Awaab's Law, Manchester Evening News

The story of two-year-old Awaab Ishak’s death due to exposure to toxic black mould in social housing touched and horrified the country. It was brought to light thanks to the work of the Manchester Evening News in 2022, which exposed damp and mould right across the housing estate where Awaab lived and shamed the landlord into action.

But the publication also stuck with the story and spearheaded a campaign for a law, named after Awaab, to tackle the systemic issues involved. Working with the charity Shelter, the campaign included demands for strict timeframes to inspect and repair damp and mould in social properties, clear information to all tenants about their rights, and the health risks of mould to be recognised urgently in the sector. More than 175,000 people signed a petition backing the law, and it passed parliament in July 2023. “Any campaign that leads to government action is a successful one,” the judges said. “And thanks to the paper's dogged coverage and its petition, this campaign did just that.”