Talk About Local and Guardian Local Unconference award winners

and the winner’s were……….

The following publishers of hyperlocal blogs, journalists and data junkies received (un)awards at an (un)glittering ceremony held down the pub following yesterday’s (un)conference.

While the light-hearted prizes themselves (including a broken walking stick, mugs and a very fetching plastic Marilyn) may be relatively worthless, the reasons for the awards, and the sincerity behind acknowledging achievement in these areas, shouldn’t be diminished.

The awards which were presented – with typical aplomb – by William Perrin from TAL were;

• Overall winner – Ventnor Blog
• Best Hyperlocal Story Vestas industrial dispute – Ventnor blog
• Best investigation – HelpMeInvestigate which motivated BCCDIY.
• Best community engagement – w14London.
• The UnTourist Board Award for a site that attracts visitors to a place – Parwich.org
• Most innovative use of data Lichfield council Stuart Harrison aka pezholio.
• Best use of audio Mr Caulkhead Isle of Wight colloquialisms.
• Best use of photography 4am project Karen Strunks
• The Hyperlocal Extreme Award for thrilling, breathtaking or dangerous examples of innovation in a small area kingstonblackboard.org – for issues around xmas lights
• Lulz Award for site, project or individual that made us laugh –  Glum Councillors.
  With thanks to those that support us….
  Best support to hyperlocal bloggers Paul Bradshaw – for excellent academic support
  UK Hyperlocal Favourite Tool Fix My Street

  And those that don’t….
  Best attack by traditional media
 Hull Daily Mail

I was very happy to handover the following awards to people who have made a significant contribution in their area;

• Most Inspirational site went to Josh Halliday for firing up young journalists with his doorstep project SR2.
• Best local special interest website Greener Leith for its dedication to the local environment north of the border.
• Best use of video East Salford direct tv – not just because there’s a general shortage of Mancunians in loud shirts on mainstream telly, but also because they do, as they say ‘ride the recession like a Blackpool donkey!’
• Best use of a map – Openly Local for the hyperlocal map which tracks us all.
• Best council coverage for PitsnPots by Tony Walley and Mike Rawlins for the site’s dogged Stoke City council coverage.

The awards finished a day which saw independent publishers coming from as far north as Edinburgh, as far south as the Isle of Wight and as far west as Cardiff.

It was a day of intelligent conversation, debate and lively catch-up. You can re-cap on the debates at the liveblog from myself and the beatbloggers here;

And I’ve already spotted these different takes on the event too;

• Notes from Citizen Sheep.
• Notes from Guardian Cardiff beatblogger  Hannah Waldram.
• A bit of video from John Popham.
• Lessons for museums in engaging with bloggers, Alex Hartley.

Plus I’ve started this Twitter list of all those who attended http://twitter.com/#/list/foodiesarah/tal10 if you’re missing, please do let me know.

Finally, there’s a few people I wanted to say a public thank you to for making the event run so smoothly – Linda and Holly at ntiLeeds, the entire TAL team and finally, let’s not forget the foodies, Bagel Nash, Leeds for a splendid lunch spread.