Congratulations to our 2012 winners!

Winner:
Bobbie Davies, Grayling

Bobbie impressed the judges at our presentation day with her experience of managing the office during the Head of Wales' maternity leave. She led the office through a period of great change, managing two other team members.

After interning for Grayling and others she joined Grayling permanently three years ago, as an account executive, and was promoted to Consultant in less than 18 months. She is also the longest standing member of the Public Affairs Cymru Executive and last year was elected as Vice Chair, the youngest ever member to hold this post.

In the words of her Managing Director: "her ability, strategic approach, commitment and real talent for the job are second to none".

Winner:
Jennifer Amphlett, Three

Jenny again impressed the judges at the presentation day as a capable, well rounded and talented communicator. She joined Three a year ago after three and a half years at The Association of Convenience Stores. During her time at Three she has increased their influence in Westminster and beyond and established political and third party support across a range of public policy.

Three's Head of Public Policy describes her as "an invaluable member of the Corporate Affairs team" and says that "In 20 years as a Public Affairs practitioner I have worked with only a handful of colleagues who combine sharp political insight with commercial acumen as effectively as Jenny does".

Winner:
Nick Pickles, Big Brother Watch

Nick was an incredibly strong competitor for this award due to his experience essentially re-launching Big Brother Watch after taking over last year and implementing a new website, communications strategy and research plan. Definitely one to watch but unfortunately pipped at the post for this award.

Winner:
TIGA

TIGA is the trade association representing the UK video games industry. Ahead of the last budget, TIGA convinced the Coalition Government to introduce the Games Tax Relief.

To secure this, they delivered over 100 press releases and media interviews, generated hundreds of media citations, met 56 MPs & MSPs and held two dinners at Westminster. For an investment of £95,000 they won a tax break worth £96 million, generating a profit of nearly £10,000 and boosted membership recruitment by 43%.

Winner:
Have Your Say, Vote 3 May
London Elects and London Communications Agency

This was a proactive campaign for the 3rd May to raise awareness of the election, the role of the Mayor and Assembly and how to vote. It generated over 200 pieces of media coverage and 3.3million website hits, far exceeding previous campaigns. It also used social media to great effect including over 1,500 London Elects tweets and over 150 blog articles and online stories.

As well as delivering thousands of information leaflets, in 17 different languages, LCA worked with local authorities to take a giant, branded, inflatable Ballot Box around 33 boroughs, as well as London landmarks.

Winner:
'Safe and Sound' scalextric stand
Guide Dogs

Guide Dogs launched their ‘Safe and Sound’ campaign at party conferences with an engaging, fun and unmissable twist: Scalextric!

Using the smallest form of electric vehicle they could fit into the conference centre they successfully achieved their aim of engaging with politicians and raising the profile of their recommendations for the installation of sound generators on electric vehicles.

Over 140 MPs and Lords attending the stand over the three conferences; including key targets such as the Secretary of State for Transport and his shadow counterpart, as well as the Minister responsible for this issue, Norman Baker MP. Without spending a large sum of money they managed to engage effectively with politicians and make a lasting impression.

Innovation and fun combined with a successful and memorable campaign: everything the Public Affairs News Awards seeks to recognise.

Winner:
The answer is plain, Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research's core team of six created a "low-cost, high-impact, cross-cutting campaign" in support of plain packaging for cigarette packets. This included:

• A short video showing 6-11 year olds discussing what attracts them to cigarette packs which has received over a quarter of a million views to date

• A Westminster action day meeting over 100 Parliamentarians.

• Two families whose children have had cancer had meetings with
David Cameron and Ed Miliband

• A massive targeted media activity, as well as 'bagheads' – supporters covering their 'personal brand' (their face) with a paper bag and posting on Facebook

Winner:
Stella Creasy MP

Nominations were encouraged to be entered in 140 characters. Stella’s nominator said she is:

"Relentless on her main campaign (anti-Wonga) and combines light-hearted with serious on her real passions (indie music and Walthamstow)"

Winner:
Edelman

Edelman is the world's largest public relations consultancy and remains independent and family run.

This 'family atmosphere' extends through the global offices and to London. They strive to attract, inspire and develop their employees via initiatives such as the Edelman University, an online training programme and their training calendar.

