ACE 2026 Award Winners
We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2026 Awards, which were presented at the ACE Annual Meeting at Central Hall, Westminster on Saturday 26 September 2026.
The ACE Committee, ACE Members, guests, and other magazine editors, gathered at Central Hall, Westminster for the ACE Annual Meeting and Awards 2026 on Saturday, 26th September 2026.
General thoughts on this year’s entries
Sally Churchus gave the following introduction to the awards.
We had a bumper number of entries – 63 magazines in total, and this made for stiff competition! Perhaps the publicity on the Parish Pump website and in the URC magazine, Reformed, reached editors who hadn’t heard about us or the Awards before. We did have entries from a good variety of denominations as well as C of E, including Evangelical churches, Catholic churches, Methodist, URC, Churches Together and Church of Ireland. I’d like to thank the other five committee members for giving up so much time to mark them all – it’s no mean task. However, it was inspiring to see so many great magazines – of course the best ones take a long time as you want to read them cover to cover!
Out of all the entries, 20 out of the 63 were ACE members, so less than a third – but surprisingly, all the winners were ACE members, a number of whom have won awards previously but have managed to continue to think about and implement improvements to their magazines.
In due course the committee are going to have a discussion about how we can include weighting for article writing versus notices and reports and will probably re-think the Headlines category as most editors don’t create headlines. Those of you here today may find the handout about Headlines helpful, a good headline does help to draw the reader in. I know that I am hopeless at this myself and could do with some tips and need to make more of an effort! We shall definitely be keeping the category for Christian content as we are a Christian organisation aiming to help church magazine editors to improve their magazines and encourage the effective communication of the Christian message- but obviously the amount needs to be appropriate to the audience. One judge said they would like to see more magazines including articles that show God at work in the community and wider world.
Awards winners or not, we know that a huge amount of time and work goes into editing a magazine, that they are greatly valued by their readers and often reach many people who would never set foot in a church. And they help build community. The outcome and effect of church magazines is unfortunately not measurable, but we trust the Lord is using editors and church magazines to work his purpose out.
But now, onto the award winners!
GOLD – Joint Winners
For the first time, two magazines both managed to get exactly the same top score, (out of a possible 360 points), so this year there are actually two Gold winners:
The Witness for Trinity Road Chapel Independent Evangelical Church in Wandsworth, London
Editor: Dave Blake
A magazine in London with a long history, having been produced since 1898, copies of which have been retained. There are four issues of the magazine each year, one for each of the four seasons- Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter and has a print run of 100. The magazine is unusual – being printed on a square, non standard size paper. The Witness is produced by editor Dave Blake for Trinity Road Chapel Independent Evangelical Church in Wandsworth. It aims to be a witness to people in the area, to keep in contact with ex members, be a record of events, to provide members with topics of discussion and of happenings in the lives of other church members, and to make the magazine interesting enough for ‘outsiders’ to want to pick up a copy and learn something of the Christian faith. Judges’ comments included: Beautifully presented- you are and advert for Affinity software, an interesting, clearly Christian magazine but with appeal to visitors to the café. It includes lots of good photos and has great quality printing and paper. Well done Dave!
Connections for the Benefice of St Mary the Virgin with Hudswell, Downholme & Marske in Richmond, North Yorkshire
Editor: John McCormack
https://www.richmondhudswellparish.org.uk/Resources/Magazines
A C of E magazine from the Benefice of St Mary the Virgin with Hudswell, Downholme and Marske in Richmond, North Yorkshire, which is produced 10 times a year and with a circulation of 250. Connections magazine aims to produce an attractive, interesting and informative magazine combining Christian and secular content, to publicise church and community events, act as outreach in the community and appeal to a diverse readership. Judges thought there were lots of well written interesting articles to appeal to the community as well as churchgoers and there were excellent quality photos with captions. This magazine was the Silver award winner in 2024 but noted on the entry form that some of the feedback from previously had been incorporated. Connections is produced by John McCormack as editor, Bishop John Pritchard, Jim Jack (previous editor), Christine Porter, Carole McCormack and Judith MacLeod. A high quality magazine – well done to the Editorial Team!
SILVER
The Parish Magazine of Henfield, Shermanbury and Woodmancote in West Sussex
Editor: Helen Boosey
Yet another magazine from West Sussex – lucky inhabitants! Copies of this monthly magazine go to 850 subscribers in the parish of Henfield, Shermanbury and Woodmancote which has three C of E churches. The Parish Magazine also includes news from both the Roman Catholic church and the Evangelical Free church, whose ministers contribute copy. The editorial team consists of Helen Boosey with assistant editor Amanda Thibaut plus the parish administrator for sales and invoicing as well as two proof readers. The magazine won the Layout and Structure award a number of years ago and it scored well once again in this category, being clear and consistent with good use of columns, placing of adverts and white space. Judges liked the newly designed cover with strong branding and noted that the whole magazine looked professional and was packed full of interesting articles, information, news and photos for everyone.
