In 2022, This Chapter was engaged to plan and run the PR for Running Out of Time, an extraordinary 7,767 km, 40 day, non-stop mass-particpation relay event - the longest non-stop relay ever attempted! - from Glasgow (COP26 host) to Sharm, el Sheikh (COP27).
The Running Out of Time relay was a record breaking effort to pass a baton hand-to-hand for 38 days through 18 countries from Scotland to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP27 in Egypt in order to deliver a climate message from young people to world leaders.
The event was an overwhelming success!
Here are just a few of the highlights;
Coverage secured in over 150 news outlets covered the relay with a UVM of 943 million, including the finale being live streamed by ITV Good Morning Britain, and features from The Guardian, BBC, Runners World, United Nations, World Service, NowThis, USA Today, UNESCO, Times Radio, and MSN.
10,000+ participants took part in 732 relay stages, across 18 countries. Baton carriers have included Olympians, young people, Presidents, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, mayors, government ministers, city councillors, NGOs, community groups, ambassadors, activists, students.
818,349 people signed The Message held inside the relay baton calling for universal climate education.
762,004 pupils, from 2,188 schools in 105 countries, joined our Global Schools Action Day.
95% of UK participants said Running Out of Time demonstrated the power of people working together in the name of climate action; 80% said the relay made them want to do more to address the climate crisis.*
"I absolutely loved being part of this project - it brought together so many talented and inspirational people on a mission to achieve what many told us was impossible. But again and again it was shown that when people work together we can achieve anything." Larissa Clark
Our Role
Developed the event communications and PR plan
Creation of all media tool kits, press releases, advisories
Sponsor introductions (included Ecotricity)
Team building introductions (including the other core team for social media, documentary filmmaker)
Partner introductions (including the yacht and crew that sailed the relay baton across The Channel without using fossil fuels)
Responsible for all aspects of media relations from event announcement to the 38-day relay and arrival events in Egypt, setting up futures coverage, news reports, live interviews on global news channels, print, online, radio, and digital with media
Shaping of arrival events that included First Minister of Scotland and national broadcasters
Co-ordinating communication teams of all partner organisations
