Claire Mascall PR Prize Winner Katie Brown (2nd front row) with (l-r) Charlie Canniff, Sadie Edwards, Carol Arthur, Christine Mortimer, Julia Lumley and Anne Gregory

PR students, lecturers and business leaders gathered in Leeds at the end of last year to award an inaugural prize in memory of one of the PR industry’s most respected practitioners.

The Claire Mascall PR Prize was awarded to Katie Brown, with runners-up prizes for Sadie Edwards and Julia Lumley, all third-year public relations degree students at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Established by her family in memory of Claire Mascall, who had a 35-year career in corporate relations, latterly as Head of Corporate Affairs for the London Stock Exchange, the Claire Mascall PR Prize aims to be an annual award for the University, extending to a bursary if sufficient funds are raised.

Katie wins £1,000 and a two-week work placement with the UK Securities and Investments Board; Sadie wins £500 and work experience with award-winning PR consultancy MCG and Julia wins £500 and a work placement with the Leeds Metropolitan University Business School.

Claire’s eldest daughter Charlie Canniff comments; “My mother was passionate about the power of well-researched and clearly targeted communications. She would have taken a great personal interest in the award entries and it is my fervent hope that this award will become an annual celebration of the best future PR practitioners from this excellent university.”

The inaugural Claire Mascall PR Award asked PR students to examine the use and value of social media in the not-for-profit sector. Winner Katie Brown chose to focus on national charity Oxfam and the judging panel said her work was a cogent and strong examination of social media, which would be beneficial to other not-for-profit organisations. She comments:

“I’m absolutely delighted. I really enjoyed working on this project and firmly believe that the social media presents a major opportunity for charities and other not-for-profit organisations as it is all about developing relationships and two way communications. Focusing on Oxfam’s use of social networks as part of an integrated PR campaign confirmed that view and demonstrated the growing importance of social media to the third sector.@

Katie is considering undertaking a post-graduate course and said the prize money would be an invaluable help for her continued studies.

Professor Anne Gregory, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University said: “The standard of entries for this inaugural Claire Mascall PR Prize was extremely high, with outstanding levels of research and strategic argument about the pros and cons of social media channels for non-profit organisations. It is a fabulous accolade for our PR degree students.”

Professor Gregory was joined on the judging panel by Claire Mascall’s daughter Charlie Canniff; Carol Arthur, Chair of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire CIPR and Director of Northern Lights PR and Christine Mortimer, Director of MCG PR.

Christine comments; “I was privileged to work with Claire during her time at the London Stock Exchange and she was an inspirational practitioner. Her career spanned corporate communications across the energy, housing, construction and banking industries, but she never sought the limelight, sticking firmly to the philosophy that her employers were the story. She commanded enormous respect, from both businesses and journalists and this award is a superb testimony to her commitment to our industry.”

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