Am Pàipear, the community newspaper serving Uist, is celebrating a double success at the annual Highlands and Islands Media Awards.

The newspaper retained the title of ‘Community Newspaper of the Year’ and won the category for ‘Best Use of Digital Media’ in the face of competition from daily news outlets in the region.

South Uist journalist Iain Smith was also short-listed in the ‘Top Story of the Year’ category for an article published in Am Pàipear.

A delighted editor, Iain Stephen Morrison, was among 270 guests attending the annual Highlands and Islands Press Ball, which brings together media representatives from an area stretching from Shetland to Argyll and Moray to the Outer Hebrides. The event was held at the New Drumossie Hotel, Inverness, on Friday 6th February 2015.

Am Pàipear was praised for the high standards maintained in the newspaper and the impressive development of the web and effective use of social media.

Top award of the night went to Eilidh Davies, the Chief Reporter with the Highland News, who was named ‘Journalist of the Year’. The Inverness-based journalist was the unanimous choice of the judges, having also won the ‘Reporter of the Year’ title and being shortlisted in the ‘Top Story of the Year’ category.

‘Newspaper of the Year’ is the Strathspey and Badenoch Herald.

Presenting the awards was Keith Miller, Distillation and Maturation Director of Diageo, the event’s principal sponsor.

The event was again organised by Inverness-based Lucid PR, Events and Marketing, with other support this year provided by Fujitsu, BT Scotland, Chivas, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the National Union of Journalists and Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

The ball’s charity fundraising collected money for four charities – Alzheimer Scotland, Highland Homeless Trust, HUG Action for Mental Health and the Crocus Child Bereavement Support Service.

Pictured are: Keith Miller, Distillation and Maturation Director of Diageo, Alison MacPhee and Iain Stephen Morrison of Am Pàipear.