From a field of almost 700 entries, says the Society, the winners and highly commended were announced in a special video event which replaced the planned gala awards lunch due to the Covid-19 crisis.
The awards, supported by headline sponsor Facebook Journalism Project, recognise excellence throughout the regional and local print press.
In a video message of support, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden MP paid tribute to all who worked in the regional press. He added: “Particularly local and regional press have a unique role to play both in holding local politicians to account and in building a sense of community.”
The Secretary of State added that he found questions asked by local journalists at the regular Coronavirus government briefings among the trickiest to deal with as they came from reporters close to their communities.
Sarah Brown, Facebook’s Head of Northern Europe News Partnerships, said: “I would like to say a huge congratulations to all those chosen as winners in the Regional Press Awards, a great achievement. We are delighted to be sponsoring the awards at a time when news is more important than ever.”
Ian Murray, executive director of the Society of Editors commented: “Even though the awards have been affected by the Coronavirus emergency and we were unable to stage the gala lunch we were determined all the fantastic work carried out by the regional and local press did not go unrecognised.
“Anyone looking at the breadth and scale of the entries for this year’s awards will recognise the tremendous and vital role the sector plays in our nation.”
If you missed the video announcements, you can catch up on the whole awards ceremony online here.
The Society of Editors organises the awards on behalf of the industry and is supported by: headline sponsor Facebook Journalism Project; Camelot since 2001; Amazon Prime Video; Google News Initiative; Cision; PA Media; HoldTheFrontPage; Luther Pendragon; and the Journalists’ Charity.
list of winners and highly commended:
JOURNALISTS’ CHARITY AWARD
Dan Carrier, Camden New Journal
YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Amazon Prime Video
Joint winners: Jessie Mathewson, East London Guardian
Jack Dyson, Kentish Gazette
Highly Commended: Marcus Hughes, WalesOnline
SPECIALIST WRITER/IMPACT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Liam Thorp, Liverpool Echo
Highly Commended: Ciaran Barnes, Sunday Life
FEATURE WRITER/LONG FORM JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Amanda Powell, The Western Mail
Highly Commended: Joe Thomas, Liverpool Echo
BUSINESS & FINANCE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Greg Wright, The Yorkshire Post
Highly Commended: Robin Johnson, Derby Telegraph
Highly Commended: Margaret Canning, Belfast Telegraph
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR – DAILY PAPER
Joint winners: Carolyn Hitt, The Western Mail
Allison Morris, The Irish News
Highly Commended: Catriona Stewart, The Herald
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR – WEEKLY PAPER
Peter Grant, Wirral Globe
Highly Commended: Mike Kelly, Sunday Sun
SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – DAILY PAPER
Neil Allen, The News, Portsmouth
Highly Commended: Paul Abbandonato, WalesOnline
SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – WEEKLY/ SUNDAY PAPER
Paul Ferguson, Sunday Life
Highly Commended: Mark Taylor, Cambridge Independent
DATA JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Joint winners: Harriet Clugston, RADAR AI
Aimee Stanton, JPI Media
Highly Commended: Annie Gouk, Reach Data Unit
SOCIAL MEDIA JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Daniel Russell, The Nottingham Post and Nottinghamshire Live
Highly Commended: Will Hayward, WalesOnline
DIGITAL LIVE NEWS REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Kristian Johnson, LeedsLive
Highly Commended: Neil Docking, Liverpool Echo
Highly Commended: Cathy Owen, Media Wales
DIGITAL LIVE SPORTS REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Gareth Hanna, Belfast Telegraph
Highly Commended: Beren Cross, LeedsLive
REPORTING COMMUNITIES AWARD
Joint winners: Rakeem Omar Hyatt, BirminghamLive
