Rail campaign wins prestigious press campaign

A campaign to help save Derby train-maker Alstom has won a prestigious award.

The ‘Save Our Rail Industry’ campaign ran in Derbyshire Live between 2024 and 2025 and ultimately paved the way to securing the jobs of thousands of Alstom and supply-chain workers, sparked by the announcement that the firm would cease operations in Derby after centuries of designing, engineering and building trains in the city.

At the recent Regional Press Awards it was revealed that Derbyshire Live and the Derby Telegraph had won the award for Campaign of the Year – beating submissions from the Belfast Telegraph, the Birmingham Mail, the Newcastle Chronicle and other titles.

Agenda editor Zena Hawley, noted that the campaign had been a joint effort which could not have been achieved without help from the public, politicians and Marketing Derby.

The judges at the Regional Press Awards described local efforts as “persistent and dogged campaigning”.

They added: “The campaign was a welcome reminder of how local media brands can play a crucial role in bringing all elements of the community together.

“The campaign team worked fast and focused to lobby MPs, local councillors and the public, with almost daily pieces about Alstom, including stories about affected workers.”

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby said “We first battled to save train building in Derby back in 2011 when Team Derby ran the Bombardier Campaign with the Derby Telegraph. It was astonishing that just over a decade later we had to once again campaign with the government to save the factory and 180 years of manufacturing.

“Civic and business leaders came together under the Team Derby banner and the role played by Derbyshire Live was crucial in broadening our message and engaging local people”.