Top students land Bob Norris journalism awards
By Anne England
THREE high-achieving student journalists – including a Ukrainian refugee – have won a prestigious achievement in an annual scheme dedicated to the memory of a union stalwart entitled the Bob Norris Awards.
The three are Harry McBain (21) from Wokingham in Berkshire; Alison Mace (23), from Chichester in West Sussex, and Iryna Melnykova (21), whose home city is Kyiv but who currently lives in Bournemouth.
The students were nominated for their awards by their tutors from the main providers of journalism training in the Solent region: the University of Portsmouth, Southampton Solent University and Bournemouth University. The students were nominated for exceptional efforts in what were sometimes challenging circumstances.
Each receives a trophy, certificate and cash awarded by the Solent Branch of the National Union of Journalists as a tribute to their former chairman, Bob Norris, who died in 2018. A former Assistant General Secretary of the NUJ nationally, he was a fervent believer in education and training and spent almost 30 years as a director on the board of the National Council for the Training of Journalists, and two years as its chairman.
Harry, who graduated this year in Sports Journalism from Southampton Solent University, was nominated for the award by his tutors – not only for his academic achievement but also for his care and consideration towards his fellow students and his contribution to the year group.
Kevin O’Donovan, Course Leader, School of Creative Industries at Southampton Solent University, said: “Harry’s been outstanding from day one of the course ‒ hard-working, committed and determined in his university work but also as a very positive member of his year group.”
“He supports his friends and classmates with care and consideration, and has greatly contributed to the feeling of community and camaraderie among the cohort ‒ so important in any busy newsroom. He works hard but has a great attitude and, just as importantly, is great at the journalism too. He’s definitely a worthy winner for us and we think he’ll go far. It’s been a pleasure to work with him these past three years.”
Harry said: “I am absolutely over the moon to have been recognised for this prestigious award; it makes all the hard work over these past three years even more fulfilling! And to have been nominated by the lecturing staff on the course, who have all made our time at Solent an incredible experience, makes it even more special!”
“To me high achievement in the field is the pinnacle of the grind that is needed to succeed in this incredible industry, but it is also a sign of being surrounded by fantastic people like my course mates, who have provided the best support for the last three years.”
“I wanted to study journalism, in part due to my passion for sharing stories for those people and messages which may not always be heard, but I was also inspired to study this field because my grandparents raised me to be inquisitive, passionate about the news and always work hard – and that led me to journalism!”
Harry is currently at sports marketing agency Ten Toes, working on their Football Association account for England Football. He spoke about this role as he said: “I love sharing stories around sport and this area has been my goal for the past couple of years. I’m loving it!”
Alison was nominated for the award by her tutors at the University of Portsmouth, where she achieved a first-class degree with honours in Journalism, despite leaving school with just two GCSEs. However, her experiences while studying have prompted her to switch direction and to move on to complete a master’s degree in social work.
Claire Perry, Senior Lecturer in Journalism at the University of Portsmouth, said: “Alison has proved to be an outstanding student. This is all the more impressive when you know she left school with just two GCSEs. This meant Alison had to complete a level 2 qualification at Havant and South Downs College before she could continue to A-level equivalence, then to her degree.”
“She has been an excellent student, volunteering to represent the course in promotional materials and other areas, as well as proving to be bright and articulate in workshops. Her final major project was on the patchwork solutions for homelessness and economic difficulties faced in and around Chichester, where she was brought up. This allowed her to identify and address some of the issues that may have affected her success in the first place.”
‘This is all the more impressive as Alison’s family has had several health issues during her time at university. She has continued to support them while barely missing any classes and never losing her good nature. Although sadly Alison is not going into journalism and instead has opted for a master’s in social work where she will carry on this fight against inequality, she has shown the very journalistic qualities needed to get this far and I know she will use her skills for good.”
Alison, who coincidentally has family connections in the village where Bob Norris lived, said about her achievement: ‘Winning this award is a real honour and something I’m incredibly grateful for. Journalism has always been about more than reporting stories for me; it’s about giving people a voice, shining a light on issues that matter, and helping to create positive change. To have that commitment recognised through an award named after Bob Norris makes it especially meaningful. It’s also a reminder of the responsibility journalists have to serve the public with integrity, curiosity, and compassion.”
“High achievement in journalism isn’t just about breaking stories or earning recognition; it’s about making a genuine difference. It means producing accurate, fair, and impactful journalism that informs the public, holds power to account, and amplifies voices that might otherwise go unheard. For me, it’s about using my voice and platform responsibly, maintaining the highest professional standards, and ensuring that the stories I tell contribute to a better understanding of the world and, where possible, help drive positive change.”
