A new prize for female journalists has been created in memory of an award-winning regional daily columnist and feature writer.

The Nicola Barry Award aims to encourage campaigning journalism and will be first be given out at the Scottish Press Awards next spring.

The award has been launched by Nicola’s husband Alastair Murray and Women in Journalism Scotland, a recently-founded networking, campaigning, training and social organisation open to women journalists across all media.

The prize will be open to all women journalists working in print and online media in Scotland and will recognise issue-led reporting or commentary.

Nicola, pictured above left, worked at the Edinburgh Evening News and won 27 press awards over the course of her career.

She served as a columnist, features writer and social affairs commentator for the Evening News, and also wrote for The Scotsman and Sunday Express.

WiJ Scotland said Nicola, who died in January aged 66, was “driven by a passion to help the underdog and to give a voice to those who had none”.

Shelley Jofre, BBC Scotland’s health correspondent and co-chair of WiJ Scotland, said: “The unveiling of this new award rounds off an amazing first year for WiJ Scotland.

“We may make up half the population but the vast majority of front page news stories in UK newspapers are still written by men; on average two-thirds of senior jobs are still done by men. And a light has finally been shone on the unjustifiable gender pay gap that persists across press and broadcasting.

“As an organisation, we will continue to lobby for change and, most importantly, offer support for women journalists at every stage of their career.”