That’s a simple one, really. We don’t profess to be a Jack of all Trades, we’d rather just be masters of what we’re good at. And that’s design, building and programming of websites and designing for print. To break that down a bit further, we offer innovative and stunning solutions for your web requirements, from stylish Brochure Sites through to Content Management Systems and a straight-forward Ecommerce package which cuts through the complications of online shopping.
If it’s design for print you’re after, we can handle it – whether it’s a simple letterhead design or a 200-plus page colour brochure, our highly-skilled and talented design team will give you the image you need. We can create your branding from scratch if you’re a start-up, or maybe you’re established and just fancy something completely new. We’ll even give your existing identity a make-over if it’s looking a bit tired and dated, making sure your clients see you exactly the way you want them to.
Nigel Burton – Sales Director
Nigel was born in the fishing port of Fleetwood, Lancashire and educated at Baines Grammar School. He worked for
many years in the advertising industry in and around his home town and also York, Manchester and London. He has
also worked extensively as a freelance writer and journalist on both national and local publications, and has
travelled extensively throughout Europe researching articles. He is a qualified counsellor.
John Stirzaker – Creative Director
John too was born in Fleetwood and attended Fleetwood High School. He has had a passion for good design since his
teenage years and boasts an impressive career which has seen him work for some major national clients including Harrods.
John has worked as a senior graphic designer throughout the UK and Spanish mainland and, along with Nigel, brings a
wealth of experience and skill to his role at Freebird.
The rest of our team
Part of the reason for Freebird’s success is the simple yet effective way we approach our industry. When we create
a website for you, you’ll get a top level graphic designer looking after the front end, a qualified programmer
building the back end, and dedicated copy writers and photographers making sure your content is perfect for a stylish,
effective site which will appeal to both your customers and the search engines. It’s a plain old simple case of
‘horses for courses’ – you get the appropriate professional carrying out each individual part of your
project, making sure you really do get the best of everything, and no detail is overlooked.
And when it comes to designing for print, you can rest assured that your work will be created by designers who know the ins and outs of today’s print processes – after all, it’s the only way you can be sure you’ll get the perfect end result every time. If you want, we’ll liaise directly with your printer, taking the hassle and worry out of the whole process. If you’re not sure who to use, we can even recommend one of our tried and trusted partner companies, who are guaranteed to offer the best presses and finest quality work at a competitive price.
1989 – the company was founded with the launch of a brand new publication, Fylde Motor Express. This was very successful and went on to become Lancashire Motor Express, joining forces with the newly split Rock FM and Red Rose Gold radio stations in several zany publicity stunts.
1990 – Life in Fleetwood magazine hit the news-stands in the hazy late summer, causing a stir among the locals and making Fleetwood the only town in the UK to have its own glossy monthly.
1993 – The continued success of Life in Fleetwood prompted the launch of other local magazines for both Cleveleys and Poulton-le-Fylde, establishing Freebird as the respected publisher of high quality nostalgia magazines throughout West Lancashire.
1994 – The Fylde Magazine was launched and became an immediate success, giving residents of the whole of the Fylde Coast a top quality publication at a fantastically low price.
1995 – The Fylde Magazine joined forces with Tracey Dawson in the planning of a fund raising event for Comic Heritage in honour of husband Les, to be staged at the Blackpool Grand Theatre. The event was a huge success.
2003 – The company became incorporated as Freebird New Media Ltd, with Nigel Burton and John Stirzaker as directors. The new name reflected the growth in the direction of web sales, although the print and publishing arm still remained strong.
2004 – Freebird is awarded the contract to design and build the website for the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority, which is the start of a successful and ongoing relationship with the NHS.
2005 – The company moved into new premises in Fleetwood, Lancashire, as its workforce and client base expanded rapidly. At the end of the year, we won the contract to design and build a brand new content-managed website for the Blackpool Grand Theatre which went on to increase traffic by 400% compared to the theatre’s previous site.
2006 – Freebird restructured, developing separate departments for design, copy writing, programming and development, allowing it to continue its successful growth.
2007 – The Blackpool Grand Theatre website - designed and built from scratch by Freebird - was named Lancashire Tourism Website of the year. This accolade is testament to the quality, reliability and user-friendliness of the website that Freebird created.