Please vote for Herts Advertiser’s tainted blood campaign in national newspaper awards

A Herts Advertiser campaign calling for justice for victims of the contaminated blood scandal has been nominated for an award recognising the power of local newspapers to lobby for positive change.

For five years this newspaper has reported on the scandal of people infected with HIV and hepatitis C (hep C) in the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.

They include St Albans woman Nicky, whose fight for compensation has not seen her receive a penny from the government.

Together with other newspapers published by our parent company Archant, we backed calls for a fairer system of support for the 7,500 people nationwide whose health has been ruined and compensation for the families of the 2,000 who have died.

Now our campaign has been shortlisted for a Making a Difference award at the Society of Editors Regional Press Awards which will be decided by a public vote.

We are asking readers to support the Herts Ad by voting for us.

Sue Threakall, of the campaign group Tainted Blood, said: “The dedication and compassion you have shown in your coverage of the contaminated blood scandal has been outstanding, and truly has made a difference to the lives of victims who feel that they have a voice that allows their stories to be told.

“You have shown an impressive determination to get our story out to the general public, and we cannot overstate the importance of this.”

The polls open at the start of Local Newspaper Week on Monday, May 16 and the winner will be announced at the Society of Editors Regional Press Awards on Friday, 20 May.

To vote for the Herts Ad, click here.

To see some of our coverage of this issue click on the links below:

Hepatitis C woman to continue fight for compensationTainted blood victim urges government to give compensationVictim fears government will never offer compensationSt Albans MP hopes tainted blood consultation will redress injustice