ACORNS Children's Hospice Trust's Press team has scooped a top industry award for its publicity campaign to build a new children's hospice.

The team took top honours for the Best Charity Campaign in this year's Institute of Public Relations' Midland Pride Awards.

The campaign promoted Acorns' current £4m fund-raising appeal to build a new children's hospice in Worcester, which will care for 250 life-limited children and their families from Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.

Judges praised the team, including Jessica Foster, PR manager, Cheryl Calvert Lee, Three Counties press officer, and Sara Badger, Press officer, for achieving very high media coverage with a very tight budget and developing a fully co-ordinated media and PR campaign.

The team was also singled out for playing a pivotal role in generating fund-raising income and communicating awareness of the need for a new children's hospice, along with motivating supporters across a wide geographical area.

"We are absolutely thrilled to win this award," said Ms Calvert Lee.

"The Three Counties Appeal is such a worthwhile cause and something that both the media and local people have really taken to their hearts. It's a fantastic campaign to work on."

Acorns launched the Three Counties Appeal in April 2002 and has since raised £3m of the £4m needed to build and equip the new hospice. The appeal is now in its final stages - building work started in October this year and the new hospice is expected to open in December 2004.