Former Times news editor Jim Tait honoured with lifetime achievement award

Jim Tait, pictured in the centre of the front row, with other winners at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards. Photo: Alison White Photography

Long-serving former Shetland Times news editor Jim Tait was honoured with a lifetime achievement award on Friday.

Mr Tait, who retired last year, picked up The Barron Trophy at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards in Inverness.

Starting out as a typesetter when he was just a teenager, Mr Tait later made the move to the newsroom where he served for many years as news editor. He continues to write occasional sports features for the Times. 

He was previously named feature writer of the year at the 2015 Highlands and Islands Press Awards.

Mr Tait also collected the award in 2020 when The Shetland Times was named newspaper of the year.

Other award winners were: Stan Arnaud, Press and Journal, (Business Reporter of the Year); Angus Peter Campbell, West Highland Free Press (Best Use of Gaelic), Abigail Taylor, Am Paipear (Young Journalist of the Year); Eilidh Davies, BBC (Sports Reporter of the Year) Daniel Forsyth, Highland News and Media Ltd (Photographer of the Year); Alasdair Fraser, Highland News and Media Ltd (Reporter of the Year); Susy Macaulay, Press and Journal (Feature Writer of the Year); Loch a Tuath News (Community Newspaper of the Year); Stornoway Gazette (Newspaper of the Year); Sarah Sutherland, Orcadian (Diageo Journalist of the Year).