At an awards dinner on Tuesday night in Stationers' Hall attended by 78 people, the judges of the Young Stationers' Prize announced their decision to award the Prize for 2014 to Katie Glass, columnist for the Sunday Times.
Judges called Miss Glass 'hugely adaptable' and 'mature beyond her years', noted 'her fabulous turn of phrase, engaging copy, and unfailingly interesting choice of subject matter', and called her 'a rising star'. In a difficult and wide field of nominees, she received fully one-third of the votes of judges for first place. One judge wrote, 'from the impressive list of "difficult" issues that she has covered, from bipolar in young people to transgender children, Katie Glass appears bold, fearless, brilliant.'
The judges further announced their decision, in light of the strength of the shortlist, to award joint proxime accesserunt prizes to Nicholas Coveney, Editor for Consumer, Audio, Digital at Hodder Children's Books, and and Andrew Barker, editor of ES Magazine.
Of the two runners up, the judges called Mr Coveney 'forward thinking and a real innovator' and 'deservedly one of The Bookseller’s Rising Stars 2014', and said he 'has helped to bring some of the best-loved classics of children’s literature to life digitally for the first time.'
Judges praised Mr Barkley's 'tremendously impressive rethink of the Standard magazine', and said 'The fact that he puts out stellar content every week with no break from the deadline churn, and has really shaken it up with new columnists, a page re-design and the new Deluxe editions, means he should be celebrated.' One judge added, 'I am personally aware of his successes with ES Magazine due to clamouring for a copy every Friday evening!'
The Prize trophy was presented to the Stationers' Company by the Pewterers' Company. Lorraine Sutherland, editor of Hansard, spoke following the announcement of the Prize result.
A short recording of the judges' presentation may be viewed on YouTube.
