30 reasons to be proud to be a journalist: Newspaper Society highlights campaigns which made a difference

The Newspaper Society is calling for the public to vote in a competition recognising some of the most powerful local newspaper campaigns across the UK.

To celebrate Local Newspaper Week, which starts on Monday, the NS has named 30 campaigns which made a difference in their local area.

Featuring in the list are drives to save hospitals and museums from closure, to help the homeless and victims of flooding, and to boost local employment.

The list also features a number of touching, personal stories.

The Glenrothes Gazette (right), for instance, ran a story about a woman trapped in hospital when a home care package could not be organised. It took just one call from her family to her local newspaper "and suddenly everything was resolved".

Allan Crow, Central Fife editor of the Fife Free Press Group, said: "The family came to us because they knew us, and trusted us with their story. Local newspapers achieve results like that every single week by speaking up for people and their communities.”

Northern Echo editor Peter Barron said: “Campaigning remains the most important part of the function of a local newspaper. Budget constraints must never be used as an excuse to stop fighting for change, revealing the truth, and giving local people a voice.

“Local newspapers across the country continue to achieve wonderful things. Whatever the format for news delivery in the future, journalists from the grass roots up must never stop seeking to change the world. It sounds pompous – but it's right.”

In particular, newspapers’ use of Twitter and other digital and social media platforms to amplify the campaigns, getting faster results, is being highlighted by the NS, which is inviting the public to vote for the best campaigns on its website.

The People’s Choice winner of the Making a Difference award will be announced by Adrian Jeakings, the president of the Newspaper Society, at the Society of Editors Regional Press Awards next Friday.

Here is a full list of nominees: