Final call for entries to church website of the year award

The awards that recognise the unsung heroes who create and maintain church websites closes on Tuesday June 2, so if you want to enter, then head on over to www.surefish.co.uk/web

The Surefish Church Website of the Year Award is sponsored by Christian Aid and Church Times and has six specific categories, five of which will be judged by a panel of experts.

The overall winner of the 2009 Local Church Website of the Year, will be voted for by visitors to the Surefish and Church Times websites.

Andrew Jackson, editor of Surefish, Christian Aid’s community website, says: "We are particularly keen for entries from Methodist, Baptist, United Reformed Church and Catholic sites to match the large number of Anglican Church entries that we have received.

"We would also like more entries into the regional website award, for dioceses, synods and districts, and the national category, for the websites of denominations."

The six categories are:

2009 Local Church Website of the Year
2009 Regional Church website of the Year
2009 National Church website of the Year
Best Christian Blog
Best Christian Youth Website
Most Innovative Christian website

The winners of five of the categories will be made at a special judging day which will also decide the shortlist for the Local Church Website category. The winner of that award will be decided by an online vote.

Paul Handley, Editor of Church Times, said: "The awards are showing the immense talent that people bring to their church and community websites. Some of the entries are very strong and the panel of judges will have a tough time deciding on the winners."

The awards are also sponsored by the Christian think-tank Ekklesia, which is offering a consultancy day worth up to £300 as a prize, Christian Technology, which is offering free web hosting for a year for each of the six winners, worth up to £1,500, and Divine Chocolate, which has donated a hamper of fair-trade chocolate for each of the winners. The winners will also receive a trophy and certificate. The overall winner will also receive a family ticket to the Greenbelt festival, worth £231.

The award ceremony will take place at the Christian Aid headquarters in London on Tuesday 9 July.