MEDIA group Archant has appointed an award-winning public relations agency to manage its growing portfolio of events throughout Suffolk and Norfolk.

Lexia Media has been selected to play a leading creative role in the planning and organisation of Archant’s series of award dinners and project events scheduled to take place this year.

The Woodbridge-based company was chosen after a competitive tendering process and in the coming days will begin planning the 2012 calendar of events, including business, tourism and food and drink awards run by Archant Anglia, publisher of the East Anglian Daily Times and the Ipswich Star, and their Norfolk sister titles the Eastern Daily Press and Evening News.

Archant said that outsourcing this year’s event management would allow it to focus on the continued growth and development of its newspaper and magazine business.

The media group added that it was proud of its reputation for delivering high quality events and awards across the region and said the deal with Lexia would build on the great experience and benefits received by sponsors, award-entrants, and event guests.

Lexia will also be working with Archant to ensure that more of the region’s venues, suppliers and services are included in staging the forthcoming events programme.

Archant Anglia managing director Johnny Hustler said: “We are delighted to have appointed Lexia to manage our events programme for the year ahead.

“We are really proud of the scheme of awards events we have operated over recent years, but are always looking to ensure that the creativity behind those events can be improved and that the experience of our generous sponsors and supporters is the very best it could possibly be.

“The team at Lexia have a wealth of creative ideas to put into action on our behalf and we are really confident that their project management skills and PR techniques will bolster the awards to ensure that they are the best ever.”

Among the events set to be delivered in Suffolk and Norfolk this year will be business awards for both counties, food and drink awards and tourism awards.

Deborah Watson, managing director of Lexia, said: “My team and I are thrilled to have been selected to manage the event portfolio for Archant Anglia.

“This provides Lexia with a really exciting opportunity to bring our creativity to some of the highest profile occasions on the social calendars of Suffolk and Norfolk.

“We’re looking forward to getting started and to working closely with proactive regional businesses who want to bring their brand to the events as sponsors and supporters.”

Anyone interested in sponsoring an Archant event in Suffolk should contact Mark Westall on 01473 324545 or by email to mark.westall@archant.co.uk .

Anyone interested in sponsoring an Archant Norfolk event should contact Gary Attfield on 01603 772153 or email gary.attfield@archant.co.uk .