Kathryn Williams, WalesOnline
Highly Commended: Will Hayward, WalesOnline
THE CATHRYN NICOLL AWARD
In conjunction with the NMA
Joseph Locker, The Nottingham Post & Nottinghamshire Live
WEEKLY/SUNDAY REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Luther Pendragon
Rodney Edwards, The Impartial Reporter
Highly Commended: Charles Thomson, Yellow Advertiser
DAILY REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Luther Pendragon
Martyn McLaughlin, The Scotsman
Highly Commended: Liam Thorp, Liverpool Echo
Highly Commended: Kelly Williams, Daily Post
WEEKLY/SUNDAY PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by PA Media
Stuart Walker, The Cumberland News
Highly Commended: Mark Williamson, Stratford-upon-Avon Herald
DAILY PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by PA Media
Simon Hulme, The Yorkshire Post
Highly Commended: James Hardisty, The Yorkshire Post/Yorkshire Evening Post
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR – NEWSPAPER
Debbie Rodman, Bury Free Press
Highly Commended: Simon Hill, Express & Star
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR – MAGAZINES/SUPPLEMENT
David Lewins, Bristol Post: Weekend Magazine
Highly Commended: Clarke Cooper, The Press and Journal
SUPPLEMENT OF THE YEAR
TdY Magazine, The Yorkshire Post
Highly Commended: Back Where We Belong, Express & Star
MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
ecoJersey, Jersey Evening Post
Highly Commended: Life, Jewish News
FRONT PAGE OF THE YEAR – DAILY PAPER
Sponsored by HoldTheFrontPage
They tried to make the world a better place, Cambridge News
Highly Commended: La Tragedie de Notre Dame, The Scotsman
FRONT PAGE OF THE YEAR – WEEKLY PAPER
Sponsored by HoldTheFrontPage
‘Choose something’, The Herald on Sunday
Highly Commended: Shameless/ Killed for the Cameras, Sunday Life
SCOOP OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Cision
Senior teacher bombarded pupil, 15 with flirty messages, Daily Post
Highly Commended: Evil Eyes, Sunday Life
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR – DAILY PAPER
Joint winners: Power up the North campaign, across Reach Plc, JPI Media & Newsquest titles
Birmingham Pub Bombing Inquest Campaign, Birmingham Mail
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR - WEEKLY/SUNDAY PAPER
Save Kentish Town City Farm, Camden New Journal
Paedophile Police Informant campaign, Yellow Advertiser
Highly Commended: Save Reading Gaol, Reading Chronicle
WEBSITE OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Google News Initiative
HullLive, Hull Daily Mail
Highly Commended: Irishnews.com, The Irish News
Highly Commended: manchestereveningnews.co.uk, Manchester Evening News
SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Facebook Journalism Project
ChronicleLive
Highly Commended: WalesOnline
DIGITAL INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Facebook Journalism Project
Brexit Voices from Northern Ireland, Belfast Telegraph
Highly Commended: Shaped by a River: Tales of the Tay, The Courier
THE OVERALL DIGITAL AWARD
Sponsored by Facebook Journalism Project
liverpoolecho.co.uk, Liverpool Echo
Highly Commended: KentOnline, IM News
INNOVATION & INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Facebook Journalism Project
Statement, The Irish News
Highly Commended: Radar AI | Local News Wire, RADAR AI
FREE WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Camelot
Islington Tribune
Highly Commended: Slough & Windsor Express
PAID FOR WEEKLY/SUNDAY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR (ABOVE 50,000 MONTHLY REACH)
Sponsored by Camelot
Bucks Free Press
Highly Commended: Newbury Weekly News
PAID FOR WEEKLY/SUNDAY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR (BELOW 50,000 MONTHLY REACH)
Sponsored by Camelot
Farnham Herald
Highly Commended: The Impartial Reporter
DAILY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR (ABOVE 400,000 MONTHLY REACH)
Sponsored by Camelot
The Yorkshire Post
Highly Commended: Express & Star
DAILY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR (BELOW 400,000 MONTHLY REACH)
Sponsored by Camelot
Western Mail
Highly Commended: Yorkshire Evening Post