‘I wanted to study journalism because, from a young age, my nan instilled in me the importance of helping others and creating positive change. She encouraged me to be curious about the world, listen to people’s experiences, and speak up about issues that matter. At the time, journalism felt like the best way to make a difference by giving people a voice and raising awareness of important social issues.”
“Throughout my studies and experiences, I have realised that my greatest passion is working directly with people and supporting those who may be facing challenges in their lives. Although I initially pursued journalism because I wanted to use my voice to create change, I now feel that social work will allow me to make a more direct impact on people’s lives. I hope to advocate for vulnerable individuals, help people access the support they need, and contribute to stronger, more inclusive communities. Whatever role I take on in the future, my goal will always be to create positive change and support others in reaching their full potential.”
Pauline Norris, former chair of Solent NUJ and Bob’s widow, said: ‘I was so pleased to learn that Alison has won a Bob Norris award. She is the grandchild of John Ness and his late wife Brenda, of Earnley, Chichester, where I live. Bob would have been overjoyed to know of her success.’
Iryna graduated this year in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University. She was nominated for the award not only for her academic achievement but also for her skill and ‘fearlessness’ as a journalist.
Duncan Sleightholme, Programme Leader, BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism at Bournemouth University, said: “Ira is a final year student on BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism. Throughout her time at Bournemouth, Ira has excelled both academically and journalistically.”
“She is Ukrainian and came to Bournemouth in 2022 as a refugee of the conflict with Russia. She left her mother and grandmother behind, determined to pursue her dream of studying journalism. She has been inspired by journalists she describes as fearless – a description that is also very apt for Ira.
In her final year, her journalism has focused on the impact of the Ukraine / Russia conflict on the people and journalists of Ukraine. For her major project, she produced a video documentary focusing on displaced Ukrainian families building lives and communities in the UK.”
“For her dissertation, Ira has focused her research on how journalists report on the conflict by emphasising human impact and resilience rather than reporting violent events. She conducted a series of interviews with prominent Ukrainian war correspondents, some of them face-to-face in Kyiv.”
“Ira’s fearlessness and journalistic instincts came to the fore when she found herself caught up in a more recent conflict in the Middle East. While visiting her husband’s family in the UAE, the USA and Israel began airstrikes on Iran. Unable to leave Dubai, Ira used it as opportunity to report on the situation, producing material for use as part of her NCTJ Level 5 Diploma submissions. After being unable to secure any flights home from Dubai, she eventually drove for seven hours to catch a flight from neighbouring Oman to ensure she was back in time for her exams.”
Ira said: “I am incredibly grateful [for this award], and it feels especially encouraging given the current geopolitical circumstances. Like many young people from Ukraine, and many young people around the world, I do not know exactly what the future holds or what my career path will look like. Receiving this award is a reminder that hard work and perseverance are recognised, even during uncertain times. I told my mum about the award, and she was very moved. She said it made some of the difficulties of daily life back home in Kyiv feel a little less overwhelming. That means more to me than I can describe.”
“To me, journalism is one of the most important professions. It has been shaped by generations of journalists who have dedicated themselves to informing the public, documenting history, and telling people’s stories. Making even a small contribution to that tradition would be a privilege. I believe high achievement in journalism is not only about professional success, but about producing work that helps people better understand the world and one another. I hope to make a meaningful contribution to the field in the future.”
“When I was little, I pretended to be “the news lady” (presenter), and as I developed an interest in different subjects such as history, politics, and literature, I was looking for a field that could combine those with my passion for communication and deep interest in understanding different people. There was also a girl at my secondary school whom I really admired, and she went on to study journalism. When I was 11 years old, I decided that journalism was what I wanted to pursue, too, and I have never looked back.”
“I hope to build a career either in documentary-making and broadcast journalism or in long-form feature writing focused on world affairs and human-centred stories. My dream role would be anywhere that allows me to tell people’s stories and help audiences understand major events through the lives of those directly affected by them. Whether that is with organisations such as the BBC, The Guardian, The Times, or The Economist, or with a much smaller newsroom, what matters most to me is that people remain at the centre of the story.”
“I am also particularly interested in journalism that examines propaganda, disinformation, and the ways narratives shape public understanding. The work of Peter Pomerantsev [Ukrainian-born British journalist, author, and TV producer] has been a major source of inspiration in this area and has influenced the way I think about the role of journalism in helping people navigate an increasingly complex information landscape. Most importantly, I hope to contribute to Ukrainian journalism from the UK and help raise awareness of the realities that people in Ukraine continue to face every day.”
PICTURED BY PAULINE NORRIS: Bob Norris uses his favourite manual typewriter during the early days of a long-standing career.
