Will Hayward

Will Hayward passionately believes that Wales needs more journalism that makes complicated issues accessible to the public. So in September 2024, he left his salaried journalism job to launch his own newsletter, one exclusively focused on making the complex issues that drive public governance and public services more widely and easily understood.

His reporting into Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales) involved a deep dive into the governance and ownership of a Welsh Government-funded organisation that was promoting misleading and false information about climate change. The piece resulted in multiple questions in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) and a report demanding changes to the organisation’s leadership. 

Other pieces have explored the lack of support for carers in Wales and uncovered the contents of a leaked report into the culture within the Welsh Government and civil service. Once again, Will produced change-making work, with the piece on the report leading to an investigation by the Senedd’s culture committee, creating meaningful change within that department.

In addition to his informative and compelling writing, Will backs his reporting up with substantial graphics that help to make sense of complex and multi-layered stories. His newsletter is a bold attempt to hold power to account.

Judges’ comments: “A very impressive range of stories, forensically investigated and told. Will is redefining the local media landscape in Wales.”