CN Group titles the Cumberland News and the Carlisle News and Star won both daily and weekly newspaper of the year prizes at the Society of Editors regional press awards today.
The Cumberland News won the prize for top weekly above 20,000 and the News & Star was top daily below 25,000. The best weekly below 20,000 was Local World’s Brentwood Gazette and best daily above 25,000 was the UK’s top selling regional title, the Express and Star in Wolverhampton.
The chairman of judges special award went to Deric Henderson of the Press Association in recognition of his 45-year journalism career, including 33 with the Press Association. Henderson has reported on Northern Ireland since 1969.
A new Journalists’ Charity award went to Peter Barron in honour of his 15 years as editor of the Northern Echo (the longest serving editor in the paper’s 144-year history).
Other notable winners included weekly newspaper reporter of the year Gareth Davies who picked up the prize for a second time. Davies hit the headlines earlier this year when he was served with a harassment warning by police for putting questions to a convicted fraudster.
The awards were hosted by LBC radio presenter Nick Ferrari who contributed his services.
Full list of winners for the Regional Press Awards for 2013
Young Journalist of the Year
Ben Leo of the Brighton Argus
Business and Finance Journalist of the Year
Ben Woods of the Eastern Daily Press
Specialist Writer of the Year
Jon Austin of The Echo, Basildon
Feature Writer of the Year
Lee Marlow of the Leicester Mercury
Columnist of the Year
Sadie Hasler of The Echo, Basildon
Blog of the Year
Peter Rhodes of the Express & Star, Wolverhampton
Weekly Sports Journalist of the Year
Chris Harby of the Melton Times
Daily/Sunday Sports Journalist of the Year
Jon Colman of the Carlisle News & Star
Weekly Reporter of the Year
Gareth Davies of the Croydon Advertiser
Daily/Sunday Reporter of the Year
Ben Wilkinson of the Oxford Mail
Weekly Photographer of the Year
Anna Draper of the Lincolnshire Echo for a “powerful and heart-breaking portrait of a father and son” that was “picked up by the majority of the nationals and was used as a platform for launching a national campaign for the importance of wearing a cycle helmet”
Daily/Sunday Photographer of the Year
Will Johnston of the Leicester Mercury for an "incredibly moving photograph that perfectly captured the tragedy of a parent’s death"
Designer of the Year
Gary Beckwith of the Newcastle Evening Chronicle
Supplement of the Year
Week End by the Western Mail
Front Page of the Year
‘Hear Our Voices’ by the North West Evening Mail
Scoop of the Year
Teachers at City Muslim school ‘ordered to wear hijabs’’ by Zena Hawley of the Derby Telegraph
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Campaign of the Year
‘Save the Whittington Hospital’ by the Camden New Journal
Newspaper Society Making a Difference prize (chosen by public vote)
The Yorkshire Post for: Loneliness: The Hidden Epidemic
Website of the Year
Manchester Evening News
The Digital Award
Liverpool Echo
Journalists’ Charity Award
Peter Barron of the Northern Echo
Chairman’s Special Award
Deric Henderson of the Press Association
Weekly Newspaper (below 20,000)
Brentwood Gazette
Weekly Newspaper (above 20,000)
The Cumberland News
Daily/Sunday Newspaper (below 25,000)
Carlisle News & Star
Daily/Sunday Newspaper (above 25,000)
Express & Star, Wolverhampton
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