Sussex PR companies swept the board at the annual PRride Awards.

Consumer agency Pegasus PR, based in Liverpool Gardens, Worthing, won a record eight awards, including three golds, four silvers and the coveted PR consultancy of the year title.

Brighton-based Midnight Communications won two golds and city neighbours The Priory Partnership bagged a gold at the event held at the Goodwood Country Club last Thursday.

Spink Consumer Relations in Ardingly Road, Lindfield, West Sussex, won four awards, including two golds, a silver and the young communicator award which went to Simon Hackett.

The regional public relations awards, held by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), were open to PR agencies and in-house teams from the Home Counties, South and Wessex area.

Pegasus, whose clients include Holland & Barrett and Siemans Hearing Instruments, won gold for best consumer PR campaign, best use of photography and best use of media relations.

Managing director and founder Lisa Bradley said: "I'm very proud of what we have achieved as a team. It is always very rewarding to get recognition from your industry peers."

Midnight, based in Foundry Street, works for a range of organisations such as Fuji, The Notting Hill Carnival and Sussex companies FDM, Venture Finance and Thomas Eggar.

The firm won gold for relationship management and the corporate and financial campaign of the year. Tara O'Brien just missed out on winning young communicator.

Priory, in Frederick Terrace, won gold for best public affairs/lobbying programme.

Director Paula Seager said: "Last year we won silver for this same award and we're thrilled to have moved on to gold this year - it just shows the quality of the team's work."

Spink, whose clients include Johnson & Johnson and Schering-Plough, won gold in the charity or non-profit and business-to-business categories and silver in the low budget campaign category.

CIPR regional chairman John de Mierre said: "This year's event has attracted higher entry levels than any previous year, from a very broad range of work carried out in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

"The standard across all categories has been incredibly high and every winner thoroughly deserves their award."

Colin Farrington, CIPR director-general and chairman of the judges, said: "The PRide Awards are about raising professional standards by identifying, recognising and rewarding the first-rate work going on in the PR industry outside London.

"They are also about advancing the profession by clearly demonstrating just what PR can achieve at its best, as a strategic management function that manages relationships and reputation.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006