Northern Lights: The Team

Victoria Tomlinson

Victoria Tomlinson is founder and owner of Harrogate-based PR consultancy, Northern Lights. A former director of Ernst & Young in London, she started her career as a graduate trainee for Plessey and later with Bradbury Wilkinson, the banknote printers, selling banknotes to foreign governments.

She joined Arthur Young as part of their start-up marketing team, helped achieve £1m increased sales through cross-selling in the financial services group and was made a director of client services on the management committee and managing a 100-strong division.

Victoria moved to Yorkshire in 1989 and set up Northern Lights. It has consistently won national awards, is frequently named in the top ten of Yorkshire and northern PR consultancies and many clients have been with them for ten or more years.

Carol Arthur

Carol Arthur is a trained journalist and has wide-ranging experience in business, education and consumer markets. She has worked in or headed up the PR departments of two colleges, the North Eastern Co-operative Society and Northumbria Tourist Board.

She has lectured in media and business studies, and is also an active supporter of local charities and the community helping with fund-raising and PR activities. Her key role at Northern Lights is in PR and media planning, creative solutions and writing.

Ruth Badley

Ruth Badley joined Northern Lights after 12 years as a senior feature and arts writer with the Ackrill Newspaper group.  A trained drama teacher, Ruth has taught in London comprehensives and run adult literacy and English as a second language programmes in Australia.

At Northern Lights Ruth is bringing her experience to consumer, arts, lifestyle and education campaigns.

Ruth is involved with a local campaign to raise £2m to refurbish Harrogate Theatre.

Ruth Lewis

Ruth Lewis brings a wealth of PR experience to Northern Lights. Having worked in London for ‘big name’ consultancies, she moved back to Yorkshire and opened the Leeds office for Citigate, which specialised in corporate and financial PR.

Following a career break to have children, when Ruth was heavily involved in organising school and charitable events, Ruth now works with Northern Lights on their client project teams, particularly with business to business clients.

Sandy Welsh

Sandy Welsh worked as media buyer/accounts assistant at an advertising/PR agency in Harrogate for four years prior to joining Northern Lights PR. In her native Holland, Sandy worked in recruitment after completing a degree in facilities management.

Her role at Northern Lights is managing the office, providing project support, preparing the accounts and client budgets, efficient client liaison and generally ensuring the smooth running of the office.

Ruth Nicholson

Ruth Nicholson, known as Ruthie, has considerable experience in customer services and office support.

She moved to Yorkshire from Winchester, where she had spent 16 years with HSBC in a variety of customer service roles and four years at Eastleigh College sorting out student administration. At Northern Lights Ruth provides general office assistance and supports other members of the team with client research and projects.