A regional daily has been honoured for its commitment to diversity at an annual journalism training awards which also celebrated the co-author of McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists.

Sheffield daily The Star has triumphed in the Diversity and Inclusion at the NCTJ Awards for Excellence after making “huge strides in working towards a diverse workforce” over the past year, which has enabled the newspaper “to reach communities which have not previously engaged with local journalists”.

Judges cited work by The Star including community news reporter Errol Edwards’ coverage of the Black Lives Matter campaign and writing about his own experiences of racism in Sheffield, as well as the production of a special weekly supplement and distribution of extra copies to help children learn from home during the coronavirus lockdown.

The best apprentice, student and trainee journalists in the country were also honoured at this evening’s virtual ceremony, along with McNae’s co-author Mark Hanna, who was recognised for his outstanding contribution to journalism training and education with the NCTJ chairman’s award.

Mark, pictured, was a senior lecturer in journalism at the University of Sheffield until his retirement last year, and is also the NCTJ’s chief examiner and chair of the media law examinations board.

Kim Fletcher, chairman of the NCTJ, presented the award to Mark at the virtual ceremony hosted by Sky News tonight.

Speaking via video link, Kim said: “Mark is a hugely respected educator, trainer, author and journalist, who is passionate about journalism standards, media law, ethics and regulation, and a campaigner and advocate of open justice.

“A walking, talking encyclopaedia of anything worth knowing about media law, his name is synonymous with media law, regulation and ethics.”

Kim Fletcher, chairman of the NCTJ, presented the award to Mark at the virtual Awards for Excellence ceremony hosted by Sky News tonight.

Accepting the award, Mark said: “Thank you very much for my award, I am very flattered.

“I am particularly honoured to get it because I know that throughout the NCTJ community, all over the place, there are people going the extra mile all the time – particularly in the last twelve months.

“I’d like to add my tributes to [NCTJ chief executive] Joanne Butcher and her staff for keeping the show on the road in the last year.

“I must also pay tribute to past and present members of the media law examinations board because their work has earned them a huge share of this award.”

Other winners included News Associates, which won Innovation of the year for its efforts in adapting teaching styles and exercises, while Kent Online’s Olver Kemp won the Facebook-funded Community News Project award, which seeks to recognise the exceptional work done by reporters recruited by the project.

Poppie Webster, of Essex daily The Echo, was awarded Apprentice of the year, and The Comet’s Jacob Thorburn won Trainee journalist of the year, while David Marriott, of the University of Sheffield, triumphed in the same category for student journalists.

The ceremony was presented by Sky News presenter Anna Botting live on YouTube.

Addressing the shortlisted entrants, who enjoyed the ceremony together in a VIP watch party, Anna said: “What a year it has been – the coronavirus outbreak has changed our world beyond all recognition.

“Yet through it all, journalists persevere to report on how the changing world affects every day lives; and NCTJ students and trainees continue to train to be journalists of the future.

“It is something to be commended and celebrated: working and learning throughout these times of Government restrictions, proving skills of adaptability, teamwork, communication and innovation.”
The full list of winners is as follows:

Innovation of the year award
News Associates – Winner
University of Brighton – Highly Commended
Leeds Trinity University – Commended

Equality, diversity and inclusion award, sponsored by the Financial Times
The Star, Sheffield – Winner
Academy for Disabled Journalists – Highly commended
Glasgow Caledonian University – Commended

Student news journalism
Ethan Ennals, PA Training – Winner
Julia Atherley, News Associates London – Highly commended
Ben Turner, PA Training – Commended

Trainee news journalism
Jamie Phillips, SurreyLive – Winner
Abigail Maclure, Yorkshire Evening Post – Highly commended
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu, Financial Times – Commended
Daisy Smith, Watford Observer – Commended

Student sports journalism
Josh Graham, News Associates London – Winner
George Ramsay, News Associates London – Highly commended
Rachel Steinberg, News Associates London – Commended

Trainee sports journalism
Niamh Campbell, BBC Sport NI – Winner
Tom Ward, Racing Post – Highly commended
Mark Wyatt, KentLive – Highly commended
Matt Addison, Liverpool Echo – Commended

Student top scoop
Kafui Okpattah, University of Essex – Winner
Camomile Shumba, News Associates London – Highly commended
Julia Atherley, News Associates London – Commended

Trainee top scoop
Abbianca Makoni, Evening Standard – Winner
Bradley Deas, Telegraph & Argus – Highly commended
Jack Grey, BBC Wales – Commended

Student features
Alex Diggins, News Associates London – Winner
Megan Hinton, Bournemouth University – Highly commended
Sally Nolan, PA Training – Highly commended
Mimi Swaby, News Associates London – Highly commended

Trainee features
Lydia Stephens, WalesOnline – Winner
Thomas Kingsley, MyLondon – Highly commended
Oliver Kemp, KentOnline – Commended

Student podcast journalism
Ryan Hesketh, Glasgow Caledonian University – Winner
Lewis Adams, University of Essex – Highly commended
Matt Shaw, University of Lincoln – Commended

Trainee podcast journalism
Steve Jones, The Star, Sheffield – Winner
Oliver Kemp, KentOnline – Highly commended
Anna Staufenberg, Crowd Network – Commended

Best student project
The Original High Speed Railway, Adam Landau, University of Kent – Winner
Trailblaze magazine, Kate Dawson, Sunderland University – Highly commended
Our Time Election, Nicole Baddeley and Connor Stringer, Bournemouth University – Commended

Community News Project award, sponsored by Facebook
Oliver Kemp, KentOnline – Winner
Alison Bagley, Northamptonshire Telegraph – Highly commended
Rakeem Hyatt, BirminghamLive – Commended
Emily White, LincolnshireLive – Commended
James Vukmirovic, Express & Star – Commended

Apprentice of the year, sponsored by Mark Allen Group
Poppie Webster, Basildon Echo/Darlington College – Winner
Cree-Summer Haughton, ITV News/Bauer Academy – Highly commended
James Robinson, Hexham Courant/Darlington College – Highly commended
David Chipakupaku, Sky News/PA Training – Commended
Anna Maria Colivicchi, Lancashire Post/Sheffield College – Commended
Hedi Mehrez, Swindon Advertiser/Darlington College – Commended

Student of the year, sponsored by The Independent
David Marriott, University of Sheffield – Winner
Ellen Halliday, News Associates London – Highly commended
Calum Johnson, University of Salford – Highly commended
Catriona Aitken, Cardiff University – Commended
Anna Cooban, News Associates London – Commended

Trainee of the year, sponsored by Brunswick Group
Jacob Thorburn, The Comet – Winner
Danielle Poole, Dudley News – Highly commended
Conor Matchett, Edinburgh Evening News – Commended

Chairman’s award
The Chairman’s Award 2020 has been awarded to Mark Hanna