Nancy Fallows

Nancy Fallows, a dedicated and accomplished front-page designer, has consistently demonstrated her unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism for the past seven years. Her creative talents and innovative approach to front-page design have not only earned her recognition within her own organization but have also expanded her reach to impact readers across multiple regions.

In this awards entry, Nancy proudly presents three exemplary pieces of work, showcasing her ability to capture the essence of news stories with visually compelling front page designs. Her exceptional talents have not only set her apart as a standout contributor in her field but have also garnered the admiration and appreciation of her colleagues within the industry. Ben Fishwick, editor of the Southern Daily Echo, has this to say about Nancy's contributions: "Nancy's design work on the front page of the Southern Daily Echo has been nothing short of transformational. She was asked to breathe new life into the title's front page - and she has achieved that and then some. Gone is the overused and outdated longstanding set of templates that did little to help the front grab attention in shops. Now we have a brilliant set of designs to draw on in any circumstances, from blow out big picture splashes to high-impact three-deck headlines when a good picture is tough to find. Nancy's emphasis on fewer but higher-quality entry points on the front has paid off, as her use of the Southampton FC emblem, and cut outs.

Crucially, the templates she has created are usable not just by highly-skilled and experienced designers such as herself, but can be used by any member of the team when needed. This is particularly useful for breaking news when the front needs to be changed. Her work has not just found favour within the newsroom, but with our readers too. Nothing she has done has negatively affected the familiar feel of the Echo among readers, but has made the paper stand out, particularly in retail sales. This has been evident - with a positive shift by 7.5 percentage points in the SDE sales figures in 22 weeks. Sales were becoming concerning before Nancy stepped in to rescue the front page design - her work has meant brilliant stories now get the showing they deserve on news stands. Nancy has also helped improve the print team's focus on the front page each day, giving production editors practical masterclasses in design. All of this has meant the Echo's front is consistently good, never just okay, and she has put steps in place to ensure this continues (including libraries sharing key elements for reuse).