Top award for Uist Community newspaper

Uist Community Newspaper, Am Pàipear, was recently chosen as the Highlands and Islands Community Newspaper of the Year 2010.

The awards will be presented at the Highlands and Islands Press Ball in Nairn on Friday the 5^th of February 2010.  Am Pàipear were praised for their strong community ethos.  Leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Councillor Angus Campbell said:

“I would like to pay tribute to the work of the Am Pàipear team for their hard work and commitment in serving the community of the Uists. In particular their coverage of the threat to the Hebrides Range was an excellent example of a community newspaper campaigning on a local issue of prime importance to that community.   In the five years since the paper was launched it has gone from strength to strength and I wish them every success for the future”.

BBC’s Craoladh nan Gàidheal’s Andreas Wolff was presented with the best entry in Gaelic and Steven McKenzie, also of the BBC, was awarded the best use of journalism on the web.

The West Highland Free Press’ Keith MacKenzie is again the worthy recipient of Sportswriter of the Year and Eric MacKinnon of the Stornoway Gazette was highly commended in the section.  Willie Urquhart is Photographer of the Year.

Cllr Campbell added: “All of those in the awards are to be commended for the work they do in bringing the news and current affairs of the day to local communities”.

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