AddThis SmartLayers

Daily journalists shortlisted for award over mental health campaign

DavidPowlesTwo daily newspaper journalists who worked on a campaign to highlight mental health issues have been nominated for a national award.

David Powles, left, and Nicholas Carding are joint finalists in the Journalist of the Year category in the Mind Mental Health Awards.

The pair were shortlisted for their work on the Eastern Daily Press’s Mental Health Watch campaign, which aims to mental healthcare issues in Norfolk as well as fighting to end the stigma associated with the conditions.

David, who is now the editor of the Norwich Evening News, and Nicholas, who is health correspondent for both the EDP and the Evening News, are up against competition from reporters working at BBC News, BBC Radio 1, and Sky News.

The campaign also earned the EDP a place on the shortlist for Publication of the Year where it will compete with the Huffington Post, CALMzine, and Fabulous Magazine.

Said David: “We’re absolutely honoured of course, but a campaign is only as strong as the issue it fights for and this is something Nick and I feel very strongly about.

“Unfortunately this is a big issue that needed and still needs to be tackled both locally and nationwide.

“That’s probably the main reason why it was such a success and received such a strong reaction from our readers.”