THE future of a popular food and drink awards ceremony has been secured.

Natural PR, based in Poynings, near Brighton, celebrated its first birthday as a company by taking over management of the Sussex Food and Drink Awards.

The awards were previously organised by Priory PR & Events, which folded just before Christmas last year following the retirement of its founder Michael Evans.

Paula Seager, the managing director of Natural PR, helped found the awards scheme while working for Priory three years ago.

Her company will work with A Taste of Sussex, a business support network for food producers and supply chains in the county, to take the awards into its fourth year.

Ms Seager said: “Popularity for the awards has grown enormously, with more than 7,500 people voting in last year’s awards and a fantastic list of winners who people in Sussex should be very proud of. We at Natural PR are thrilled to be running the scheme again and to be working with our old friends.

“This really is the culmination of a fantastic first year for our business which has grown incredibly in such a short space of time.”

Hilary Knight, of A Taste of Sussex, added: “We are delighted to be working with Paula once again and look forward to growing these prestigious awards with Natural PR.”