A partially-deaf journalism student is among three to have been recognised for overcoming “unique challenges” during their studies.

The winners of this year’s Bob Norris Award for Achievement in Journalism have been presented by the Solent branch of the National Union of Journalists.

The annual awards are presented in memory of Bob Norris, the former Hampshire Chronicle journalist and National Council for the Training of Journalists chairman, to journalism students on the South Coast who have achieved notable performance during their time at their place of study.

Among this year’s winners is 20-year-old James Buckley, who studies at Portsmouth’s Highbury College.

Course leader Darren Sadler said: “James is a neurodiverse student who is also partially deaf.

“Throughout the course James has grown in confidence and overcome his own personal challenges to demonstrate an enthusiasm for learning, developing new skill sets and how he can approach the world of journalism in a way that will work for him.”

James, pictured, said: “This feels incredible, and I’m very happy to have won.

“Journalism is a brilliant industry to get into – and I feel I wouldn’t be where I am without the support of my tutors, Darren Sadler and Pauline Willson.

“They helped me so much, especially in terms of exam revision, and I feel my course qualification would have been a lot worse without their expert help.”

This year’s other winners were 20-year-old Michel Jreissati, of Southampton’s Solent University, and 27-year-old University of Portsmouth student Craig Tilley.

Michel is originally from Egypt and has faced his studies along after being isolated from friends and family due to the coroanvirus pandemic, while Craig has overcome challenges posed by serious health scares within his immediate family.

Bob’s widow Pauline Norris, a former journalist and chair of the Solent NUJ, said: “The 2022 successful students demonstrate just what this award in memory of my husband Bob is all about.

“They have achieved so much, often in challenging circumstances.”