It's not the winning it's the taking part - honest | Jabbering Journo column

The Post, The Gazette and the Chorley Guardian and a number of individuals including myself are shortlisted .

But of course, it doesn’t really matter if we win.

By this time next week attention here in the newsroom will have adjusted to the old ‘who brings in the most snacks’ wins mentality - and awards will be by the wayside.

But it’s nice to win things isn’t it?

Even on a small scale amongst friends and colleagues.

And it’s fun to try to win even if, like my dad in the monthly pub quiz, it’s a victory of ambition over actual skill.

Losing apparently prepares you for life.

MORE : Reading on the loo and other storiesSomething my mum drilled into me when I was hanging my head after losing my latest swimming final, the 1,500m race at school I hated and the Tombola I never had much luck with at the school fair.

Safe to say I’ve never demonstrated much in the luck department - though I did get second prize in a Milka chocolate competition once.

When that fat envelope spilling with chocolate bars (sure to buy more popularity with my school mates) came through the door - I was elated.

It was definitely the best thing I had ever won - and I wasn’t even that keen on Milka and the only thing I had to do was write ‘What I’d do with a lifetime supply of chocolate.’ I can’t remember what I put but the writer in me was clearly on point.

Everybody likes a win, even those who claim not to.

Our editorial bake-off event was positively brimming in tension when the winner was declared to not be the hot favourite but the chief reporter - who denied the intervention of his wife in the baking process.

It remains controversial to this day although he hangs on to this title with pride.

Winning an Olympic medal is surely the ultimate - perhaps matched only by winning the lottery, but both of which are far-off dreams for most of us.

But at some point in our lives we surely all deserve to win something - even if when shouting at ‘Millionaire’ on the TV.

It’s the taking part you see...honest.

UPDATE: We won a few, woohoo Read all about it here