A local public relations executive has been chosen by her professional body to be one of the faces of a national membership campaign, marking its 60th anniversary year.

A local public relations executive has been chosen by her professional body to be one of the faces of a national membership campaign, marking its 60th anniversary year.

Rechenda Smith from Sheringham, who now works for London-based property PR consultants M&N Communications, has been selected to appear on a range of promotional materials supporting the campaign by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

Rechenda, who lived in north Norfolk until she was 18 and whose family are still there, scooped the Young Communicator of the Year award for East Anglia last year.

She was chosen as one of just six case studies, highlighting a wide range of experience, background and professional speciality, which show the personal and professional benefits of joining the CIPR.

Rechenda , now 25, did A Levels at Sheringham sixth form after going to the town's primary and high schools. After graduating from the UEA with a BSc in Psychosocial Sciences', she worked as a PR assistant for the Norwich housing charity, St Matthew Housing.

She has also done spells as communications officer for a college at Colchester Institute, and worked for Mosaic Publicity in the same town, where she set up a networking group for young PR people, was the youngest director on the board of the Colchester Town Partnership, overseeing publicity for town events, and did free PR for a homeless charity.

Rechenda, who is currently studying for the CIPR Diploma in Public Relations, added: 'One of the slogans of the campaign is “been there, done that, got the T-shirt' and I'm photographed showing off my CIPR T-shirt. I think a lot of people have been rather disappointed that they're not actually available to buy!'

CIPR director general Colin Farrington said: “This year the CIPR marks 60 years of leading the PR industry. What better way to celebrate our Diamond Anniversary than to increase our membership and ensure more PR practitioners are benefiting from the networking, training and other professional development opportunities that CIPR membership provides.”