The Evening Times in Glasgow has rewarded two of its journalists who led a successful year-long major campaign with a cash bonus.
Chief reporter David Leask and health reporter John McCann headed the ‘Hands off Yorkhill’ campaign (left) which won a reprieve from closure for the world-famous Queen Mother’s Maternity Hospital in Glasgow.
More than 400 stories were written during the campaign which ended with the Scottish Executive announcing that £100m would fund a new joint hospital in Glasgow to replace the Queen Mother’s Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children both based at Yorkhill.
Earlier, the Evening Times delivered a 156,000-signature petition to the health minister demanding the two hospitals be retained on the same site.
The two journalists were honoured at an impromptu ceremony in the newsroom when editor Charles McGhee read excerpts from a glowing letter of praise he had sent both journalists.
The size of the cash bonus was not disclosed.
By Hamish Mackay
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog