four designs in all) have been inspired by the original Scarlett & Crimson drawings by Ged Backland. Skulls and crossbones, ornate keys and butterflies with skull shaped bodies all feature in the artwork..and the vests truly do look amazing. They will be going on sale in Coco Ribbon, KJ Laundry and The Laden Showrooms from February 2009 to coincide with London Fashion Week and we’re delighted to say that we are working with the wonderful Alice Wilson and the Le Bisou team to throw a roof raising Scarlett & Crimson party at Raffles on Wednesday 18th February. Guest list enquiries can be made to info@goldengoosepr.com. More to come later…Robert Cary-Williams is hosting, along with Scarlett & Crimson, who will be there in spirit.

Rock on!

P.S More to come on the glam rock make-up range that Millie Kendall and Ruby Hammer are creating for Scarlett & Crimson soon….