Coventry Evening Telegraph reporter Emma Snodgrass has scooped a prize at this year’s Prince’s Trust Local Reporting Awards.

The journalist picked up the award in the professional category of the competition for an article she wrote earlier this year about the Jigsaw youth group, which gives young refugees and asylum seekers the chance to socialise.

An award was also handed out to a non-professional, and this was won by Christian Allsworth.

His article about the Chantalle Bleau Memorial Fund, which was set up to raise awareness of substance abuse after 16-year-old Chantalle died after being overcome by fumes from inhaling lighter fuel, was published in the Bradford Telegraph and Argus.

As part of their prizes both winners were given the chance to conduct a 20 minute interview with TV presenter Cat Deeley who, as a Prince’s Trust Ambassador, also presented them with their trophies.

The annual awards scheme, run by the Prince’s Trust in association with the Newspaper Society, recognises excellence in regional reporting by journalists who have focused on inspiring stories about young people facing disadvantage, and what they have achieved for their communities.

This year there were two categories, awarding working journalists and non-professional writers from the community.

Emma said: “I was really surprised and pleased to win. Jigsaw is a really inspiring project conceived and run by students. They look after the children from beginning to end of the visit, picking them up and taking them home.

“The youth group fills a gap for the students as well as the children, since many of them would never normally come into contact with asylum seekers.”

Christian said: “Today has been brilliant, not just me, but for young people in general. The thing that impressed me most about Cat was her genuine feeling for young people. She knows how fortunate she is and wants to use that to help other people.”

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