CipprSouth Yorkshire’s communication team has been named ‘Outstanding In-House PR Team’ by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).

They beat off competition from several larger communication teams, including the Environment Agency, Leeds Bradford Airport and Leeds Metropolitan University, to win the gold award at the CIPR PRide Awards Yorkshire & Lincolnshire.

The three person team was praised for the way it measures the effectiveness of its media and marketing activity and the way it contributes to South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s overall objectives.

Judges said: "This is clearly a hard working team who have looked at how their work has an impact in their wider community and on the organisation's bottom line. They demonstrated good examples of creative campaigns that have resulted in some impressive outcomes for them. The team at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue have a lot to be proud of."

The CIPR PRide Awards receive entries from freelancers, consultancies and in-house teams across 12 UK regions and nations.

Head of Strategy & Engagement Steve Chu, said: "This was a huge surprise, especially considering the resources of the some of the teams we were up against. The most pleasing aspect was that the judges recognised our work directly contributes to improved community safety.

"There is still a perception amongst some that Fire Service communicators are no more than press officers. We must show as a sector that we have a central role to play in prevention work, and strive to become as highly-valued to the Service as other community safety teams are."