THE Dunfermline Press has been shortlisted for two awards in the 40th Scottish Press Awards – and it’s all thanks to our readers!

The awards recognise the best in Scottish journalism, and the shortlist, which was revealed earlier today, shows the Press has been nominated TWICE in the 'Local/Weekly Campaign of the Year' category for our ‘Crush Hour’ and ‘Garden for the Hospice’ campaigns.

No other title has two nominations for this category and we’re especially over the moon to be recognised when there was a record number of entries for this year’s awards.

But we would have never been able to make these two campaigns a success without YOUR help, so we have to say a massive ‘thanks’ to our readers for all their engagement.

When we launched ‘Crush Hour’ in November 2017, we were shocked by the state of rail services on the Fife Circle line, after Press reporter Gemma Ryder squeezed onto rush-hour services to experience the daily chaos faced by West Fife commuters.

Enough was enough and we called on ScotRail to stop skipping stations, provide more carriages, provide extra services at rush hour, invest in infrastructure and stop charging Fifers more than others across the country.

While we have seen a huge reduction in stop-skipping, we know the Fife Circle line is still nowhere near good enough and the Press continues to stand up for our readers.

We have no intention of giving up the fight, this week campaigning for a reduction in fares!

It was back in May that the Press asked for your support to raise £50,000 for a garden at Queen Margret Hospice.

By October you already reached that grand total which transformed the outdoor space at the hospital for those near the end of their life.

The Queen Margaret Hospice Garden Group were the brains and heart behind the project, but what was achieved in such a short space of time ultimately illustrates the strength and kindness of the West Fife community to get behind something that means so much to so many.

We're up against the Evening Times, the Evening Express/Edinburgh Evening News and the Wishaw Press in the category and the winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday, April 25, 2019.

Austin Lafferty, chair of the Judges for the Scottish Press Awards, said: “For any person living in Scotland, the tides of politics, social engagement, crime, technology, sport and anything else we’re involved in seem to be ready to overwhelm us all the time. Just as well it is that we rejoice in a press and media cohort of the finest ability. Where would we be without the reporters and commentators to make sense of the world, taming its confusion and teasing out its consequences? The Scottish Press Awards is something of a feast for the judges – a wealth of the finest writing anywhere, but just happening to be made in Scotland."