Vikki Rimmer

Vikki Rimmer is a PR & Communications Consultant.  She won Xchangeteam’s PR Freelancer of the Year Award in 2008.  When asked why she likes freelancing, Vikki said: “I have the freedom to operate without the restraints that working in a corporation bring.  I generally work one-to-one with my clients and we try to use the freedom we have in a creative way; sailing close to the wind and being as provocative as possible in order to make the news agenda.  Working as a freelancer has meant that I've attracted some very unusual clients who wouldn't necessarily have had the budget or confidence to go to a large PR company in the first instance.

What are the biggest challenges?  “Multi-tasking is a big challenge because the golden rule of freelancing is never turn work away!  I can sometimes find myself juggling three or four campaigns at once and while this has its rewards it can mean that 12 hour days are the norm.”

Vikki’s client Ed Stafford is currently walking the length of the Amazon river in order to raise awareness of climate change.

Ed said: “The reason I use Vikki as a freelancer rather than a PR firm is that she is creative and innovative and comes at PR from a fresh and surprising angle. I can call her anytime of day or night (as she has a little baby and never sleeps!) and she's become a close friend and I trust her completely. The complete understanding of what I'm doing due to our personal relationship means that she is irreplaceable as far as I'm concerned."

BBC presenter and gardener Tom Hart Dyke has also worked with Vikki: “Vikki's a ground breaking cracker in every aspect of the media workings & without her admirable help at Lullingstone Castle The World Garden of Plants, as a whole, simply wouldn't be where it is today!  Vikki is an inspirational journalist with the most creative determined charming flare that I've ever encountered.”