Who We Are
Big Fish Communications is a team of senior level communication experts boasting more than 100 years combined experience across a variety of mediums, including journalism, public relations, social media, event management and marketingAbout Us
Since 2005, we’ve built a great reputation across the health and fitness industry. Our experienced team is led by former journalist, Abigail Harris, who founded Big Fish in 2005 following a long stint with the FIA (now ukactive) and the Department of Health as a Senior Press Officer. Our happy, friendly team has worked together for a long time (and we think it shows in our culture).
About Our Clients
Most of our clients have been with us for years.
They say that working with Big Fish feels like an extension of their in-house team.
They trust us with their most important integrated communications, PR and events work.
It’s one worry we take off their hands. And we do it rather well!
About Our Promise
From your first strategy meeting, we will be clear and up front about what you can expect.
The team you speak to are those you will work with on a day-to-day basis – senior level communications professionals. We speak your target market’s language and we know how this industry works.
You will get what you are promised.
Our reputation, and yours, depends on it.
Managing Director
Abigail Harris
Abi’s years at the Fitness Industry Association (now ukactive) were a great foundation for working in a sector where people change roles but rarely leave, and she values a great many people within the industry as friends, such is her passion for the arena she works in and the people she works with.
Great at sniffing out the perfect angle for a story – a strength honed as a local newspaper journalist, as well as her days at the Department of Health (DH) – Abi’s news sense means we’re often commissioned to write the feature ideas we pitch.
An amazing multi tasker, Abi oversees the entire running of Big Fish Communications, ensuring all our clients receive the individual attention they deserve from a boutique agency.
Away from work Abi loves cooking, which she attempts to balance out with frequent trips to the gym; in-between playing Mum to a ‘Brady Bunch’ of five children!
If you’d like to find out more about Big Fish PR or would like information on Hussle, Paragon Structures, Quest/NBS, Right Directions or Venueserve Fitness email abigail@bigfishpublicrelations.co.uk or call her on 07738 331019.
Account Director
Vicky Kiernander
Vicky has worked as a journalist, editor and PR consultant in the fitness, sport, physical activity and leisure sector since 2000.
As the former editor of Health Club Management and current editor of Leisure Design & Build, as well as physical activity facilities magazines, Vicky knows what makes a great story and how to keep our clients in the public eye. She loves working alongside clients to develop ideas and stories that can be crafted into attention-grabbing content.
Outside of work, Vicky attempts to keep up with the antics of her five year old son by swimming, practicing pilates and regular walks in the Ashdown Forest.
If you’d like to speak to Vicky or would like information on Leisure-net Solutions or Paragon Structures, email vicky@bigfishpublicrelations.co.uk or call her on 07812 381924.
Account Director
Wendy Wood
Wendy also started her career on the ‘other side of the fence’, as a journalist for the health and fitness trade press and later for national consumer magazines, giving her a true insight into what the media really wants. She’s a whizz at all things words, precious about punctuation and is the team’s official ‘grammar bore’.
Wendy also works as a freelance journalist, writing about everything from women’s health to the Wombles for titles including Boots Health & Beauty, Top Sante and Mother & Baby.
As well as practicing what she preaches in the gym, pool and yoga studio, Wendy chases her two daughters around the house, having teddy bear’s picnics and watching Peppa Pig on repeat.
Wendy looks after DataHub, Hussle, Precor and ReferAll. If you’d like to get in touch you can email wendy@bigfishpublicrelations.co.uk or call her on 07921 319517.
Account Director
Julie Fisher
With over 30 years communications experience, Julie truly loves her job. She’s worked for large and boutique agencies, representing blue chip as well as smaller clients and always gives them her full attention, no matter what size or budget.
A creative thinker, Julie has forged a career by being tenacious; if there’s an angle she’ll find it. Her passion shines through and she takes pride in thinking and behaving as though she is an integral part of her clients’ teams.
Julie has the best of both worlds – working for Big Fish but based in sunny Southern California! She trains in the gym every day at 5am, enjoys paddle boarding around the harbour and watching her son play soccer at weekends.
If you’d like to get in touch or find out more about OurPeople US, you can email julie@bigfishpublicrelations.co.uk or call +1 949 201 9885, but remember she’s eight hours behind the UK.
Account Director
Catherine Goddard
Catherine has been working in PR, marketing communications for over twenty years, cutting her teeth in a boutique health and beauty PR agency and going on to work across many sectors throughout her career. She enjoys getting to know clients and doing the research to fully understand their business and audience. This slightly nerdy approach to preparation means she’s quick off the mark when crafting a press release or article that’s both knowledgeable and engaging; or building a strategic multi-channel approach to outreach, encompassing social media and email marketing.
When the working day is done, Catherine spends her time with family and friends, and loves a good meal and lively conversation, going camping in the countryside or at the coast. For exercise, Catherine loves to do yoga and recently completed a British Wheel of Yoga Foundation Course.
Catherine works on the Quest and Right Directions accounts at Big Fish PR. If you’d like to get in touch you can email catherine@bigfishpublicrelations.co.uk or call her on 07795 251655.
Account Director
Sarah Lloyd
Sarah is our branding guru and has worked on the public relations for major award ceremonies and luxury clients including Selfridges, Waitrose and Pol Roger. Specialising in branding and events, she has 20 years media experience and has worked on various worldwide sporting events, including the Rugby World Cup with Sodexho.
After 17 years’ professional dance training, Sarah loves a fitness challenge. Away from work she competes in marathons, half marathons and is often up at 6am doing a quick 5k run ‘for fun’, before serving Shreddies to her three children.
At Big Fish PR Sarah works on the Oldham Community Leisure, Trafford Leisure and Venueserve Fitness accounts, as well as supporting Abigail across the company’s other industry-wide clients. If you’d like to get in touch you can email sarah@bigfishpublicrelations.co.uk or call her on 07801 234369.
Admin Assistant
William Mortley
Will is a fully fledged member of the Big Fish team and has been helping out around the office for the last seven years, keeping busy by scanning all the lovely client coverage, as well as helping with general office duties.
Will is a true film buff and so when he’s not in the office he can often be found chilling out, catching up on movies.