PR in the Real World is the podcast from CIPR’s Small Agency of the Year, Viva PR, lifting the lid on how communications really works beyond the London bubble.

Each episode shares practical, budget-savvy tactics drawn from the communities we serve in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, education and the public sector. No celebrity gloss, just impact you can measure.

This week, Rachel Westray joins us to trace a career shaped early by family influence and sharpened by a year in León, where language and culture taught her how messages land.

Now Site Communications Manager at Westinghouse’s Springfields site near Preston, Rachel works at the junction of internal engagement, industry partnerships and community relations - moving in a single day from a parish hall briefing to a global call with colleagues across 40 countries.

She makes a compelling case for why comms must have a genuine seat (and voice) at the leadership table if it is to steer strategy, protect reputation and bring people with you.

We explore what ‘impact’ looks like in a safety-critical, growth sector: myth-busting with the public, building trust with stakeholders and planning Springfields’ 80th anniversary in a way that reflects the site’s deep roots and fierce loyalty.

Rachel explains how apprenticeships and internships create real social mobility, why the nuclear community’s openness is a strength and how regional organisations can - and should - be heard nationally.

There’s also an honest take on the post-Covid shift from comms as a ‘nice to have’ to business-critical, the role of professional standards through the CIPR and a balanced view on AI.

If you care about meaningful engagement, talent pipelines and the power of place in PR, this conversation is a masterclass.

Links

Connect with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-westray-150b5458/

Westinghouse Springfields: https://westinghousenuclear.com/uknuclear/springfields

Nuclear Industry Association (NIA): https://www.niauk.org/

Women in Nuclear UK: https://www.winuk.org.uk/

Nuclear Institute – Young Generation Network (YGN): https://nuclearinst.com/ygn

CIPR (Chartered Institute of Public Relations): https://www.cipr.co.uk/

Lancashire Combined County Authority: https://lancashire-cca.gov.uk/

Lancashire Business Board: https://lancashire-cca.gov.uk/governance/lancashire-business-board

EDF – Heysham power stations: https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/power-stations/heysham-1

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