Journalism Graduates’ Success

University of Worcester graduates have demonstrated excellence in journalism by winning awards at the prestigious Midlands Media Awards.

Conor Rees won the Magazine of the Year category for his inspirational publication 99 Percent Lifestyle now on Volume 5.

The entrepreneur launched his magazine on graduating with a BA(Hons) Journalism in 2015 and based it on a magazine he created as part of his coursework.

Worcester News reporter Grace Walton, who graduated in 2018, won the Campaign of the Year team award with News Editor Alicia Kelly and former reporter Matthew Dresch.

Their reporting of five-year-old Oscar Sazelby-Lee’s desperate search for a stem donor helped them raise £500,000 in under 4 weeks for leukaemia treatment in Singapore.

The team at Liquid PR, Kidderminster, including 2014 graduate Chloe Baker, Senior Account Manager, was highly commended for their campaign work.

Chloe went straight into PR/comms work at Wyre Forest District Council after graduating.

The glittering annual event, run by the Birmingham Press Club, was held at Villa Park on Friday night and compered by ITV Presenter Bob Warman who is also President of the club.

Conor said: “I am delighted to have won this award. I was a winner in the press club’s student awards and this even surpasses that. It is a great honour”

Principal Lecturer in Journalism Claire Wolfe, a former senior newspaper editor, was a judge in other categories.

She said:” It is incredibly rewarding to see our graduates achieve such success in the media world and we feel immensely proud of them.

“The press club have been fantastic at supporting young talent in the region and the university journalism course has close links with the industry helping to promote their success.”

One of Grace’s stories about Oscar can be found here and 99 Percent Lifestyle can be viewed here