Cambridge Independent wins Weekly Newspaper of the Year at Regional Press Awards

The Cambridge Independent has been named Weekly Newspaper of the Year (below 15,000) at the Regional Press Awards.

The judges said that the Cambridge Independent was a “fantastic and innovative publication that is a hybrid between newspaper and magazine with proper coverage of local issues”.

Cambridge Independent reporter Alex Kirby scooped the environment journalist of the year award, while sports editor Mark Taylor was highly commended in the sports reporter of the year category.

Reporter Ben Comber was shortlisted in the reporter of the year category and science reporter Tim Radford was shortlisted in the science and education reporter of the year category.

Collecting the award, Editor Paul Brackley said: “I would like to thank the team back in Cambridge for their tremendous hard work they’ve put in since we launched last September. It has been terrific fun.

“Thank you also to Edward Iliffe for investing in us and giving us the opportunity to launch a new title for the Cambridge region. It’s been a privilege and we have been delighted with the response.”

Iliffe Media’s Managing Director Ricky Allan added: “It is pretty incredible. It is fair to say I am lucky to work with a group of talented people. A big thank you to Edward Iliffe who has invested in regional press massively in the last six months. David Fordham also deserves credit for not only spearheading the launch of the Cambridge Independent but also helping to add more than 30 newspapers and magazines to the group.”

The title picked up the award just a month after being named Weekly Newspaper of the Year at the NewsAwards 2017.

The Cambridge Independent is published by Iliffe Media, an independent family-owned business with a rich history in newspapers. The title was launched on September 21.

The Regional Press Awards were held at a ceremony in London on Friday, May 19.