The Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) has announced that Helen Wood and Rachel Matovu from Hill+Knowlton Strategies are the winning team in the Young PR Lions UK 2015 competition to find the best young PR consultants in the country.

They will now go forward to compete internationally at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

Helen and Rachel won the judges over after presenting to a UK jury made up of senior members from the PRCA, Ogilvy PR, H+K Strategies, MSL Group and Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke (NICHS) charity, on Friday 24th April. The team presented a campaign plan responding to a brief set by the NICHS.

From the left: Gold winners Helen Wood and Rachel Matovu from H+K Strategies. Silver winners Amy O’Connor and Kirstyn Wood from Ketchum

The winners of the Silver award goes to Ketchum’s Amy O’Connor and Kirstyn Wood and the Bronze winners are APCO Worldwide’s Daniella Lebor and Jenny Runnacles.

Helen and Rachel have won complimentary flights, passes to the Cannes Lions festival, and accommodation. They will compete against representatives from over 30 countries on 22^nd June, delivering a presentation for a non-profit organisation in 12 hours that will be judged by a selected jury.

PRCA Director General Francis Ingham MPRCA said: “Huge congratulations to Helen and Rachel, whose entry and the campaign pitch that they gave really impressed the judges and captured their attention. It is extremely rewarding to see such exceptional talent going forward to represent the UK on the international stage.”

The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) is the sponsor of the Young PR Lions competition to find the most talented young PR team in the world; and the PRCA is responsible for running the UK element of that competition to find the country’s brightest and best young PR talent.

The House of PR will have its own cabana on the Palais in Cannes where individuals can meet prominent representatives from the PR industry. The ICCO guide to Cannes is now up and running and will be updated regularly before and throughout the festival. If you would like to contribute to the ICCO guide to Cannes Lions website or are interested in sponsoring the program, please contact ICCO General Manager Binta Kristin Hammerich.

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