Public Relations Professionals Celebrate at 2012 CIPR North East PRide Awards

TYPE AND WEAR, November 10, 2012 (Press-News.org) Topping the bill was Dr. Richard Kirk, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist and Transplant Physician at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, who received a special commendation to rapturous applause.

Every year the CIPR North East Committee awards the title of Communicator of the Year to someone outside the industry that's gone above and beyond their day job to represent the region in some way.

Acknowledging his award, Dr. Kirk said "I am delighted and honoured to receive this award from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. As a team the Trust has worked very hard to tell the world just how important the Children's Heart Unit at The Freeman Hospital is to not just the region, but as a centre of excellence here in the UK, and I would like to thank everyone who has helped spread that message."

Other big winners on the night included Newcastle based agency ramarketing which picked up gold awards in the 'Corporate and Business Communications' and 'Healthcare' categories before being named 'Outstanding Small Consultancy'. Public sector teams from Stockton Borough Council and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council were celebrating after picking up two gold awards each including Redcar and Cleveland being named the 'Outstanding In-House Public Relations Team' of the year. Newcastle based agency OPR was named 'Outstanding Public Relations Consultancy'.

It was also a triumphant evening for Debbie Sharratt who picked up the prize for 'Best Freelance Practitioner', as well as scooping a gold award for her work with Deerness Gymnastics Academy on the campaign PR Springs into Action in the 'Best Sporting Campaign' category.

Over one hundred and fifty leading public relations practitioners from the North East gathered for this year's black-tie gala event sponsored regionally by ST16 and presented by Gerry Jackson, BBC journalist for Look North, North East & Cumbria.

Chris Taylor MCIPR, Chair of the CIPR North East group welcomed the guests and shared his delight at seeing "such a high standard of communications work showcased at this year's awards," adding that "it is great to see the public sector, private sector, not for profit organisations, sole practitioners, small and large agencies shortlisted for awards; living up to our reputation for a diverse and creative region.

"I would also like to congratulate Dr. Kirk as our Communicator of the Year. This award is particularly appropriate in a month where the region has celebrated 25 years since the world's first successful heart transplant here on Tyneside.

"Dr. Kirk has managed to find time outside his surgical schedule to field media interviews, liaise with politicians and help enthuse patients and relatives to support the campaign to save The Children's Heart Unit at The Freeman Hospital.

"Developments this week might show that the battle to save the Unit is not yet won, but I'm
sure we all agree that the campaign to keep a specialist children's heart unit in the region is one worth fighting for."

The full list of the 2012 North East PRide Awards winners is as follows:
• Corporate and Business Communications - ramarketing - Booming Business at SCM
• Not-for-Profit - Golley Slater - MS Life 2012
• Internal Communications - Cool Blue Brand Communications - Welcome to World HQ - Huntsman Pigments
• Community Relations - DTW/SITA UK - Stoneyhill - The future of waste management
• Public Sector - Stockton Borough Council - Put yourself in the picture
• Best Campaign GBP10,000 and under - Gardiner Richardson - Characters of the Castle - A new exhibition at Carlisle Castle
• Best Sporting Campaign - DebSharratt Communications & Deerness Gymnastics Academy - PR Springs into Action
• Healthcare - ramarketing - Chase Park - the neuro-rehabilitation specialist
• Consumer Relations - Karol Marketing Group - Cracking it with Cracknell
• Best Use of Media Relations - Switchover Help Scheme - 12 Days of Help Scheme
• Integrated Communications - Nexus - Confronting metal theft
• Best Use of Social Media - Northumberland County Council - Social Northumberland
• External Publication - IPB Communications - Cestria Courier
• Internal Publication - Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council - This is BBB
• Best Digital Campaign - Durham County Council - Brass: Durham International Festival 2011 Digital Campaign
• Best Event - East Coast Main Line - Blaydon Races Train Naming Event
• Outstanding Young Communicator - Liz Davies MCIPR - NHS North East
• Outstanding Small Consultancy - ramarketing - the ones to watch
• Outstanding In-House Public Relations Team - Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council
• Outstanding Public Relations Consultancy - OPR - 'One Team: One Goal'
• Public Affairs - DTW/Mersey Gateway Project - Mersey Gateway - A Special Case
• Best Freelance Practitioner - Debbie Sharratt MCIPR - DebSharratt Communications
• Best Use of Measurement & Evaluation - Stockton Borough Council - Put yourself in the picture
• Communicator of the Year - Dr Richard Kirk
• Ken Robinson Award - Lyndsey Waters


View the full list of results, with gold winner case studies, on the CIPR website.