The first ever “Campaigner Awards” were given by ALDC at their Annual Meeting in Bournemouth in late September. The event was kindly sponsored by Midshires and Riso, with the awards including five categories with the winning local parties getting a £100, and an overall winner with the local party receiving £500.
Many thanks to everyone who entered! Artwork (where appropriate) from all the winning entries will be available to download over the coming weeks for ALDC members (in the Campaigner: Best Practice) section.
Overall winner: Lewisham
Very good all-year-round campaigning throughout the borough from Cllr Chris Maines, Cllr Brian Robson, Cllr Dan Houghton, Cllr Philip Peake and Vijay Naidu, but in particular the winning by-election campaign in Downham when Duwyane Brooks and Jenni Clutten were elected.
Best Ward Campaign: Kensington & Chelsea
Colville Ward was gained in a July by-election giving us our first seat in the council, with campaigning organised by Robin Meltzer and with Carol Caruana as candidate.
Commended – Hardwick county division of Cambridgeshire, with campaigning organised by Martin Land and with Cllr Fiona Whelan as candidate.
Best Focus: Meon Valley
Catherington county division in Hampshire was gained by Sam Payne from the Conservatives, with a solid campaign by Andy Chatfield, Liz Leffman, Elaine Woodard and Sam Newman McKie.
Commended – Leamington North county division of Warwickshire which was held by Cllrs Sarah Boad & Eithne Goode, with artwork by Alan Boad.
Best Direct Mail: Bristol
in particular for the campaigns in Horfield (winning councillor was Cheryl Ann, and this is in Bristol North West where Paul Harrod is the PPC) and Ashley (winning councillor was Jon Rogers and this is in Bristol West where Stephen Williams is the MP).
Commended – Horsham Riverside county division of West Sussex, with a campaign by Stuart Millson and Cllr Morwen Millson.
Best literature by a volunteer campaigner: Preston
Cllr Mark Jewell and John Potter for our winning campaign in Preston North West (where Mark won) and the close result for John Potter in Preston Central South.
Commended – Spelthorne (Surrey), for their campaigns in Lower Sunbury & Halliford Division (Caroline & Lawrence Nichols) and Ashford Division (Colin Strong & Diane Appleby)
Best campaign innovation: Hertfordshire
for their Six to Fix campaign from Cllr Chris White and Susan Gaszczak, which is a slogan used elsewhere in the country but the range of materials and the way it was consistently used throughout the county and all the literature makes it stand out.
Commended – West Didsbury by-election campaign in Manchester Withington, for their ‘text telling’ idea where people text a code to the party when they have voted so we don’t need to knock them up, thanks to Cllr Charles Glover and winning councillor Lianne Williams.