1284 will make its exhibitor debut on stand B38 at the Love Business Expo 2024.

The 1284 team won’t have to travel far to access the conference centre - the company is based in the nearby Holywell Building.

Director George Oliver said: “We’ve been to the expo as delegates a few times over the years but this is our first time as an exhibitor.

“I enjoyed the East Midlands Chamber’s devolution debate at the 2023 expo, so we chose a stand close to the conference hall to keep up with what’s being said.”

Next year's Love Business Expo takes place in the Holywell Park Conference Centre on February 15.

It is a business-to-business networking exhibition that pulls in exhibitors from across the region. The headline sponsor is the East Midlands Chamber.

1284 is a chartered agency and is shortlisted for the CIPR’s Independent PR Practitioner of the Year. It was founded by George, who had previously edited the Leicester Mercury, in 2020.

1284 develops corporate identity, engages stakeholders, and builds the reputation of public, private, and non-profit organisations across the East Midlands.

It specialises in strategic communications relating to innovation and enterprise. Clients include local authorities, universities, SMEs, startups, and non-profits.

They gain practical internal comms, measurable PR campaigns, media relations, comms training, copywriting, thought leadership, and written funding bids.

Former Mercury local democracy reporter Amy Orton recently joined 1284 as Account Director - quickly going on to join George in successfully gaining Chartered PR status.

“Amy’s arrival means that we are scaling up both our public and private sector accounts,” said George.

“1284 is growing and we are looking towards the expo as a place to showcase everything that we can do.”