P&J reporters score seven nominations at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards

By Reporter

January 5 2023, 10:00 am

The Press and Journal reporters nominees and winners at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards. From top left, Simon Warburton, Donna MacAllister, Andy Skinner, Chloe Irvine, Sean McAngus, Rita Campbell and Stuart Findlay. Image: DC Thomson design

The Press and Journal has secured seven nominations for the upcoming Highlands and Islands Media Awards.

The annual awards bash is set to take place at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness on February 3.

P&J reporters Stuart Findlay and Rita Campbell have both been nominated in the reporter of the year category, alongside the BBC’s Iain MacInnes and Mark Harcus from the Orcadian.

Ms Campbell, of Oban, is one of the paper’s longest-serving reporters and narrowly missed out on the same award last year.

In the young reporter of the year category, The Press and Journal’s Elgin-based pair Sean McAngus and Chloe Irvine have been nominated.

Mr McAngus will be hoping to go one further after being nominated for the same award last year.

Nominations follow national award

Elsewhere, The Press and Journal business correspondent Simon Warburton is one of three up for the business reporter of the year award.

One of his competitors is freelance journalist Peter Ranscombe, who has been nominated for work that was published in our paper.

The awards ceremony will be held at the Kingsmills Hotel. Image: David Whittaker-Smith/DC Thomson

Donna MacAllister, a member of The Press and Journal’s environment and transport team, has been nominated for the environment and sustainability writer of the year award.

Ms MacAllister, a former scoop of the year winner at the Scottish Press Awards during her first stint with the paper, returned to the P&J in March 2022.

In the sport writer of the year category, Andy Skinner is hoping to win the award for the third time.

Mr Skinner joined The Press and Journal in 2014 and was previously a winner in 2019 and 2020.

The Press and Journal editor-in-chief Frank O’Donnell said: “I am delighted that the exceptional work of our journalists across the Highlands has again been recognised in the Highlands and Islands Media Awards.

Editor-in-chief Frank O’Donnell. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

“Covering news, sport, business and features across such a wide and varied area requires dedication and passion for the communities we serve. And our team, from reporters to photographers, brings this every day.

“This follows a period in which The Press and Journal was named Scotland’s Daily Newspaper of the Year and multiple individual awards in 2022.”

The awards will be held as part of the 34th annual Highlands and Islands Press Ball.

Last year’s event raised more than £4,500 to benefit four local charities – Macmillan Cancer Support, Alzheimer Scotland, Action for Children and the Journalists’ Charity.

The ball has now raised more than £115,000 for good causes, with all the money staying in the Highlands and Islands.

This year’s charities are Highland Hospice, Centred Scotland (formerly Birchwood Highland), Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) and the Liam Colgan Music Fund.