A FREELANCE writer from Oban has been named Journalist of the Year in the annual Highlands and Islands Media Awards.
Say the awards organisers: “Moira Kerr was the unanimous choice of the judges for a series of strong entries across the writing categories. She won the Feature Writer of the Year award and was shortlisted in the Reporter of the Year category.”
Newspaper of the Year for the second time in succession was the Strathspey and Badenoch Herald. Chatterbox, which serves the Black Isle, was named Community Newspaper of the Year.
Neil Riddell, from the Shetland News agency, won Top Story of the Year, for his writing on difficulties faced by the airline Loganair. Top Shot of the Year was produced by Trevor Martin, an Inverness-based freelance photographer, for – adds the organisers – “capturing the joy on the face of Inverness Caledonian Thistle skipper, Graeme Shinnie, on lifting the Scottish Cup [men’s football] in 2015″.
The ball’s charity fundraising collected more than £3,500 for four charities: Highland Hospice, Inverness Women’s Aid, Highland Foodbank and Youth Highland.
The winners’ list reads:
Best Use of Gaelic
Calum MacLean, BBC Alba
Best Use of Digital Media
Shetland News
Young Journalist of the Year and the Alex Main Trophy
Ellie House, Inverness Courier
Sports Reporter of the Year
Will Clark, North of Scotland Newspapers
Photographer of the Year
Gair Fraser, Scottish Provincial Press
Top Shot of the Year
Trevor Martin, freelance, Inverness
Reporter of the Year and the Jim Love Memorial Trophy
Ryan Taylor, Shetland Times
Top Story of the Year
Neil Riddell, Shetland News
Feature Writer of the Year
Moira Kerr, freelance
Community Newspaper of the Year
Chatterbox, Black Isle
Newspaper of the Year
Strathspey and Badenoch Herald
Journalist of the Year
Moira Kerr, freelance
Barron Trophy for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism
Paul Breen, Inverness
