A Wakefield church magazine editor has scooped top award in a national scheme to celebrate and recognise the work of local church magazine editors and their editorial teams.
Deidre Morris, editor of St John’s Parish magazine in Wakefield, was in for a bit of a shock to find she had won the award - for achieving the highest standard in producing an A5 black & white church magazine - from the Association for Church Editors (ACE).
She was presented with the award at their Annual Meeting at Westminster Central Hall, London by the Revd Tony Miles and as overall winner, she received The John King Trophy (to be held for one year) as well as an inscribed trophy to keep and a framed certificate.
Deidre became a member of the ACE thirteen years ago when she was a parish magazine editor in Gloucester, and has always found it worthwhile, and cheap!
She said: “It was a great surprise to get the top award and I felt very privileged. It was a good thing I carry a spare bag in my handbag, as I hadn’t expected to be carrying three extra items home on the train!”
Pictured here is Deidre Morris, editor of St John’s Parish Church, Wakefield, receiving the ACE Gold Award from The Revd Tony Miles of Westminster Central Hall and the John King Trophy from last year’s winner, Jay Kettle-Williams.
If your parish produces a regular church magazine, whatever its format, the editor could find membership as helpful as Deidre has found it.
The Association has members all over the UK and they provide ideas and material for editors to use in their magazines. There is a monthly e-mail service, a website www.churchmag.uk and advice on aspects of producing your magazine and a regular magazine competition.
Anyone interested is invited to contact the ACE membership officer Alan Rickards (email: acetreasurer@aol.com). Members pay an annual £10 fee.