Helping purpose-driven organisations deliver content that's clear, accurate and worth reading.
I'm Kelly Owen – a communications and publications professional with 25 years' experience helping charities, faith organisations, heritage bodies, schools and creative teams produce content they're genuinely proud of.
Whether you need careful proofreading on a final draft, or someone to take ownership of a publication from brief to delivery, I can help.
At the heart of what I do is 25 years of editorial expertise.
Accurate, reliable proofreading and editing for reports, newsletters, prospectuses and more.
Part-time, contract or project-based support for purpose-driven teams.
Why clients choose me.
There are a lot of proofreaders and communications professionals out there. Here's what makes working with me different.
25 years of real publishing experience – not just editorial training, but a career built on managing publications from brief to delivery. I've worked in government, agency, charity and diocese environments. I understand how publications are made and what can go wrong.
Assessed at CIEP Professional Member standard – the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading is the UK's leading professional body for editors and proofreaders. Reaching Professional Member standard requires demonstrated competence, not just a course fee.
Long-term relationships, not one-off transactions – most of my clients have worked with me for years. They stay because I understand their brand, their audience and their standards – and because I treat their content with the same care they do.
Flexible and genuinely easy to work with – no complicated contracts, no minimum commitments. I fit around your workflow, your deadlines and your budget. You get a clear quote before I start, and no surprises when I finish.
Purpose-driven by nature – I'm not a generalist who happens to take charity work. I actively seek out organisations where communications serve a real purpose, and I bring that commitment to everything I produce.
Who I work with.
I work with organisations where communications matter – charities, faith bodies, conservation and heritage organisations, independent schools and creative agencies. Clients include
Tearfund,
Stewardship,
Christians Against Poverty,
Wellington College and the
University of Portsmouth.
"Kelly was always a safe pair of hands for a difficult or urgent project and could be relied upon not only to deliver, but to do so pleasantly and without fuss."
– Lisa, Publications Manager, Natural England
What I can help you with.
Whether you're a communications manager at a charity, a marketing coordinator at an independent school, or a small team producing your first annual report – here's a quick snapshot of what I do:
For proofreading and editing:
annual reports and impact publications, prospectuses and admissions materials, newsletters and member communications, policy documents, charity and campaign materials, website copy and digital content.
For publications and communications support:
managing publications from brief to delivery, coordinating contributors and editorial schedules, providing editorial oversight for a communications team, supporting a website refresh or rebrand, or stepping in as a reliable extra pair of hands during a busy period.
Not sure which you need – or whether I'm the right fit?
Book a free 30-minute call
and we'll work it out together.
How I work.
I'm organised, calm and reliable. Clients describe me as easy to work with, clear in my communication and dependable under pressure. I don't add noise to a project – I reduce it. I'm at my best when I've been given a clear brief and the autonomy to get on with it, and I take real pride in delivering work that reflects well on the organisations I support.
I turn work around quickly, communicate clearly at every stage and will always tell you honestly if a project isn't the right fit for me. I work from my home office just outside Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and am available for remote or hybrid engagements across the UK.
A bit about me.
My career began at a Cheltenham design agency, managing publications for clients including
CNN,
Disneyland Paris and major FMCG brands. I then spent
nine years as Publications Officer at Natural England, managing complex government reports and countryside publications. I've run Ultimate Proof since 2004, and in 2022 worked as
Communications Officer for the Diocese of Gloucester.
I'm a practising Christian and feel a particular pull towards faith, conservation, heritage and education – organisations where the work genuinely matters.
Ready to get started?
Send me your document or tell me about your project and I'll get back to you with a clear, honest quote.
