Following the announcement on 2 June that How-Do was launching the North West Public Services Communications Awards 2009 - entries can now be submitted online. The awards dinner itself will be held on 12 November at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton where the keynote speaker will be Patrick Butler - editor of SocietyGuardian - arguably the UK's most influential public sector journalist.
In common with How-Do's other award initiatives, it our policy not to charge for submitting an entry/ies.
The closing date for submitting entries for the 15 categories on offer is Friday 24 July.
Patrick Butler/keynote speaker
Our outstanding panel of eight judges is comprised of Edward Brady/Shell, Sean Marley/Lime Pictures, Mark Critchley/SSL International, Catherine Gort/Bauer Radio, David Boardman/Shop Direct, Dave Lucas/MediaVest, Shaun Robinson/United Utilities and Nick Turner/CN Newspapers.
The judges all expressed enthusiasm to be involved, sharing with How-Do a recognition of the increasing importance that communications plays in the activities of public services organisations – and subsequently the broader communities they wish to engage with.
Our keynote speaker, Patrick Butler, is editor of SocietyGuardian. He oversees what is one of the largest editorial teams in the UK devoted to public affairs and it is hard to argue with the Guardian’s position as market leader among the national newspapers in terms of its coverage of public sector activities. Patrick is also a judge of his own paper’s broader – and national - Public Services Awards.
Two commercial partners have already signed up to support the awards as category sponsors:
How-Do is in discussions with several other companies and organisations. If you would like to explore a commercial partnership alongside these awards, please contact Ben Waterhouse at ben@how-do.co.uk or 07950 700740.
Background to the Awards
The range and diversity of public sector operations in the North West is extensive. From organisations such as Alder Hey and Christies to bodies such as the HSE, the NHS and Keep Britain Tidy, across to not-for-profit bodies such as the Mersey Basin campaign and the Mines Advisory Group as well as the wealth of expertise prevalent in local and regional government and the front-line emergency services, the region is blessed with an abundance of quality communications initiatives emanating each year from these and many other public services bodies.
In addition, the sector is ably assisted by a wealth of communications professionals - across all disciplines - with tangible and beneficial experience of the needs and requirements of the sector. The How-Do Public Services Communications Awards will celebrate excellence, create real benchmarks for the future and most importantly, bring together top people from across the region to network, develop and enhance relationships and celebrate current and future success.
Timetable
The awards dinner will be held on Thursday 12 November at the De Vere hotel at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton. Entry submissions are now open and the closing date for submission will be Friday 24 July. The short-list of entries will be published week commencing Monday 7 September following the judging session on 3 September
Awards categories
Most Innovative use of new media Best internal communications campaign Best- in-house communications team Best community relations campaign Best large PR agency in the sector Best small PR agency in the sector Best one-off agency campaign Best public services communications campaign Best low budget campaign Most effective use of social marketing Best partnership engagement initiative Best publication Best use of Video Best local community initiative Most successful utilisation of crisis communications
Keynote speaker
Patrick Butler is is head of society, health and education at the Guardian, overseeing social affairs coverage across the Guardian, Guardian.co.uk and the Observer.
He was previously editor of Society Guardian and its sister website societyguardian.co.uk.
He has been a journalist for 19 years and has written for a range of national newspapers and professional magazines. He regularly chairs (and occasionally speaks at) conference sessions, panels and seminars on the subject of public services.
The judging panel
Catherine Gort
Catherine Gort is head of marketing and communications for Bauer Media's Big City Network.
Prior to joining Bauer, she was marketing director for Salton Europe, managing the marketing activities of brands including Russell Hobbs and George Foreman.
She began her career at Gossard and has also worked in senior marketing roles at Levi Strauss and Durex. At Durex her portfolio of products included condoms and vibrators and latterly she also held international responsibilities for the Durex Play brand.
David Boardman
David Boardman is communications director for Shop Direct Group, the UK's leading online and home shopping retailer, operating brands such as Littlewoods, Kays and Woolworths.
He was previously head of corporate communications for Co-operative Retail Services and is a twice winner of Corp Comms "Top 100 communicators" award.
He spent the first ten years of his career working within the public sector.
Dave Lucas
Dave Lucas is managing partner of MediaVest. Dave graduated from Lancaster University with a BA Hons in English: since then his language skills have deteriorated……but his media skills - he claims - have improved.
He joined LWT as a sales executive in 1988 before moving across to TMD Manchester where in 1992 he was promoted to the board. In 1994, he and Andy Jeal became the founding partners of MediaVest Manchester.
The MediaVest Manchester Group now includes divisions specialising in recruitment marketing, digital marketing, sports marketing and has further offices in Leeds and Edinburgh. Dave's day to day media client responsibilities include Gala Coral, Holland & Barratt, Magnet Kitchens and Barratt Homes.
Edward Brady
Edward Brady is regional external affairs manager Shell UK. He has been in the communications industry for over 30 years. For the past 10 years he has worked for Shell in his present role based in Cheshire and previously held senior communication positions at both British Steel and ICI.
He currently holds two external directorships: the Mersey Basin Business Foundation and Entep Properties.
He has also chaired the CBI's North West PR forum for the past 14 years.
Mark Critchley
Mark Critchley is UK marketing director, SSL International plc. Mark was appointed to the role of UK marketing director in September 2008. Prior to this appointment he was the global marketing head for Durex for six years with overall marketing responsibility for the development of the Durex brand, communication and new product development strategy.
In his current role Mark is tasked to move forward the well known brands of Durex and Scholl, both which are market leaders in their respective sexual well-being and footcare markets. Mark's early career in SSL included regional marketing responsibility in Central and Eastern Europe for three years.
Prior to SSL, Mark spent three years will Princes Foods in various marketing and planning roles. Mark has also been recently appointed chairman of the Marketing Society in the North.
Nick Turner
Nick Turner is head of digital content development at the Cumbria-based CN Group. He is also organiser of the Digital Editors' Network in conjunction with the University of Central Lancashire.
He is a board member of the Society of Editors and was a recent judge in the UK Press Awards.
Sean Marley
Sean Marley is managing director of Lime Pictures. Sean started his career in the world of radio, initially working in advertising sales. In 1993 he made a radical change by moving into radio programming and by 1996 he had been appointed programme director of Metro Radio, the youngest major market PD at the time in the UK.
In 1999 he re-joined Radio City as PD and was appointed managing director in 2000.
In 2003 he joined Mersey Television as commercial director. After All 3 Media’s purchase of the company in 2005 he was appointed MD. The subsequently re-named Lime Pictures today employs over 350 people at its Liverpool base and is best known for the long running drama’s Hollyoaks and Grange Hill.
Sean is a director of North West Vision & Media, a member of the JMU Screen School Advisory Board and sits on the Skillset North Industry Panel.
Shaun Robinson
Shaun Robinson is head of media relations at United Utilities plc. He was previously the director of communications for Thomas Cook Airlines based at Manchester Airport. He moved across into the world of utilities 18 months ago.
UU is the only FTSE-100 company based in the North West and has an annual turnover of over £2 billion employing 9000 people. Shaun has a wealth of experience in PR ranging from happy holiday promotions to crisis management in the UK and abroad.
At United Utilities he heads the press and PR/public affairs dealing with national, regional daily and local newspapers, radio and television, promoting UU’s activities in water, electricity and gas across the North West, Cumbria, Yorkshire and the North East.
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