RSC Highly Commended at PR Week Awards

The Royal Society of Chemistry was a finalist at this week's national awards for the British public relations industry, staged by PR Week magazine in London. 

Top place in the Best Public Affairs category was taken by Cancer Research UK (for Smoke-free Workplaces), ahead of the RSC which received a Highly Commended citation for its media and lobbying work in March-June to prevent the closure of the University of Sussex chemistry department and for spotlighting the importance of better funding for chemistry at UK universities. PR agency AS Biss and Co with Bowel Cancer UK (for work to implement the national bowel cancer screening programme) also received a Highly Commended citation.

The non-commended finalists in the category were Airbus UK with Good Relations PR for the launch of the A350 aeroplane, and Greater Manchester Fire Service for their campaign to prevent violent attacks on firefighters.

There were almost 800 entries for the PR Week Awards 2006. The host was radio presenter and journalist Jeremy Vine.  Tony Blair's former PR adviser (now director of brand and communications at BP) Anji Hunter chaired the judging panel and said: "In my view all the finalists would have made worthy winners and the competition and argument for the top slot was fierce."

The RSC Communication Services Department has been a national PR awards finalist in four of the past five years. In 2002 it was a finalist in the PR Week best media promotion award, while in 2003 and 2004 it was a finalist in the Chartered Institute of PR awards for best media relations team in the not-for-profit sector.

Neville Reed, Director of RSC Communication Services, said: "The commendation is acknowledgement of the effective fashion in which the RSC placed a crucial issue on the national agenda. The RSC, across the board, is now acknowledged and respected as one of the most powerful communicators in the UK science community. We should recognise and value the reality that we are highly-regarded as a force in science advocacy through our work in many fields performed at TGH and at BH."