Going Far Beyond to Deliver Nationally Recognised Quality
In a three-week period, on the run up to Christmas 2025, we accepted the task to create the first Great South West Defence Prospectus.
The purpose of the document was two-fold – 1. to showcase the immense existing and potential for future, defence capabilities across the whole of the South West region and to dispel the myth that the region is ‘cream teas and holidays’, whereas in fact, it holds the key to the delivery of a critical defence infrastructure as detailed in the Ministry of Defence’s Strategic Defence Review.
Our Approach
The original plan was to deliver a prospectus based on the Ministry of Defence domains. However, with the audience primarily being Government Ministers, we suggested that we flip the format to focus on answering the key pain points raised in the Strategic Defence Review.
Our client feedback confirmed that our organised approach made the process smooth and efficient, even with many moving parts. Our familiarity with the defence landscape not only informed the content but also helped shape the overall storyline of the Prospectus, ensuring it resonated with industry, government, and investors alike.
Our Findings
The prospectus was crafted with clarity, reflecting our deep expertise in strategic communications and knowledge of the Defence and Maritime sectors. Our client commented on our “impressive ability to translate complex technical, industrial material into a compelling and accessible narrative, ensuring that the final document is both authoritative and easy to engage with”.
This was a job that was more than just gathering stakeholder contributions and placing them into a document. The prospectus needed a tone of voice, a consistent narrative, and a compelling story line.
Presented first in Westminster in February 2025, and the updated version in March 2026, the prospectus has been read by thousands and has changed the external view of the significant value of defence across the South West region, recognised recently by the award of two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges (DTECs).
“Working with Elaine and Chris at Copper Turtle has been outstanding in every respect. Their contribution to the Great South West Defence Prospectus went far beyond copywriting—they delivered a level of quality, insight, and professionalism that genuinely elevated the whole project.
I would recommend Elaine and Chris without hesitation to anyone seeking high-quality communications support with genuine depth of sector understanding.”
— James Fairbairn Deputy Director - Investment & Growth Great South West —