Award is scooped for Olympic torch efforts

Arun District Council, its partners and local Olympic Games volunteers have won a national award for the combined communications and IT approach to the Olympic Torch Relay and its legacy for the area.

The prestigious Chartered Institute of Public Relations Local Public Services Awards 2012/2013 awarded the Excellence in Communications Award in the Torch Relay category jointly to Arun and the London Borough of Camden.

Arun’s chief executive Nigel Lynn said: “We were able to celebrate the inspiring stories of those carrying the torch and those involved as volunteers and athletes in the Games, helping to make links between them, local community projects and our council teams. This included giving young people opportunities to tell their stories – inspiring a generation.”

The council’s winning entry focused around new ways of working internally, PR strategy, use of technology and the work of volunteers.

The award also recognised torchbearers’ enthusiasm and inspiring community work as well as their part in the innovative communications campaign which provided stories through words, photographs, video and social media.

An Arun online photo gallery which received 17,000 views in just a few months was particularly praised.