View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

Barcroft news agency wins three prizes at Napa awards

By Paul McNally

London-based news agency Barcroft Media picked up a hat-trick of prizes at this year’s National Association of Press Agencies awards.

The group, which has bureaux in London, Melbourne and Delhi, won three out of a possible seven awards at the Napa ceremony on Friday.

Isla Harvey won news story of the year for a story about Sally Layock, a Hertfordshire woman with nine daughters who finally gave birth to a boy.

Feature picture of the year went to Barcroft photographer Simon de Trey White for his shot of the world’s smallest bodybuilder, 2ft 9in Indian muscleman Aditya Dev (pictured).

And Niklas Halle’n, who works in the agency’s Delhi bureau, won the Kevin Fitzpatrick memorial award for his work highlighting the alarming rate of suicides among Indian farmers after crop failures.

The Fitzpatrick award is given each year to a young agency journalist who shows the greatest “talent, skill and potential”.

Barcroft Media’s London editor Alex Morris said of the three wins: “This recognition highlights the talent, professionalism and enthusiasm of our fantastic journalists.”

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Other winners at last week’s ceremony included Adam Gillham from the Ferrari Press Agency, who won exclusive of the year for revealing that Britannia is to be dropped from the 50p piece.

His story was followed up worldwide and sparked a Downing Street petition with almost 50,000 names.

Michael Leidig from Central European News took the award for news picture of the year for his prison shot of Josef Fritzl, the Austrian man who imprisoned his daughter and fathered seven children with her.

The Napa awards were presented by Guardian and London Evening Standard media commentator Roy Greenslade.

Napa awards 2009 – the full list of winners

News/sport story of the year
First: Isla Harvey, Barcroft Media for woman with nine daughters who finally gives birth to a so
Second: Natasher Rigler, Bournemouth News and Picture Service for crap Christmas theme park
Third: Douglas Walker, Deadline Press and Picture Agency for Princess Bea not being recognised by club bouncers

Sports picture of the year
First: Making a splash – William Cherry, Presseye
Second: Breaking point – Colm Lenghan, Pacemaker
Third: Wayne Rooney – Jim Keogh Sports Photography

Feature story of the year
First: Murray Wardrop, Solent News and Photo Agency for depressed mum who walked into the middle of a motorway
Second: Marissa Charles, Splash News for mother who killed her newborn baby
Third: Samantha Lawton, Splash News for best friends who one day discover they are actually sisters

Feature picture of the year
First: Simon de Trey White, Barcroft Media for the world’s smallest bodybuilder
Second: Paul Stewart, Pictures on the Page for the Henry Moore exhibition at Kew Gardens
Joint third: Peter Willows, Bournemouth News and Picture Service for sugar gliders
Joint third: William Cherry, Presseye for pictures of Belfast life

Exclusive news story of the year
First: Adam Gillham, Ferrari Press Agency for revealing that Britannia is to be dropped from the 50p piece
Second: Lynn Goring Crook, M&Y Agency for prisoners in Winchester jail filmed taking drugs
Third: Alex Crook, M&Y Agency for Southampton footballers caught stealing from staff handbags in nightclub

News picture of the year
First: Michael Leidig, CEN for Josef Fritzl in prison
Second: Robert Stuffer, CEN for leaping deer
Joint third: Paul Stewart, Pictures on the Page for Camden Market fire
Joint third: Arthur Allison, Pacemaker for family in grief

Kevin Fitzpatrick memorial award
Niklas Halle’n, Barcroft Media for Indian farmers killing themselves after crop failures

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network