The head of MEN Media's production team has left the company to set up his own business.

Ian Carroll was responsible for commercial elements such as job and property searches.

Ian, who joined MEN Media in November, has set up 'Solutioneers' which provides support for software development companies.

Regional press publisher Archant London has launched its inaugural Environmental Awards.

There are ten awards recognising green initiatives across the company's patch.

Archant London publishes 40 weekly titles across the capital and north Kent including the Hampstead and Highgate Express, Hackney Gazette and the Kentish Times Series.

The Royal Shakespeare Company is looking for aspiring arts journalists to cover its productions for a year from August.

The Company wants to hear from up-and-coming journalists with connections in youth, local and ethnic minority media.

It will provide bursaries to help students see its performances in Stratford-upon-Avon.

A 2006 graduate now works as Midlands theatre critic for whatsonstage.com. Deadline for applications is July 11 – for more information e-mail mediachisolutions@googlemail.com or call Uchenna Izundu on 07734 986 359.

A parliamentary motion designed to protect the rights of photographers now has the backing of 228 MPs of all parties.

Former journalist Austin Mitchell tabled the early day motion motion in response to a series of incidents in which the police and other uniformed personnel attempted to stop people taking photographs in the street.

Other journalist MPs backing the motion include Chris Huhne, Julie Kirkbride, Peter Atkinson, Martin Linton and Charles Kennedy.

The campaign is also backed by the NUJ which believes backdoor attempts to create a privacy law around street photography will also restrict the rights of press snappers.

Five trainees from ethnically and socially diverse backgrounds have been awarded special study grants.

The cash boost comes via the Journalism Diversity Fund which supports pupils on courses accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

They are Joanna Abeyie, 21, and Aaron Akinyemi, 23, both from London; Eimhear O’Neill, 22, from Northern Ireland; Jennifer Thompson, 24, from Manchester and Hayley O’Keeffe, 23, from Luton.

The Newspaper Licensing Agency also recently pledged a further £300,000 funding over the next three years to the charitable fund.

The Lincolnshire Echo won a prize at the Football Association's Women's Award.

The Northcliffe daily took the Regional Media Award ahead of the Nottingham Evening Post and reporter Paul Garrity, from Liverpool.

The awards ceremony is held to recognise the best in women's football over the 2007-08 season – a period which included England's appearance at the Women's World Cup.

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