Triple crown for region’s favourite newspaper
Rachel Clark picks up her award Matt Gallagher was named best sports reporter There was a hat-trick of successes for the Perthshire Advertiser at the Reach PLC Scottish Regional Press Awards earlier this month.
The paper scooped one of the top prizes, for most improved circulation during 2018 from the Reach stable of regional titles.
And there were individual successes for two of the paper’s reporters.
Rachel Clark was named journalist of the year at the awards ceremony in Glasgow.
Throughout the year Rachel has regularly excelled, picking up a variety of exclusives and representing the paper at a number of local events.
She has exposed concerns about bullying cultures in Perth and Kinross schools and her story about a teacher who was allegedly drunk while in charge of a class was shortlisted in the exclusive of the year category.
Also picking up a prize was Matt Gallagher who was named sports reporter of the year.
Matt enjoyed another strong year making sure the PA sports pages are the best and most varied in the region and among the best in Scotland.
His coverage of St Johnstone is impressive and he was the first Scottish journalist to track down golfer Calum Hill, who qualified for the US Open.
The duo were presented with their prizes by actor Sanjeev Kholi who plays grumpy shopkeeper Navid in Still Game.
PA editor Douglas Dickie said: “I want to thank my staff and our readers for all their support in 2018.
“I was so proud to receive the most improved circulation award on behalf of the paper and it is a testament to the hard work of our staff throughout the year.
“Of course, we would not have won the prize without the ongoing support of our readers and we thank them for that.
“Both Rachel and Matt are a credit to the paper and themselves and both thoroughly deserved their individual awards.”