Sheffield journalists celebrate more national awards

Young journalists who learned their craft at the University of Sheffield have continued to rack up honours in the latest round of media industry awards for outstanding work by students.

Members of the Bender team celebrating their commendation at the Magazine Academy awards.
Members of the Bender team celebrating their commendation at the Magazine Academy awards. Photo: Josie Le Vay

Students from the The School of Journalism, Media and Communication have enjoyed a stunning record of success in recent years' awards - which carried on in fine style at three events during November 2018.

The Magazine Academy prizes were dominated by Sheffield, with the coveted best new magazine brand of the year award going to Ada - a publication for young girls, named after the 19th-century computing pioneer and mathematician Ada Lovelace. The title was created by students Holly Homewood, Shona Jackson, Becky Bargh, Danielle Mustarde, Sian Bradley and Judith Torner for their MA Magazine Journalism degree in 2017.

Sheffield's other winners were Kat Jenkins, named feature writer of the year for her report on the dangers facing the spider monkey population, and Chloe Simpkins, whose Elephant Talk magazine on the subject of mental health was named best digital concept of the year.

'Highly commended' awards at the Magazine Academy went to:

  • Bender, a magazine for GBTQ men, in the brand of the year category - created by BA Journalism Studies team Emily Baker, Liam Gilliver, Holly Gittins, Giorgia Guantario, Josie Le Vay, Teri Limongi, Saskia Marriott, Marianne Mooney and Georgi Tinkov
  • Giorgia Guantario in the feature writer of the year category
  • Food magazine Nibbles in best original concept - by Gabrielle Meredith-Elsworth
  • Tagged, a website about street art, in best digital concept - by Zoe Knight

Prizes were handed out by Radio Times editor Mark Frith at a prestigious ceremony sponsored by BBC Worldwide and hosted by leading UK magazine publisher Immediate Media.

View more magazines created by our students

Brilliant broadcasting

Later in the month came the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC) awards, where Sheffield students took the best TV newsday award for a bulletin created during May's postgraduate production week.

The item was created using new tech installed during a recent upgrade to the The School of Journalism, Media and Communication's Broadcast Zone, allowing students to set up a live broadcast-quality link from the outside location back to the studio.

Nathan Albon, who recently completed MA Broadcast Journalism and is currently freelancing for BBC Radio Cambridgeshire Sport, tweeted: "Honoured to have collected the Best TV Newsday award as lead reporter for @JUS_News. So proud of the team."

Also at the BJTC awards, Emma Corr scooped the prize for best radio news item with an excellent report on a resource used to approach transgender issues in Leicestershire schools.

The award-winning TV and radio features by Sheffield journalism students



Finally, at the National Council for the Training of Journalists' (NCTJ's) Awards for Excellence, Hannah Tomes took the honours for feature of the year for her work looking at abortion law in Ireland.

"Absolutely shocked and thrilled in equal measures to have won Feature of the Year," she tweeted, adding: "Apparently made a judge cry so sorry about that."

Hannah recently completed MA Journalism at Sheffield and is now working as a sub-editor for the Irish Daily Mail.

Yvonne Illsley, course leader for MA Magazine Journalism, said: "I am absolutely delighted for everyone whose talent and sheer hard work have been recognised in this year's student media awards.

"All of us at the The School of Journalism, Media and Communication send our congratulations to the Sheffield alumni who have been honoured at the Magazine Academy, BJTC and NCTJ awards. We will follow their careers with great pride."

Four students laughing while sat at a bench, outside the Students' Union

International scholarships

We offer a generous package of financial support for international students, including undergraduate and postgraduate taught scholarships worth £10,000 towards the annual tuition fee.

Applications are open for existing offer holders for programmes starting in autumn 2025.