A NEW public relations consultancy has been launched in Ringwood. McKenna Townsend Public Relations has been founded by Matthew McKenna, chairman of the Wessex Institute of Public Relations, and Sarah Townsend.

The new consultancy will be working with several clients including the Dorset Safety Camera Partnership, PA Consulting Group, Subway, Dockgate 4, Blake Lapthorn Linnell and Closures Europe.

Ms Townsend (26) said: "I am really looking forward to a working life at McKenna Townsend PR and all the opportunities and challenges that it will bring.

"I am sure that we will make a winning team and that our clients will benefit from our ability to establish trusting and long-lasting relationships that achieve agreed objectives."

Mr McKenna (32) said: "We want to provide our clients with a communications service that offers value for money and properly evaluated results. Our goal within four years is to become the south coast's leading PR agency in terms of turnover, client satisfaction and results."

Mr McKenna, who lives in Bournemouth and Ms Townsend, who lives in Winchester, have worked together for five years at a PR agency in Southampton she was an account director and he was an associate director.

Together they have 23 years' combined public relations experience. They have worked on a range of local, regional, national and international consumer, business to business and corporate issues, with clients in sectors such as packaging, franchising, financial, retail, leisure, professional services and IT.