This week is Local Newspaper Week and we are joining in on a celebration of the local press in Scotland. It’s now more important than ever to be behind our local newspapers, and here we have a run-down of the brilliant work they do as we highlight those shortlisted for the Making a Difference Campaign which is running as part of Local Newspaper Week.
Dundee Evening Telegraph for Make The Right Call
The campaign in the Dundee Evening Telegraph aimed to raise awareness to the support that is available for young people who have or are considering attempting suicide. The four-page campaign aimed to highlight the growing suicide numbers in the area, and gathered support from Dundee United Football Club and other national charities.
Edinburgh Evening News for Shockingly Easy
The Edinburgh Evening News were shortlisted after they aimed to ensure leisure facilities across the Edinburgh and Lothian area had defibrillators installed with staff trained to use them. On the back of the campaign, almost £30,000 has been raised with high profile politicians and sports personalities such as Commonwealth medallist Lynsey Sharp backing it. Social mediatrended the hashtag #ShockinglyEasy gaining more coverage for the important cause. 
The Aberdeen Press and Journal for Guns on patrol
The Aberdeen Press and Journal featured a campaign to stop police patrolling the Highlands armed with guns. The paper’s poll showed that 60% of people in the Highlands agree that it is no place for guns. The campaign was successful, with the police reversing the firearm policy. 
The Press and Journal for Fair Deal On Energy Prices
The Press and Journal wanted to ensure that electricity prices in Scotland were fair for everyone, so revealed that there was a difference in prices based on where you lived. They saw it as a postcode lottery for electricity prices. The campaign gained major backing in Westminster and Holyrood with the Scottish public expected to see changes in pricing later in 2015.
Dundee and Courier Advertiser for Drivers- Don’t Pay Private Fine
The Courier ran a four- day series which turned into a UK-wide story after the paper revealed that only a handful of parking tickets issued in Scotland ever reach court. The paper ran a freedom of information request and found that each ticket issued costs the public purse 34p. The story was praised by Scotland’s Transport Minister.
Aberdeen Evening Express for Wild dolphins Art Trail
The Aberdeen Evening Express wanted to raise awareness to a public art fundraising exhibition that ran in Aberdeen over the summer. It was an art trail featuring sculptures of wild dolphins, which were auctioned raising £531,000 for a selection of charities. A social media campaign ran off the back of the newspapers success trending people’s ‘dolphies’ (selfies with dolphins).We’re proud of the great work of all our papers across Scotland. Stay tuned for future posts showing you a bit more of the good work.