AddThis SmartLayers

Judges unveiled for latest EDF Energy Awards

Entries for the EDF Energy London and South of England Media Awards close on Monday and the line-up of judges can now be unveiled.

This year’s panel line-up contains some impressive names with decades of journalistic experience between them.

Among them is the editor of Britain’s best-selling regional daily paper and the head of accreditation at the industry’s leading journalism training body.

The awards, run in association with HoldtheFrontPage, cover Dorset, Hampshire, Kent, London, Surrey and East and West Sussex with judging taking place next Thursday in Ipswich.

Because of the holiday period, the deadline for entries has been extended from today to 5pm on Monday, August 18. The entry form can be downloaded now here.

Without further ado, here are our judges:

  • Adrian Faber has been editor of the West Midlands-based Express and Star, the UK’s biggest-selling regional daily newspaper, since 2002.

    Adrian has also been editor of the Express and Star’s sister title, the Shropshire Star, Northcliffe daily the Bristol Evening Post, The Argus in Brighton and the Gloucestershire Echo.

  • Aynsley Davidson became editor of the Braintree and Witham Times, Halstead Gazette, Stansted Life and Braintree and Witham Weekly News titles in 2005.

    After a spell with the Colchester Evening Gazette, he moved to the East Anglian Daily Times as assistant news editor in 1998, becoming deputy news editor in 2000 and news editor in 2001.

  • Karen Ainley is a former regional TV reporter and presenter and provides the main broadcasting expertise on the panel.

    She began her journalism career as a reporter on weekly and evening papers and is an experienced Chartered Institute of Public Relations-approved media trainer.

  • Paul Delmar has been responsible for training many of the country’s finest press photographers.

    After working in national newspapers, Paul helped establish the press photography and photojournalism course at Sheffield College where he is now course leader.

  • Stephen Chambers is head of course accreditation at the National Council for the Training of Journalists and has wide experience of both print and broadcast journalism.

    Starting out in local papers, he worked as a reporter with Thames Television and a presenter with Anglia TV and was also a staffer on the Daily Telegraph for three years.

  • Claire Byrd is the head of regional media relations for award sponsors EDF Energy.

    A former news editor and assistant editor of The Argus, Brighton, she is now in charge of EDF Energy’s regional media activity across the country.

    There is still just time to enter any of the 20 categories. Any outstanding entries should be sent to:

    Paul Linford
    HoldtheFrontPage, AN Digital
    Northcliffe House
    Meadow Road
    Derby
    DE1 2BH.