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Journalist goes back to school to return favour

A regional journalist inspired to take up a career in the industry by a talk at his school has returned the favour 20 years later.

David Powles, assistant editor, digital, for the Norwich Evening News and Eastern Daily Press, was among those present for the conference on journalism, held at the City of Norwich School.

Also on the panel were the Sun’s head of strategy Derek Brown and its Whitehall correspondent Emily Ashton, alongside Fay Schlesinger, home editor of The Times, and Neal Harrington of News UK-run youth project News Academy.

The event, designed to give schoolchildren an insight into newsroom life, was organised by News Academy, which is running similar conferences on the future of journalism across the UK.

David said: “It was fantastic to see so many talented youngsters who are interested in a job in the journalism industry.

“When I was a teenager a journalist doing a school talk inspired me to join the industry and it’s something I’ve never regretted. I’d love to do the same 20 years on.”