Press Releases04 Feb 04

Church competition promotes communication skills

CHURCH COMPETITION PROMOTES COMMUNICATION SKILLS

The Church of Ireland today launched its annual magazine and website competition inviting entries from parish and diocesan editors in more than 500 parishes and the twelve dioceses of the church.

All entrants are being offered a place in one of two workshops to be run in Belfast and Dublin on print and website design with a particular focus on page layout, use of photographs and access to databases. In addition special prizes will be awarded for entries that present good graphic design and editing skills.

Church of Ireland Media Officer, Rev Brian Parker said: ?There is a growing use of websites both in the central organisations of the church and in parishes. Many of them are at an early stage of development. Also parish and diocesan magazines are widely distributed and play a very useful role in improving communications within the church and in local communities.

?We hope this competition will encourage editors to share ideas and expertise. The judges will offer some helpful advice and the workshops will be a great opportunity for editors to meet professional designers and to learn how to improve individual magazines and websites.?

The workshops will be run by Derek Kinnen, former Head of Department at Stranmillis University College and Head of Learning Resources. He now manages his own company specialising in various IT applications and is an editor of the British Journal of Educational Technology.

The competition judges are Rev Dr Bert Tosh, Chief Producer, Religious Programmes BBC(NI); Mrs Rosalind Rogers, Head of the School of Communications, UUJ; Mr Jonathan Martin, J Martin Associates, and Mr Rodney Miller, Chartered Designer.

Editors are invited to send 2 editions of their magazine (published between April 2003 and February 2004) to the Church of Ireland Press Office, 61 Donegall Street, Belfast BT 1 2 QH. Website editors who wish to enter should e-mail their website address to the Press Office. Closing date for entries is 8 March 2004.