Public Relations professionals celebrate after picking up 2012 CIPR North East PRide Awards

The best of public relations in the North East were announced last night at the 2012 North East CIPR PRide Awards in an annual celebration of talent and achievements at the Hilton, Newcastle Gateshead Hotel.

Big winners on the night included Newcastle-based agency Ramarketing who 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.

It was a triumphant evening for freelance practitioner Debbie Sharratt MCIPR 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 150 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, Northeast & 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, and small and large agencies shortlisted for awards, living up to our reputation for a diverse and creative region.”

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 toWorld 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 £10,000 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 full list of results