Journalists and newsrooms have been urged to enter this year’s Regional Press Awards ahead of this Friday’s deadline.

Entrants have until 5 March to make submissions across a total of 39 different categories covering daily and weekly newspapers, news websites and social media platforms.

New categories for this year include the Chairman’s Special 2020 Award which is free to enter and aims to showcase the incredible efforts of newsrooms to keep the presses turning throughout the coronavirus crisis.

New categories for Sunday Newspaper of the Year and Special Supplement of the Year have also been unveiled by organising body the Society of Editors.

HTFP will be continuing its long association with the awards by sponsoring the Daily and Weekly Front Page of the Year categories for the second year running.

SoE executive director Ian Murray said: “The fact that the pandemic is not over should not prevent us from recognising the amazing professionalism and determination shown by local journalists and their publications during the last year.

“The regional and local press has performed magnificently and under extremely difficult circumstances to deliver its duties and keep communities well informed during what has surely been the greatest challenge to us all in modern times.”

Entries will close at 23.59 on Friday 5 March.

Further information can be found here.