BRONZE
Bronze Award Lavenham Life for St Peter & St Paul’s church Lavenham, Suffolk
Editor: Kevin Slingsby
A monthly magazine whose readers include not only the church family but about a third of the villagers. 350 copies are printed with between 60 and 68 pages, some of which are black and white and others in colour. It is produced by St Peter and St Paul’s C of E church on behalf of Christian churches in Lavenham, Suffolk, including the Salvation Army and Roman Catholic church. Income from adverts and magazine sales cover the printing costs, with a small surplus as profit. Judges’ comments about Lavenham Life include what a striking cover it has and that it is a lively magazine packed full of articles and news to interest everyone with a good balance of Christian and community content. A quality publication.
Other award winners
Special and individual category awards
Best New Editor
Following discussions about this year’s entries, the committee decided to give out an extra Award to the Best New Editor.
Parish News – Smallfield, Burstow and Horne for St Bartholomew Burstow and St Mary the Virgin Horne parishes in Surrey
Editor: Harry Barrett
The aim of Parish News is to serve as a bridge between the church and wider local community and it manages to strike a balance between community concerns and an accessible Christian message. Ten issues are produced a year, with a circulation of 500. Judges were impressed with the quality of this magazine from Burstow and Horne parishes in Surrey considering the Editor Harry Barrett has only just taken it on, aged 17. Amazingly it scored about half way between the highest and lowest scoring magazines in the competition. This is exceptionally good for such a young and new editor. The magazine shows great promise and we hope will go from strength to strength with encouragement to the editor and a willingness to learn on his part.
Highly Commended
Steyning and Ashurst Church Magazine for St Andrew’s & St Cuthman’s Parish church, Ashurst, West Sussex
Editor: Bill Thomson
https://steyningparishchurch.org/magazine/#Magazine
This year we are giving a Highly Commended Award to a magazine that narrowly missed getting the Bronze Award, and has previously won the Appeal to Intended Readership category.
It’s a magazine from West Sussex that has 12 issues a year, which are free to readers as it is funded through the church’s mission budget although donations are welcomed. It has a circulation of 300-400. Steyning and Ashurst Church Magazine is printed in the church office of St Andrew’s and St Cuthman’s parish church and aims to spread the Gospel and include local interest articles whilst presenting a welcoming, inclusive and professional image. As well as distribution to the two congregations, the magazine is available from the post office and other distribution points. The hard working Editor is Bill Thomson, aided by four proof readers. Judges thought it to be a very well presented, interesting and attractive magazine, with plenty of Christian content – clearly put together with care and pride.
Cover Design, Headlines and Use of Graphics
Graffham Parish News for St Giles church, parish of Graffham with Woolavington, West Sussex
Editors: Michael Blunt, Philippa Sanders and Bill Barrett
https://stgilesgraffham.org/graffham-parish-news/
Another monthly magazine from West Sussex. It has won the front cover award before and is delivered free to all households and businesses in the parish of Graffham with Woolavington and has a print run of 450. It is a professionally produced publication aiming to be a community magazine and generate money for the church rather than spread the Christian message – their research having found that less church content was preferred. They are fortunate that recently a newcomer to the village that owns a print works has offered to print it for them for free. With advertising revenue, subscriptions and donations it raises an incredible £10,000 for St Giles church funds. The editors of Graffham Parish News are Michael Blunt, Philippa Sanders and Bill Barrett. Judges commented that the covers had lovely colourful, striking photos with a uniform look from issue to issue. There were large consistent headlines in a contrasting font to the main body font with some imaginative ones and a good selection of well reproduced and well placed colour photos with captions to illustrate articles.
Overall Layout
Tupsley Voice for St Paul’s church and Hereford URC, Tupsley, Herefordshire
Editor: Julie Hancock
A magazine that celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and is produced on behalf of an Anglican church and a United Reformed Church in Tupsley, Hereford. Although it only has four issues a year a dedicated team of volunteers deliver it to an incredible 4,200 houses as well as extra copies being available in the churches themselves. Tupsley Voice uses an A4 format with good use of columns and white space. It is logically laid out and photos are well placed within the columns. It has a professional appearance. The editor is Julie Hancock, aided by a typesetter, Treasurer and Advertising and Distribution manager.