Former Falkirk Herald chief reporter Adrian Mahoney has picked up a top public relations award.

His firm The PR Store won gold for Best Community Campaign in the Scotland PRide Awards, run by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

Winner Adrian

Adrian, (36), picked up his trophy from broadcaster Fiona Ross at a ceremony in Glasgow.

For the past year, The PR Store and web partner Oldhand Media have worked with West Lothian Association of Community Councils to make member councils more accountable and accessible to people in central Scotland.

They created a website – yourcommunitycouncil – backed by posters, leaflets, events and press articles – all designed to get more people talking to their community representatives.

The judges said the campaign was “highly creative and imaginative”, adding that the professionals involved “went beyond the original remit”. The PR Store and Oldhand did much of the work for low cost or for free.

Helen Taylor, the chair of West Lothian Association of Community Councils, said: “They turned a tiny project to create a website into a major campaign which has really put us on the map.”

Adrian, who worked on The Falkirk Herald between 1987 and 1997, said: “I was absolutely thrilled to pick up this award. To get this kind of endorsement is fantastic.”

He set up his own business, The PR Store, in 1999 and now works for clients such as Scottish Enterprise and NHS Lothian.

Colin Farrington, the director general of the CIPR, chaired the judging panel.

He said: “The PRide Awards are about raising professional standards by identifying, recognising and rewarding the first-rate work going on in the PR industry outside of London.

“The PRide Awards judging process is rigorous and to win is a tremendous achievement. The PR Store, Oldhand Media and West Lothian Association of Community Councils are worthy winners.”