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About Us The Shrewsbury Chronicle is one of the oldest weekly papers in the country and has been serving the readers and advertisers in the town since 1772. Founded by a drapery salesman, Thomas Wood, the paper was first published on Monday, November 23, more than 20 years before the Times started and before the county was mapped for the first time. In the early days the paper covered national, international and local news covering such major news stories as the death of Nelson, the American War of Independence and the Crimean War. The Chronicle, which began when George III was on the throne, has been publishing during the reigns of nine monarchs. It even came out as a daily paper for just under a fortnight during the General Strike of 1926. Over the centuries the paper has had many different offices around the town, but it is now based in Abbey Foregate, opposite the town’s historic abbey. It is printed on Wednesday evening and is on sale or distributed on Thursday. The Chronicle is a community newspaper reflecting the lives of all its readers and aims to chronicle everything that has happened in Shrewsbury and the surrounding area during the previous seven days.The paper averages 96 pages each week and includes a 48-page property supplement with editorial and advertisements providing an authoritative guide to homes for sale across the area. It also has eight pages of sport, up to 96 pages of colour, two pages of entertainments, two or three pages of letters, five pages of news from around the town and villages, plus news, features and seven pages of classifieds advertisements. Over the years the paper has increased its circulation by nearly 23 per cent from just under 15,000 to almost 19,000 - its highest circulation for 20 years. The paper has also made its mark in the newspaper industry winning numerous awards and being shortlisted in seven national finals. 2009 A time of change for the Chronicle as editor John Butterworth moved on and the news team relocated to new offices in Abbey Foregate. The newspaper also moved to a part-free format with a new look. 2008 Editor John Butterworth awarded MBE for services to newspapers and charity. Second place Russell Roberts, third place News Editor Liz Gray and Acting News Editor Peter Kitchen commended in the Midlands Media Awards Weekly News Reporter of the Year. Shrewsbury Chronicle one of six finalists in the UK Press Gazette Weekly. Newspaper of the Year (under 20,000 circulation). Emma Kasprzak – One of three finalists in the NCTJ Awards for excellence Feature Writer of the Year. The full roll of honour for the Chronicles in the last 10 years is: 1997 Winner - Best Weekly Newspaper in the Midlands in the BT Press and Broadcast awards. Finalist in the BT Weekly Newspaper of the Year in London. 1998 Winner - Retained title as Best Weekly Newspaper in the Midlands in the BT Press and Broadcast awards. Finalist in the BT Weekly Newspaper of the Year in London. 1999 One of six finalists in the Best Weekly Paper in Great Britain in the Regional Press Awards, organised by the UK Press Gazette. 2000 One of six finalists in the national final for Weekly Newspaper of the Year organised by the Production Journal. 2001 One of six finalists in the Best Weekly Paper in Great Britain in the Regional Press Awards, organised by the UK Press Gazette. 2002 Runner-up in Best Weekly Newspaper in the Midlands in the BT Press and Broadcast awards (North Shropshire Chronicle). Winner - Newspaper Society’s Best Weekly Newspaper in the Midlands and East Anglia. Finalist in Newspaper Society’s Best Weekly Paper in the UK. Reporter Lorna Rutter third in the Newspaper Society’s Weekly Reporter of the Year. Highly commended in Newspaper Society’s Best Community Newspaper in Great Britain. 2003 Runner-up in the West Midlands Media Awards for Newspaper of the Year. Liz Gray and John Kirk nominated for Scoop of the Year in the West Midlands Media Awards. Tom Warren and Naomi Canton nominated for Newcomer of the Year in the West Midlands Media Awards Liz Gray, Lorna Rutter, John Kirk and Carl Morris nominated for Reporter of the Year in the West Midlands Media Awards. Runner-up in the Newspaper Society’s Best Weekly Newspaper in the Midlands and East Anglia. 