Last night we were proud to scoop two Gold awards at the 2026 CIPR Midlands Awards, recognising work that drove up voting and a £21million regeneration project.

Our first Gold was awarded for Here, not there, a campaign delivered for the East Midlands Combined County Authority to support the region’s first Mayoral election.

Delivered in partnership with local authorities, public sector organisations and employers, the campaign focused on clear, locally relevant messaging to explain a new form of leadership and encourage voter engagement. Turnout exceeded expectations – with nearly 450,000 people voting – higher than other mayoral areas.

CIPR judges escribed it as a “standout campaign” that had delivered excellent value for the public purse.

The second Gold recognised BakerBaird’s work supporting the Stapleford Towns Fund programme in Nottinghamshire. Working closely with the Towns Fund Board, Broxtowe Borough Council officers and community partners, the programme translated complex regeneration investment into clear, inclusive communications that built local confidence, sustained momentum and helped attract significant additional external funding.

It was hailed by judges as an “insight driven” campaign that had demonstrated clear community impact in Stapleford. The £21m Towns Fund regeneration programme, managed by Broxtowe Borough Council, has attracted England football legend Steven Gerrard to set up his academy there, as well as attracted £1.4m additional funding from the Football Foundation.

BakerBaird co‑founder Stuart Baird said: “These awards reflect the professionalism and commitment of the senior officers, in‑house communications teams and partners we worked alongside. Our clients are investing seriously in their communities, and our role is to help that work be understood, trusted and supported.”

The awards come as we mark its tenth year in business, maintaining an unbroken record of annual industry recognition.