Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Tenacious Gazette reporter scoops national award
A KM Group reporter has been named Young Journalist of the Year in a prestigious national awards.
Jack Dyson, who has worked at the Kentish Gazette and Herne Bay Gazette for two-anda-half years, won the accolade at the Regional Press Awards. The annual awards, run by the Society of Editors, celebrate the very best of local journalism. Jack, from Canterbury, scooped joint first place for three hard-hitting stories he wrote across 2019, which touched on highly important issues including gambling, homelessness and domestic abuse.
His first article, about the shortcomings of a self-exclusion scheme used by problem gamblers to ban themselves from betting shops, saw him go undercover.
Jack self-excluded himself from 15 high street bookmakers across the Canterbury district, only to find he was still able to place bets at every one. The Gambling Commission subsequently launched an investigation into his findings.
He was also praised for a candid interview with a male domestic abuse victim, which highlighted the prevalence of the issue.
In his third article, Jack investigated homelessness in Canterbury. He spent a night on the city’s streets with a homelessness charity, interviewing rough sleepers.
The judges said: “Jack’s stories are impressive - and show that he is a skilled shoe-leather reporter, getting out and into the community he covers. “These are well-written entries which show an ability to cover a wide range of stories - particularly the willingness to conduct an investigation from the driving seat by putting oneself in the position of the gambling addicts so seriously affected by the failings of betting firms.” Also shortlisted in the category was Kentish Gazette reporter Lydia Chantler-hicks. Gazette editor Joe Walker said: “We’re incredibly proud of both Jack and Lydia for being recognised in such a tough category against reporters from bigger titles in much larger areas. “For Jack to win is credit to his tenacious reporting and desire to shine a light on some of the most important issues affecting our society today.”