top of page
Search

NE Community Champion Awards: Celebrating the Region’s Young Champions


This year's winners
This year's winners


Client

Northern Leaders Trust (NLT) and the Association of Education Advisers (AoEA), joint sponsors of the NE Community Champion Awards, an annual event recognising outstanding young people across the region.



Brief

NLT and AoEA wanted to raise awareness of the third NE Community Champion Awards, showcase the impact of young people in the North East, and highlight the role of local business sponsors and civic leaders in supporting youth achievement.

They needed content that would capture the emotional power of the awards night, give sponsors strong visibility, and provide a compelling story to share across digital channels, media, and stakeholder networks.



Our Approach

We attended the awards ceremony at Vertu Arena, home of the Newcastle Eagles basketball team, to capture first-hand detail, quotes and imagery from the event.

Content was structured around powerful voices from the night, including The Lord Mayor of Newcastle, NLT’s CEO Lee Kirtley, Develop North CEO Michelle Percy, and AoEA founder Les Walton CBE, ensuring the story felt authentic and people-focused.


We highlighted the role of the region’s foremost companies – including BAM Construction, AtkinsRealis, Brims Construction, Dep North PLC, Hart Family Accountancy, Muckle LLP, Ryder Architecture and The Education Network – each of which sponsored an award category, ensuring clear recognition for partners and strong corporate PR value.


To reinforce the awards’ legacy, we featured a special tribute from Dr Thérèse Quincey, chair of Northern Leaders Trust’s board of trustees, announcing the new Ian Kershaw award for a young person making a big impact, linking the event to NLT’s values and long-term commitment to young people.



Execution

The core output was a long-form feature, “A Night to Remember: Awards Celebrate Region’s Young Champions”, published on the Clothier Lacey blog and used as a hero content asset in wider communications.

The piece:

  • Set the scene by emphasising the scale of the event, with more than 200 guests including nominees, families, carers, teachers and special invitees gathered to celebrate exceptional contributions to the community.

  • Wove in emotive quotes from the Lord Mayor about “tear-jerking stories of bravery and selflessness” and “positive change beginning close to home” to underscore the human impact.

  • Showcased sponsor perspectives, including Develop North’s focus on “northeast community spirit and youth development” and AoEA’s ambition to see the event “keep getting bigger and better”, reinforcing the strategic importance of the awards.

  • Clearly listed the eight award categories – from Community Hero and Young Volunteer to Eco Ambassador, Young Carer, Courage and Special Recognition – demonstrating the breadth of achievement recognised.

  • Highlighted the tangible rewards for winners, including £200 high-street vouchers, £50 book tokens, engraved trophies and certificates, reinforcing the value placed on young people’s contributions.

We also ensured the article included high-quality event photography and an embedded event video, creating a rich, shareable record of the night that could be repurposed across social media and stakeholder newsletters.



Outcomes

The case study-style feature now serves as a flagship piece for the NE Community Champion Awards, reflecting the success of the event in its third year and helping to build momentum for future editions.

By spotlighting the stories of young people, giving clear recognition to sponsors, and announcing the forthcoming Ian Kershaw award, the content strengthens NLT and AoEA’s position as champions of youth achievement in the North East.

The article provides a strong asset for ongoing PR, social media and internal communications, supporting ambitions for greater awareness and increased nominations in future years.



Key Highlights

  • Third annual NE Community Champion Awards, held at Vertu Arena, home of Newcastle Eagles.

  • Over 200 attendees including young nominees, families, carers, teachers and special guests.

  • Eight award categories spanning community heroism, volunteering, fundraising, eco leadership, kindness, caring, courage and special recognition.

  • Backed by leading regional businesses including BAM Construction, AtkinsRealis, Brims Construction, Dep North PLC, Hart Family Accountancy, Muckle LLP, Ryder Architecture and The Education Network.

  • Announcement of a new Ian Kershaw award to honour young people making a significant impact, ensuring a lasting legacy.

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page