The Journalism Diversity Fund has awarded a further four bursaries to help up and coming journalists with their training.

Bursaries are awarded four times a year to students from socially or ethnically diverse backgrounds studying or planning to study NCTJ-accredited courses.

The four latest awards went to Beth Baldwin, who is studying at the Press Association Newcastle, David Laniyan, Lambeth College, Mantej Mann, Press Association London, and Abiola Olanipekun, News Associates London.

A total of 200 training bursaries have been awarded by the JDF since it was set up 10 years ago.

The latest quartet were selected following interviews last Friday hosted by The Daily Telegraph.

On the interviewing panel were Joanne Butcher, chief executive, NCTJ, Cheryl Varley, social mobility executive, BBC and Hugh Muir, leader writer and columnist, The Guardian.

Said Cheryl: “It was an inspiring experience to meet the applicants and a privilege to be part of the process that awarded them bursaries.

“The diversity fund is a wonderful initiative that tackles in a practical way the economic and cultural issues that have led to journalism becoming the most socially exclusive profession of all.”

This was the last round of bursaries granted for the current academic year running from September 2015 and August 2016.

Applications for the next academic year will be accepted from spring 2016. The exact dates will be published on the diversity fund website in the New Year.