AVIVA, Norwich City Football Club and The Benjamin Foundation are today celebrating a huge success after winning a prestigious international award for their joint community sponsorship campaign, the Aviva Community Chest Challenge.

At last night's star-studded Sport Industry Awards ceremony, the Norwich partnership beat off competition from McDonald's, Speedo, Reebok, The Premier League and E.On to win the top award for "Best Use of PR in a Sport Campaign".

World Cup winning rugby stars Will Greenwood and Richard Hill presented the award to Benjamin Foundation founder Richard Draper and Chris Elliott of the Aviva sponsorship team.

A delighted Richard Draper said: "It was fantastic enough to be the charity chosen to benefit from the partnership, and that has helped us more than we could have imagined. This award is beyond our wildest dreams."

Norwich City chief executive, Neil Doncaster commented: "Everyone at Norwich City Football Club is delighted that Aviva has been recognised for this successful community focussed initiative, one which we wholeheartedly supported alongside the Eastern Daily Press and which benefited greatly a worthy local charity.

"I'm really pleased for members at Aviva who worked so hard with our staff and The Benjamin Foundation to win this award."

For Aviva, sales and marketing director John Kitson added: "For our partnership to have beaten off competition from campaigns by companies like McDonald's and Reebok is absolutely amazing.

"It speaks volumes for all the creativity and hard work that has gone into it by Norwich City, The Benjamin Foundation and our sponsorship team.

"Our sponsorship of Norwich City has always always been about making a positive difference to the community of Norwich and Norfolk. This award highlights just how much can be achieved when people and organisations work together with one aim."

Aviva's Community Chest Challenge ran in September last year in conjunction with the Eastern Daily Press and Norwich City Football Club.

Aviva gave up its name on the shirts of the Canaries' first team to a charity nominated and voted for by the readers of the Eastern Daily Press and Aviva staff.

The Benjamin Foundation was the ultimate winner of the shirt sponsorship for the Doncaster Rovers game last October that raised over £20,000 for the charity.

"But it's about so much more than the money. It's about the profile and recognition that all this has brought us." said Mr Draper, who attended the Awards with Gina Parker from the Foundation and Tasha Canham, whose life was turned around and given a new direction by the support and help she received from The Benjamin Foundation.

She and other guests mingled with stars past and present from the sporting world including current Formula 1 World Championship leader Jenson Button, former Formula 1 World Champions Alain Prost and Mika Hakkinen, boxing legend Joe Calzaghe and Olympic champions Denise Lewis and Michael Johnson.