Lori Carnochan, Carno Media

In no more than 350 words, tell us why you think you/your work should win this award. You may wish to consider factors such as what inspired you, the challenges involved, the impact of the output, and what makes your work stand out?

Having grown up in Dumfries and Galloway, Lori always wanted to give a voice to the communities who often went unheard. Throughout her career, she has championed rural Scotland- from farming to fishing and conservation. Her multimedia business has allowed her to bring national attention to rural issues and achievements- through exclusive features and articles commissioned by BBC Scotland, ITV News, BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service. Lori has provided bespoke media training courses to more than 100 individuals, which has empowered them to engage with the media in order to promote and grow their businesses. Through her work filming and editing videos for corporate clients, Lori has produced professional videos promoting businesses in rural Scotland- from forestry companies to the launch of Lumo rail and the Star of Caledonia. Every video is enhanced by Lori’s passion for rural affairs, her warmth and empathy and her desire to ensure the organisations and businesses that are the lifeblood of rural Scotland are given the recognition they deserve. Lori has helped to shine a light on the issues, challenges and achievements of those living in rural regions- from broadcast coverage of the ‘’Save our swifts’’ campaign, to articles like the ‘Pioneering dairy farmer’, the ‘New higher course for budding farmers’ and the couple looking to diversify their farming business which have reached more than 1 million readers alone. Lori has worked extremely hard to build her business, despite the challenges she faces by operating from a rural area. She is often bidding for work among much larger and more established companies, or those who are centrally based and have more ‘clout’ with commissioners. But what makes Lori deserving of this recognition is her unwavering passion for ensuring those who may not feel like they have the tools, confidence or knowledge to shout about their trials or tribulations, are given the platform to do so. Lori is more determined than ever to ensure good people are recognised, and the issues that are the heartbeat of rural Scotland are not ignored by those with the power to implement change.