RSPB designers take flight

Two designers have left The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to set up Cottier & Sidaway, a group specialising in charity and environmental work.

The new group in Sandy, Bedfordshire, comprises former RSPB design manager Phil Cottier and senior designer Tim Sidaway.

The two partners are currently working with the National Autistic Society and wildlife photographic agency, the Bruce Coleman Collection.

“We have a hit list of potential clients although it is probably premature to go public on that yet,” says group partner Cottier.

“We will be targeting the whole design spectrum, specialising in corporate work such as annual reviews, corporate guidelines and identity work,” he adds.

There are no immediate plans to recruit staff, although the partners will review their business plan in six months.

The RSPB is yet to decide if it will replace Cottier and Sidaway. “We have used their departure as an opportunity to review our operation, in particular the balance between in-house work and out-sourcing. We hope to make some decisions in the next month,” says an RSPB spokeswoman.

The charity currently out-sources 10 to 15 per cent of its design work. The rest is carried out by its four in-house designers.