They also offer a generous benefit scheme including child-care vouchers and regular social functions. And last year Edelman also gave 31% of its profit to its employees in bonuses.

It is this approach that has contributed to the public affairs team remaining stable throughout the 2011/12 period – with just one person leaving and three people joining.

Winner:
Cicero Consulting

Winning this award for the second year in a row, Cicero is the only public affairs consultancy to focus purely on financial services, with global clients. They have had another excellent year with staff numbers up 50 per cent, an increase in fee revenue and the addition of two new units – Corporate Communications and Digital since January 2012. They have also had continued new business wins including Barclays, Bank of Tokyo, Aviva, Prudential, Hargreaves Lansdown, the European Banking Authority and the Italian Ministry of Finance.

Winner:
Give it Back, George: Drop the Charity Tax
Charities Aid Foundation & the National Council for Voluntary Organisations

The campaign to persuade the Government to drop its planned cap on tax relief for charitable donations has been one of the biggest co-ordinated campaigns across the voluntary sector in years. George Osborne's surprise announcement in this year's Budget to cap unlimited tax reliefs – including on donations to charity had an estimated potential cost of £500 million a year.

The campaign placed the charity tax issue as a key public policy issue and delivered a complete reversal of the planned cap. It used techniques of social and traditional media, research and lobbying in an innovative way to provoke unprecedented public debate about the benefits of philanthropy across many sectors of society.

Winner:
Saving the Derby Train Factory, Cogitamus

Cogitamus Limited was asked by the owner of the UK's only remaining passenger train factory to coordinate a campaign for its survival following the award of a vital UK Government contract overseas.

As part of the campaign they used or helped to secure parliamentary questions and debates; the first ever select committee inquiry into train manufacturing; Freedom of Information requests; media articles and programmes; letter-writing campaigns; and extensive social media pressure. As a result there was a complete review of UK procurement policy not just in rail but also across the economy, and the acceleration of another Government-backed train order that the Cogitamus client secured.

Lionel Zetter

Over the course of a career in public affairs spanning over thirty years, Lionel Zetter has made an outstanding contribution to the industry. The author of some of the most comprehensive and respected publications on public affairs, including the essential "Lobbying: The Art of Political Persuasion", he has attempted to explain and professionalise what you do. He has also proved a tireless advocate of the value of public affairs, willing always to make the case for what our industry does, and the value that it brings, when many others have ducked that challenge. He has managed a successful career in the industry while also remaining one of its most friendly and popular practitioners. And for those and other reasons, he deserves PAN's outstanding contribution award

Winner:
The Royal British Legion

Last year, the legion picked up a Campaign of the Year award for their successful campaign to have the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant written into law.

But the team lead by head of public affairs Kevin Shinkwin did not stop there:

In the last 12 months, as a direct result of campaigning by the Royal British Legion, the Chief Coroner was removed from the Public Bodies Act, and the first ever Chief Coroner was appointed. This will steadily make the inquest experience for bereaved Service families more tolerable.

The legion also successfully lobbied for War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments to be disregarded when benefit payments are being made under Universal Credit.

And it achieved key changes to the Justice and Security Bill for Service families.

With five staff, the team punches well above its weight and 2011-2012 was the most successful campaigning year in the organisation's 91 year history.

Winner:
Simon Redfern, Pagefield

After 15 years in public affairs as a Director at two of our Best Agency to work for nominees, Connect and Fishburn Hedges, he moved to Pagefield as a partner last year. In his first year he brought in £700k of new business and has been on all Pagefield's winning pitches this year, making a major contribution to the growth of the new agency.

Winner:
MHP Communications

Two years ago, MHP Communications didn't exist, but today it is home to 57 public affairs professionals across London, Edinburgh and Brussels.

And with 25 new client wins in the last 12 months, the agency's public affairs practice goes from strength to strength.

MHP has also created some of the strongest campaigns of the last 12 months including securing a tax credit in the 2012 Budget for Animation UK, Championing Camelot's bid to extend the National Lottery licence for 4 years and maintaining cross party support for LOCOG in the run up to the Games

All of this has meant that has meant that MHP's annual public affairs fees have risen from £5m in 2010 to over £5.9m in 2011. And in 2012 MHP is on track to meet targets of 14% growth – no small feat in the current climate.