More than 20 regional editors and writers have appeared on a list of the 238 most respected journalists in the country – as voted for by their peers.

The National Council for the Training of Journalists has revealed a list of the nation’s most respected journalists, compiled as part of its ‘Journalists at Work’ survey which was conducted earlier this year.

All those appearing on the 238-strong list were nominated at least once by a total of 411 people who voted for the “living journalist they felt most embodies the values of journalism that they respect and adhere to”.

Overall 885 journalists participated in the survey.

Regional editors to feature on the list include Paul Rowland, of Wales Online, and Chris Story, of the Carlisle News & Star, while a number of other journalists working in regional daily or weekly newspapers also feature.

Paul Hutcheon and David Pratt, of Glasgow-based daily The Herald, have been shortlisted too.

The journalist who received the most nominations will be announced as the NCTJ’s patron next week.

Ian Hargreaves, professor of digital economy at Cardiff University, who chaired the Journalists at Work research, which will be published at the end of October, said: “Journalists see colleagues all around them whose commitment to the right values they admire and respect. What’s striking is that the range of individual journalists who embody these values is so broad and so varied.

“This suggests to me that values-based journalism is thriving in these turbulent times. An outcome where one or two individuals wholly dominated the voting might have indicated the opposite: that such qualities are admirable but rare.”

Chief executive Joanne Butcher, pictured, said: “We wanted to steer clear of inviting a celebrity or royalty to become our patron. Instead, we wanted somebody who really resonates with journalists, shares the NCTJ’s values, and cares about the future of quality journalism and high standards.

“So, who better than the most widely respected journalist, as voted for by those working in the industry – the journalist’s journalist.

“By appointing a patron, we hope to raise awareness of the NCTJ’s charitable work, from delivering the premier training scheme for journalists in the UK, to working with the industry to improve equality, diversity and inclusion.”

The full list of regional journalists who made the list is as follows, while the overall list can be found here:

Lynn Ashwell – Formerly Bolton News
Mary-Ann Astle – Stoke-on-Trent Live
Sue Austin – Shropshire Star
Caroline Barber – CN Group
Samantha Booth – Islington Tribune
Suzanne Breen – Belfast Telegraph
Tom Bristow – Archant investigations unit
Matthew Clemenson – Ilford Recorder and Romford Recorder
Rob Cotterill – The Sentinel, Stoke
Jill Crooks – Former Newsquest Devizes area senior reporter
Gareth Davies – The Bureau Local
Sean Dooley – Former editor of The Sentinel, Stoke
Michael Drummond – Sussex Newspapers
Jason Evans – South Wales Evening Post and Wales Online
Dan Grimmer – Eastern Daily Press
Sinead Holland – Bishop’s Stortford Independent
Paul Jones – Somerset County Gazette
Stephen Kingston – Salford Star
Rhiannon Long – Barking and Dagenham Post
Andrew Napier – Southern Daily Echo
Chris Owen – The News, Portsmouth
Paul Rowland – Wales Online
Chris Story – Cumberland News and Carlisle News & Star
Steve Waite – Sheerness Times Guardian
Matt Warner – Denbighshire Free Press
Jennifer Williams – Manchester Evening News
Red Williams – Rutland and Stamford Mercury