For Immediate Release: Monday 6 December 2000

AUTIF FINANCIAL JOURNALIST AWARDS 2000

Paul Farrow, from The Sunday Telegraph’s money section was voted the Association’s National Financial Journalist of the Year, whilst Kira Nickerson, News Editor on Investment Week, won the Specialist Financial Journalist of the Year award. The awards are made in recognition of the quality of writing and depth of investment fund knowledge displayed over the last 12 months, given the particular audiences addressed by the publications.

The Sunday Telegraph won the Personal Finance Consumer Awareness & Readership Education (CARE) award for 2000. Research undertaken by AUTIF’s "Financial Awareness & Consumer Education Tracking Study" (FACETS) over the past year showed that The Sunday Telegraph’s money pages had made the most significant difference to the improvement of personal finance understanding amongst its readers.

The winners were presented with their awards at a champagne reception hosted by AUTIF on Wednesday 6 December.

For further information please contact:

Anne McMeehan, Director of Communications, AUTIF - +44 (0)20 7831 0898
Clare Arber, PR Manager, AUTIF - +44 (0)20 7831 0898

Notes to Editors:
The FACETS research, which commenced in August 1997, is conducted each month across a representative sample of the population, to ascertain the level of consumer knowledge of basic personal financial matters. The sixteen questions relate to current accounts, ISAs, TESSAs, unit and investment trusts, insurance, pensions, mortgages, investor protection and financial education for children.