2004 Reporter Lorna Rutter was only one of five evening and weekly reporters in the Newspaper Society’s Journalist of the Year award. Runner-up again in the West Midlands Media Awards for Newspaper of the Year. Reporter Alex Ferguson finalist in the Newcomer of the Year in the Midlands Media Awards. Reporter Simon Alton finalist in the Newcomer of the Year in the Midlands Media Awards. Reporter Liz Gray finalist in the Feature Writer of the Year in the Midlands Media Awards. Editor John Butterworth finalist in the Headline of the Year in the Midlands Media Awards. 2005 Winner – Newspaper Society’s Best Campaigning Weekly Newspaper in Great Britain (North Shropshire Chronicle). A runner-up again in the Midlands Media Awards for Newspaper of the Year Reporter Alys Cummings finalist in the Weekly Reporter of the Year in the Midlands Media Awards. Reporter James Holt finalist in the Newcomer of the Year in the Midlands Media Awards. Winner – Assistant Editor Fran Llewellyn finalist in the Headline of the Year in the Midlands Media Awards. Winner – Newspaper Society’s Weekly Newspapers Awards – Best Campaigning Newspaper in Great Britain (North Shropshire Chronicle). Winner – James Holt in the Newspaper Society Weekly News Reporter of the Year. Runner-up – Vickie Woodward in the Newspaper Society Weekly News Reporter of the Year. Third place – Vickie Woodward in the Newspaper Society Weekly Feature Writer of the Year. 2006 Third place – Newspaper Society’s Best Weekly Campaigning Newspaper in Great Britain (North Shropshire Chronicle). One of seven finalists in the Best Weekly Paper in Great Britain in the Regional Press Awards, organised by the UK Press Gazette (North Shropshire Chronicle). Winner – News Editor Liz Gray in the Midlands Media Awards News Reporter of the Year (weekly). Nominated – Shrewsbury Chronicle and North Shropshire Chronicle in the Midlands Media Awards Newspaper of the Year. Nominated – Editor John Butterworth and Assistant Editor Fran Llewellyn in the Midlands Media Awards Headline of the Year. Nominated – News Editor Liz Gray and reporters Peter Kitchen and Steve Todd in the Midlands Media Awards Weekly News Reporter of the Year. Nominated – News Editor Liz Gray and reporters Alex Ferguson, Peter Kitchen, Vickie Woodward and James Holt in the Midlands Media Awards Weekly Feature Writer of the Year. Nominated – Reporters James Holt and Russell Roberts in the Midlands Media Awards Newcomer of the Year. Certificate of Merit – Shrewsbury Chronicle in the Newspaper Society’s Weekly Newspaper Awards for Best Weekly Newspaper in the Midlands and East Anglia. Certificate of Merit – North Shropshire Chronicle’s Sort it Out campaign in the Newspaper Society Weekly Newspaper Awards for Best Campaigning Weekly Newspaper in the UK. Certificate of Merit – Richard Botley in the Newspaper Society’s Weekly Newspaper Awards Best News Journalist on a paid-for. 2007 Winner and runner-up – North Shropshire Chronicle and Shrewsbury Chronicle in the UK Press Gazette Weekly Newspaper of the Year (under 20,000 circulation). Finalist – Liz Gray one of six finalists in UK Press Gazette Reporter of the Year (weekly). Winner – Richard Botley in the Midlands Media Awards News Reporter of the Year (weekly). Nominated – Shrewsbury Chronicle and North Shropshire Chronicle in the Midlands Media Awards Newspaper of the Year. Nominated – Editor John Butterworth, Deputy Editor Kim Bennett, Assistant Editor Fran Llewellyn, Sports Editor Alun Owen in the Midlands Media Awards Headline of the Year. Nominated – News Editor Liz Gray and reporters Richard Botley, Laura Bradbeer and James Holt in the Midlands Media Awards Weekly News Reporter of the Year. Nominated – News Editor Liz Gray and reporter James Holt in the Midlands Media Awards Weekly Feature Writer of the Year. Nominated – News Editor Liz Gray in the Midlands Media Awards Scoop of the Year. Nominated – Reporters Peter Kitchen, Russell Roberts and Lizzie Yates in the Midlands Media Awards Newcomer of the Year. The paper does not only take out of the community, it also puts back with its successful charity projects. 2003 Umbrella Appeal (ongoing) - £250,000 campaign to provide specialist beds and equipment for the new stroke unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. 2003 Butterfly Appeal (ongoing) - £50,000 to buy a new minibus for the local children’s hospice, Hope House. 2001 Sunflower Appeal - £250,000 raised to build a new room, buy more equipment and landscape grounds of the Shropshire and Mid Wales Hospice. 1999 Hummingbird Appeal - £400,000 raised to build a new diabetes unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. These include : 1997 Macmillan Appeal - £600,000 raised to build a new cancer unit at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. 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