A PARISH magazine has won national praise.

Crosstalk, the newssheet covering the County Durham churches of St Giles’ in Gilesgate, St Mary’s in Sherburn and St Cuthbert’s in Shadforth, won acclaim in the Association of Church Editors’ awards.

It won second prize for its covers and first prize for its clarity in communicating the Christian message.

Crosstalk is published ten times a year, edited by Ruth Thomas, associate priest at St Giles’ Church.

She said: “Its success and popularity has been due to the dedication and hard work of the small team of lay representatives from across the three churches.

“The team see this as an important part of their parishes’ mission to the wider community, both city and village alike, as well as being a vital vehicle of communication for regular parishioners.”

Rev Canon Dr Alan Bartlett, vicar at St Giles’ and priest in charge at St Mary’s and St Cuthbert’s, said: “I am chuffed to bits for the team who put it together because they do not have experience of working on magazines but what they produce certainly caught the judges’ eye.”