AddThis SmartLayers

Top young talent honoured at conference

The cream of Britain’s young journalistic talented was honoured in a special presentation ceremony at the Society of Editors conference in Glasgow today.

Joanne Butcher, chief executive of the National Council for the Training of Journalists, handed out the annual Awards for Excellence for the top trainee journalists and journalism students.

There were prizes for the best news journalists, sports journalists, feature writers, scoops and images of the year.

The training body also handed out awards to those who achieved the highest exam grades for the preliminary exams and the reporter and photographer who achieved the best marks in the National Certificate Examination.

The full list of winners is:

News Journalism

Best Student – Leanne Rinne

Leanne is in her final year studying journalism at the University of Sheffield and was previously news editor of the Forge Press student paper and is now news editor of Forge TV – the university’s TV station.

Best Trainee – Tara Russell

Tara started her journalism career at the Maidenhead Advertiser in July 2009 and was offered a job as a trainee reporter at the Southern Daily Echo in October the same year after pulling in off-diary stories while on work experience. She won the Newcomer of the Year and the Daily Print Journalist of the Year at the EDF Energy London and South of England Media Awards last month.

Sports Journalism

Student – Josh Burrows

Josh trained at News Associates in Wimbledon and his first published work was a by-chance exclusive interview with cricketer Andrew Flintoff. He is currently working as a features and iPad sub-editor at The Times.

Trainee – Jon Mattos

Jon started his career at the Press Association as a trainee sports journalist and in October 2007 he joined the Hull Daily Mail as a junior sports reporter. He took his NCE exams in March 2010 to become a senior sports reporter.

Top Scoop

Student – David Raven

David studied a journalism degree at Edge Hill University and while on work experience for The Champion Series of newspapers, he was offered a full-time role as a junior reporter so carried on with his studies part-time. He now has the role of sub-editor and entertainments editor at The Champion newspaper’s six titles as well as chief Crosby area reporter.

Trainee – Katie Bowler

Katie started her media career four years ago in classified advertising but was offered a full-time position as a reporter after a two-day trial. After a year on the job at the Burton Mail, she started her NCTJ training once a week at Wolverhampton College, passing her exams with the highest grade in the college for her portfolio.

Features of the Year

Student – Jayne Garfitt

Jayne will graduate with a distinction from an MA in Newspaper Journalism at Nottingham Trent University later this month. She won the NTU/Stoke Sentinel student of the year award while on the course and now works as a trainee journalist at the Nottingham Post.

Trainee – Megan Jorsh

Megan started writing features for Student Direct at the University of Manchester where she studied English Language and Literature. She went on to take a Postgraduate Diploma in Newspaper Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, graduating in July 2008, and now works as a reporter and freelance writer in Carlisle at the News and Star and Cumberland News.

Images of the Year

Student – Antony Kitchener

Antony, who obtained degrees in automotive engineering and environmental science, became interested in photography when he went travelling overseas. After completing the NCTJ press photography and photojournalism course at Sheffield College in April 2010, he moved to New Zealand where he is currently working for the Red Cross while generating contacts and photographic work.

Trainee – Amy Husband

Amy studied a degree in photography at Swansea Metropolitan University and during her degree worked every Saturday at football matches for the South Wales Evening Post. She was offered a trainee position at the paper in 2008 and has since completed the NCTJ qualification at Sheffield College.

NCTJ Student Journalist of the Year – Rachel Bull

Rachel completed her NCTJ training at News Associates London where she achieved 120wpm shorthand and gained front page stories while on a reporting placement at the Elmridge Guardian. She was offered a teaching assistant post on completing the course and helps primarily with shorthand, while also covering events for Sportsbeat Press Agency.

NCTJ Photographer of the Year – Lucy Shaw

Lucy carried out a Fine Art degree at the University of Derby before beginning her career at the Derby Telegraph in 2003 as a commercial photographer. She became a press photographer for the title in 2008 and began the NCTJ qualification, photographing a Mountain Rescue team.

NCTJ Reporter of the Year – Catherine Dalton

Catherine took a place on the Midland News Association’s in-house training course after graduating from Nottingham University, winning the LGCommunications Public Affairs Award for producing the most outstanding Public Affairs part one paper. She spent six months working on the weekly Walsall Chronicle before moving to the Express & Star where she is now deputy chief reporter.