Media students have been honoured for their grasp of public health issues at an awards ceremony in Londonderry.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) Western Investing for Health (WIFH) Partnership held its sixth annual Student Media Awards ceremony, at Derry’s North West Regional College on Wednesday, 30 March.
Special guest Mark Simpson, of the BBC, gave the keynote address on the role of the media and its influence in forming public opinion.
University and college students in the media industry were invited to submit articles, pictures or stories on a current public health issue. Categories and prize winners included:
Best Written Piece
1st prize – Sarah McFeely, Positive Outlook after Surgery
Joint 2nd prize – Teresa Stewart and Finola Doran, A Day in My Chair
Joint 2nd prize – Sarah Logue, No Blue Mondays Here
Best Moving Image
1st prize – Shay O’Donnell, Closet Full of Lies
2nd prize – Jude Readie, Ryan McGill and Jonathon Reid, Cyber Bullying
Highly commended – Mark Sheppard, Coronary Heart Disease
Best Photographic Piece
1st prize – Evan McFarland and Jermaine Hemmings, Delete Cyber Bullying
2nd prize – Cathal O’Kane, 5-a-day
Highly commended – Christina Jeanes, Tape Measure
Explaining the significance of the awards, Brendan Bonner, PHA Head of Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement (West) and co-chair of the WIFH Partnership, said: “The PHA is delighted with the calibre of entries again this year. We want to congratulate the winners and all the entrants who, as our future journalists and media professionals, submitted well thought-out and interesting approaches to highlight local public health issues.
“We want to see the media reflecting on the key issues that lead to poor health and wellbeing and to signpost their audiences to the appropriate support. The quality of the work submitted this year, and this award scheme itself, is a small but reassuring step in that direction.”
This year, Alcohol Culture and its Impact on Life in Derry and the North West, was an additional category, in partnership with the Drink Think Project, Derry. Winners included:
Drink Think Award: Best Moving Image
Dolan Doherty, Drink Driving No Laughing Matter
Drink Think Award: Best Photographic Piece
Aisling Logan, Underage Drinking – Not a Minor Problem
Lewis Crothers, Drinking Games
Marion Duddy, Drink Drags you Down
Joanne Smith, Manager of the Drink Think Project said: “Drink Think is excited to be involved in this year’s media awards. This is a great opportunity to gain fresh perspectives on the impact of alcohol locally and also to prompt tomorrow’s journalists, producers and photographers on the appropriate reporting of alcohol at a local level.”
The awards have helped the careers development of media students, with previous winners advancing through to prestigious employers including RTE, BBC and the North West Regional College media department.
The WIFH Student Media Awards are an important part of the academic year at the college, providing a working brief for students to combine their creative and technical abilities, whilst getting the right message across and meeting the clients’ needs.
All winners are available to view on www.westernifh.org in the Student Media Awards section.
Further information
Contact PHA Press Office Tel: (028) 9031 1611
Photo opportunities
12:30 - 1:00pm
- Award Winners and runners-up
- VIPs, speakers and judging panel
Notes to the editor
- The judges for this year’s awards were: Martin McGinley, Derry Journal; David Wrottesley, Samaritans; Joanne Doherty, Drink Think Project; Tony Doherty, WIFH Partnership along with Brendan Bonner and Margery Magee, both from PHA.
- The WIFH Partnership has 30 intersectoral members: 14 statutory bodies, 14 community and voluntary sector organisations, and 2 from the private sector.
- Drink Think Project was established by the Bogside and Brandywell Health Forum and aims to work in partnership to protect the next generation of children from alcohol related harm. Further information from www.drinkthinkproject.org, Tel: (028) 7136 3925.
- The Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Team is located at Gransha Park House, 15 Gransha Park, L’Derry. Tel: (028) 7186 0086.