City Council competes in national communication awards

A Carlisle City Council campaign to make ‘Carlisle cleaner than ever’ will be in the running for a national communications award.

The 2006/2007 campaign was the overall winner of the CIPR (Chartered Institute of Public Relations) North West Pride Awards Corporate Communications category late last year (Wednesday, 28 November) and is representing the North West at the CIPR President’s Grand Prix Awards.

Set in place to promote the introduction of new enviro-laws (the Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act), the initial challenge of the ‘Carlisle cleaner than ever’ campaign was to promote education of the new laws before taking enforcement. It took a positive stance and challenged people to take pride in the local environment by keeping Carlisle clean and safe.

The City Council worked alongside local people to tackle anti-social behaviour such as graffiti, litter, dog fouling, fly-tipping and fly-posting. The City Council urged citizens to take pride in their communities and pledge their support.

A range of different promotional and communication methods was used during the education and enforcement campaigns, including media coverage; roadshows; vehicle signage; lamp post stickers; information booklets; posters; postcards; bus advertising; and takeaway stickers.

Smoking debris and litter was seen as a specific problem so mini-keyring portable ashtrays for cigarette butts and chewing gum were distributed at various events and sent out on request.

A short DVD was developed using footage of Carlisle and vox-pops using members of the public, local businesses and partners. This was used in schools as well as at local neighbourhood forums. A rewards scheme for young people was also developed to encourage them to use litter bins.

The 3rd Annual CIPR President’s Grand Prix Awards will take place on Thursday 6 March, at Birmingham’s Town Hall. This dazzling event will see the 2007 PRide Award Gold winners compete on a national platform for the 2008 President’s Grand Prix Award, in 21 of the Pride categories.

The Carlisle City Council campaign will be competing against eight other finalists.