Seven sensational News Associates grads scoop top prizes at NCTJ Awards for Excellence 2024
Seven News Associates graduates won top prizes at the NCTJ Awards for Excellence 2024, hosted by Sky News special correspondent Alex Crawford.
Our grads won awards across sports journalism, top scoop, features, podcasting, data, and equality, diversity and inclusion, at the event which highlights the achievements of individuals with promising journalism careers ahead of them, and those doing outstanding work in the media.
Fast-track journalism course graduate Shaheena Uddin won the equality, diversity and inclusion award (individual) for singlehandedly founding and running Muslim Journalists Connect, which encourages underrepresented voices to enter the industry.
The award, sponsored by the Financial Times, champions journalists going above and beyond to promote equality, diversity and inclusion.
Shaheena said: “Having faced Islamophobia and racism all my life, I know the value of true EDI in a world where it’s being cut and underfunded. I don’t just want a seat at the table, I want to add more seats to make room for others to speak their truths too. After all I’ve been through, it means so much to win this category for Muslim Journalists Connect and aim to help others enter this industry too!
“And it’s such an honour to have my work appreciated and awarded by none other than THE Alex Crawford at the NCTJ Awards. I’m such a fan of her journalism and integrity in telling the truth.
“Thanks to all of my tutors at News Associates for teaching me everything I know and the Journalism Diversity Fund and The Aziz Foundation for sponsoring my scholarship. It’s also been so fulfilling to be able to mentor some current/former NA trainees with advice and give back to the institutions that helped me become the journalist I am today.”
The School of Journalism class of 2024 graduate Holly Nichols (BBC Three Counties Radio) won the student podcast of the year award.
Holly said: “It was an absolute honour and a lovely surprise to be awarded with the Student Podcast Journalism Award at the NCTJ Awards for Excellence.
“It feels like a huge achievement and something I will not forget any time soon. I also had the privilege to meet some amazing nominees and award-winners on Friday, well done to everyone who was shortlisted!”
Absolutely thrilled to be awarded student podcast of the year at the @NCTJ_news awards for my Unlocked Perspectives podcast about the prison system in England & Wales. 🥳
Well done to all the other winners & nominees & a big thanks to @NewsAssociates! https://t.co/msX6As1arX pic.twitter.com/PkRKuaHBiE
— Holly Nichols (@HollyNichols_) April 6, 2025
Sports journalism graduate Lucy Wilde (Judicial Office) won the student top scoop award for her exclusive story, Team GB swimmers to receive typhoid jabs for Olympics due to dirty River Seine.
Lucy said: “I’m so delighted to have been recognised amongst such a talented group of journalists.
“A huge thank you especially to News Associates for equipping me with the knowledge and skills that I continue to draw on every day.
“Armed with the tools, confidence and journalistic sixth-sense my course helped me hone, I’m both grateful for what’s been and excited for what’s next!”
While part-time grad Conor Wilson (Daily Express) was highly commended for his piece, Labour’s early prison release plan branded ‘smoke and mirrors’ as police boss sounds alarm.
Great to be in Manchester and hear about your and the achievements of others with solid @NCTJ training. Congrats @ConorWilson2 and all the other nominees at the @NCTJ_news awards. Enjoy the moon and shoot for the stars https://t.co/QBU7EkpgVu
— Alex Crawford (@AlexCrawfordSky) April 5, 2025
Fellow part-time grad Nicole Haynes (Reach) was commended for her article, Inside the UK’s top performing arts schools
Ben Fleming (Metro) carried on our success in the sports journalism categories.
Ben, who studied on our sports journalism course, won in the trainee category for these picks from his portfolio:
Black Arsenal’s beautiful history from Paul Davis and Ian Wright Bukayo Saka
From Morrisons to Royal Troon: Former delivery driver Joe Dean’s wild journey to the Open
Injury woes and advice from KJT: Zak Skinner eyes Paralympics redemption after Tokyo heartbreak
Ben said: “I’m hugely grateful to have been awarded the trainee sports journalism award at the NCTJ Awards for Excellence.
“Congrats to the other winners and nominees on the day, and thanks once again to the team at Metro Sport for their guidance and support over the last year.”
News Associates course director Graham Moody collected Lucy and Ben’s awards on their behalf.
Charlotte Bend (freelance journalist), who studied on a fast-track course at News Associates, won the student data journalism award.
Charlotte’s winning submission was, Progress or political virtue signalling as Met fail to regain trust from London women?
Some exciting news this afternoon… Such a shame I couldn’t be there in person today but feeling incredibly grateful for the recognition.
Well done to all of the nominees! https://t.co/WloHyo02b1
— Charlotte Bend (@charlotte_bend) April 4, 2025
Part-time graduate Lisa Valentine (Bury Times) was highly commended in the student data journalism category for her story, Private renting in Manchester reaches “boiling point” as tenants spend almost half of household disposable income on rent.
View this post on Instagram
Part-time graduate Lucy Rowan (freelance journalist) was commended for her piece, DBT: The lesser known talking therapy transforming and saving lives.
News Associates graduates dominated the feature of the year section, with James Sladden winning in the student category, with George Nash highly commended, and Elysia Taylor-Hearn topping the trainee category with Sharin Hussain highly commended.
James, who is our first winner from our fully-remote NCTJ-accredited journalism course, is now a freelance journalist and conflict researcher. You can read his winning pieces here:
Innovation and improvisation are fueling Ukraine’s emergence as a defense tech hub
George (The Guardian) studied on our hybrid part-time course. You can see his pieces here:
Elysia (freelance) studied on a full-time journalism course at News Associates. You can read her winning submissions here:
Alex McLeish on his sons’ illness: ‘The helplessness was palpable’
Elysia said: “It was wonderful to return to Manchester, where I studied for my NCTJ, to celebrate the work of many other talented journalists and hear insights from industry veterans whom I greatly admire.
“I am delighted to have been recognised for my features and can’t wait to begin working on new stories with all the advice and ideas that I picked up at the awards.”
Sharin (The Times) studied on our full-time fast-track course on a scheme with The Times. Read here pieces here:
Hadiqa London: Inside the UK’s first lingerie boutique for Muslim women
Alienation and anger over Gaza on the streets of Tower Hamlets
Elsewhere, The School of Journalism graduate Izabella Thornley was highly commended for student videojournalism, Max Kendix (The Times) was highly commended for trainee news journalism, David Olaseinde (freelance journalist) was highly commended for student sports journalism and Rosabel Crean was commended in the student podcast category.
News Associates editorial development manager Lucy Dyer said: “We had an amazing day celebrating the success of our graduates at the beautiful Hallé St Peter’s.
“I love to see alumni from across all of our courses win awards in a variety of categories – from features and sport, to podcasting and data, and equality, diversity and inclusion.
“It’s especially fantastic to have winners from our first remote part-time course and our undergraduate journalism course, The School of Journalism.”
Click here to see a full list of the awards.